Off-Campus Employment
As a reminder, F-1 visa holders are required to obtain permission before participating in any off-campus employment, practicum, practical training, internship, job, etc. If your major requires a practicum for degree completion or you enrolled in a for-credit course that requires internship hours, you may qualify for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization.
If you have an internship or employment opportunity that is related to your field of study but is not required for your program as defined above, you will need to apply for and be approved for Optional Practical Training before you can accept the position.
You can review eligibility and additional information regarding off-campus employment on our website: click here.
Working without prior authorization on page 2 of your I-20 is not legal. This includes UNPAID training/jobs, etc. This will result in the termination of your SEVIS record — a very serious offense.
If you need to request CPT or OPT, please begin the process from the International Student Portal (Student Requests tab). You will need to put your academic advisor/department contact information for approval before the International Center can process your request.
On-Campus Employment
If you are in good academic standing, you are eligible to work on-campus up to 20 hours each week when school is in session. You do not need authorization from the International Center, however, you may need to apply for a Social Security number (SSN) in advance (see more information here). If you have received an on-campus job and need to apply for an SSN, please initiate this request from the International Student Portal (Student Requests tab> On-Campus Employment).
As a reminder, F-1 visa holders are not eligible for work-study positions.