Employment

URGENT EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION

Students and visitors on F and J visas are not permitted to work off-campus without prior and continued written authorization by the International Student Services office or United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). Working without authorization will cause immediate termination of status, which can lead to deportation.This includes working beyond the authorization date on your I-20 for Curricular or Optional Practical Training. Students who are terminated because of unauthorized employment are not eligible for reinstatement of status.

On Campus Employment

In-status F-1 and J-1 students are permitted to work on campus up to 20 hours per week during the Fall and Spring semesters, and may work full-time during Winter, Spring, and Summer breaks. If you don't already have a social security number, please refer to the information available at Social Security Numbers, ITIN Numbers, and Taxes.

Every semester, International Student Services offers a workshop for international students to provide tips and information about finding a job on campus. The presentation used for that workshop is posted here.

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Practical Training

F-1 students who are in-status and have completed one academic year (a Fall and Spring semester) may have the opportunity to apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and/or Optional Practical Training (OPT).

CPT is an internship that must be completed for course credit. This opportunity is available only if an internship course exists in the student's major and if he or she is currently eligible for it. Check with your Academic Advisor to find out about availability of and eligibility for internship courses in your major. You can find detailed information about how to obtain authorization for CPT from the International Student Services office in the links below.

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is the opportunity to engage in off-campus work related to your major. It is possible to begin OPT before graduation, but due to the one year limit, most students choose to wait until after graduation. Students in certain majors (STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) may have the opportunity to extend optional practical training for 17 months following the first year.

Detailed information about CPT, OPT, how to apply for a job and write a resume can be found in the Career Workshop Presentation, and in the following documents: