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STUDENTS ON F-1 VISAS -- (Most international students)
On-Campus Employment:
No special authorization is needed for F-1 students to work on-campus.
F-1 students can work no more that 20 hours/week during the
regular fall and spring semesters. However, during vacation periods or
during regular school breaks (including summer session), a student can
work more than 20 hours/week.
For additional information about regulations regarding on-campus employment,
please contact your International
Student Advisor or I-Place.
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Curricular Practical Training (CPT):
CPT is a type of off-campus employment authorization. Students may be
authorized for CPT before completion of their academic program. The employment
must be an integral part of the student's academic program, such as an
internship (required or optional) or other employment activity where academic
credit is earned. Students may be eligible for CPT after one full academic
year of enrollment (except for graduate students whose academic program
requires practical training). A job offer is required before CPT approval
can be granted. CPT is approved for a specific employer, for a specific
time period; students may change employers, but must have proper authorization
before doing so. CPT can be given for up to one year at a time and can
be approved for Part Time (20 hours/week or less) or Full Time (more than
20 hours/week). Students should be aware that 12 months of full time CPT
makes you ineligible for Optional Practical Training.
For additional information about regulations regarding CPT, please contact
your International Student Advisor
or I-Place.
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Optional Practical Training:
Generally, OPT is done after completion of academic program, but, in
the case of some students, OPT may be done before completion. OPT employment
must be related to the student's field of study. OPT is granted for a
maximum of 12 months per academic level. The International Student Advisor/Coordinator
must recommend OPT In order to get approval. The OPT application process
requires an application which is submitted to the U.S.
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) along with a
fee. OPT can take 90 days or more to process. Final approval for OPT is
granted by BCIS. No job offer is required for OPT approval. The OPT
application must be submitted to CIS prior to program completion.
You can use OPT anywhere in the U.S. and once approved for OPT you may
switch employers as often as you like for the duration of your OPT time
period. There are several issues involving students who leave the US and
want to reenter while their OPT application is pending or before they
are able to get a job.
For additional information about regulations regarding
OPT, please contact your International
Student Advisor or I-Place.
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Authorization to work because of Severe
Economic Hardship:
There is a U.S.
Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) procedure for
students to obtain permission to work off- campus if they meet some difficult
eligibility requirements. They must show "severe economic hardship
caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond the student's control."
The student must have completed one full academic year and be in good
academic standing, obtain a recommendation from the designated school
official in favor of work authorization, and prepare an elaborate application
form and documentation to support the claim -- (hopefully with some help!)
This kind of work authorization is very hard to obtain from the BCIS because
in order to obtain the original visa, the student had to prove that he/she
had the financial resources to accomplish the purpose of the visa.
For additional information about regulations regarding Employment because
of Unforeseen Economic Necessity, please contact your International
Student Advisor or I-Place.
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STUDENTS ON J-1 VISAS:
On-Campus Employment:
J-1 students must have written authorization from their Responsible Officer
(or Alternate Responsible Officer) before engaging in any type of on-campus
employment. With proper authorization, J-1 students can work no
more that 20 hours/week during the regular fall and spring semesters.
However, during vacation periods or during regular school breaks (including
summer session), a student can work more than 20 hours/week.
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Academic Training
Some students and scholars on J-1 status will be eligible for 18 months
of "Academic Training." However, the regulations concerning work
are more variable. The student should consult with the DSO at his/her
college and with the J-1 Responsible Officer of the sponsoring organization.
For additional information about regulations regarding J-1 employment
options, please contact your International
Student Advisor or I-Place.
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