“I'm a firm believer in getting students out of the classroom and into experiences in nature. If students get out of their element, in a new place that stimulates their senses, that's where the best learning happens.”
Natural Sciences Assistant Professor Nick Baer
employment options
International students on an F-1 visa may work on campus, however, campus jobs are limited because international students are not eligible for federally-funded work-study positions. Students who have been granted an F-1 Visa may be employed according to the following guidelines:
- Students may apply for permission to work off-campus during their course of study only under provisions in the regulations for curricular practical training (CPT) and optional practical training(OPT). See below for details.
- Students may apply for permission to work for up to 12 months following the completion of their academic programs if the work is directly related to their fields of studies. (Post-completion OPT)
- You must have a social security number to be employed in the U.S. For more information about how to obtain a social security number, click here.
Students studying in the U.S. on an F1 visa have the following employment options open to them.
Curricular Practical Training
CPT is employment authorized by the international student advisor during your undergraduate program that is shown to be an integral part of your course of study and is directly related to your major. CPT includes internships, cooperative education, or any other type of required practicum, paid or unpaid.
It can be full-time or part-time; however, use of full time CPT for more than 12 months during your undergraduate program, eliminates you from eligibility for optional practical training (See below for details). In order to be eligible for CPT you must have been a full time student at your college for at least one school year, have an offer of employment that meets the qualifications for CPT, have a written letter of recommendation from a professor in your major, and obtain approval by the international student advisor.
Once approved, the international student advisor will record your authorization in SEVIS and issue you a new 1-20 with the employment information, which you must have before you begin work. USCIS approval is not required for CPT. You must maintain a full course of study in F-1 status during the period of employment.
Optional Practical Training
OPT allows a student 12 months of employment, as long as the work is directly related to the student's major or field of study. There are two different kinds of OPT with two different sets of rules.
Pre-completion OPT allows a student to be employed for up to 20 hours a week while school is in session, as long as one full year of studies has been completed. (More than 20 hours a week can be requested during school breaks and vacations.)
Part-time OPT is deducted from the 12 month limit at 50 percent. For post-completion OPT, only full-time employment can be requested. A graduate may work full-time for 12 months after completing a degree, but must find employment related to his or her major and be approved by USCIS before beginning work.
A specific job offer is not required before acceptance, but it is expected that the applicant be seeking employment until a job is found. Post-completion OPT can be fulfilled anywhere in the country. Students must apply before completion of the program end date (graduation), but no earlier than 90 days before that date. There is an application fee of $380. Please go through the International Student Services office to apply.)
If the application is approved, USCIS will issue an EAD (Employment Authorization Document) based on the international student advisor's recommendation. The SEVIS record will be updated as well. A student should not leave the country while waiting for the EAD card to arrive. Under no circumstances may a student begin working before the start date on the EAD card.
Economic Hardship Employment
If through some unforeseen circumstance your financial situation changes drastically after you have arrived in the U.S., you may apply to the USCIS for permission to work due to economic hardship. This is only available to students who have been in the U.S. studying for nine months, and it is often very difficult to receive permission.
Valid reasons for application would include loss of on campus employment or financial aid without fault on your part, substantial fluctuations in currency value or exchange rate, medical bills, or loss of financial support from your family or sponsor.
