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Employment

When you apply for an F-1 student visa, you must prove that you have full financial support to be a full-time student in the United States. Therefore, the main purpose for you to be in the States is to be a full-time student not to work or to be employed. However, the laws provide you with a chance to accept employment that will help enhance your education without interrupting it. In other words, you cannot drop below full-time or stop education to work. In order to be able to accept an employment in the States, you must obtain proper authorization from the International Student Services (ISS) office.

On-campus Employment

If you are maintaining your full-time student status, you may take a part-time job on campus for 20 hours or less per week while school is in session (fall and spring semesters) as long as it does not interfere with maintaining full-time enrollment. International students may work full-time on-campus while school is not in session (summer vacation). Please contact the International Student Services (ISS) office for assistance and permission.

Off-campus Employment

In order to qualify for off-campus employment, you must maintain full-time status for one full academic year (fall and spring semesters)

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

International students may qualify for off-campus employment only if it is required by your degree or one of your classes to do an internship off-campus in a job that is related to your major or to one of your classes. You must obtain Curricular Practical Training (CPT) permission from the International Student Services (ISS) before you start the job. Acceptance of employment should not interfere with the student’s ability to maintain a full course of study; and employment should not exceed 20 hours a week while school is in session.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

It is one year (12 months) of eligibility to work in the United States in a job that is related to your field of study, you may chose to take advantage of this benefit to use it before graduation or after graduation. OPT is commonly used by international students after graduation.

Important Information

It is a misconception to believe that you will be able to rely on the earnings from CPT/OPT work to pay the school fees because you may not qualify for an employment authorization. Yet, if you qualify, it is very competitive to get a job in the States, and you will be able to work part time.

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