Vickie Hayes, Coordinator of On-campus Student Employment with her graduate student worker Reo Tanaka (from Japan) presenting at an orientation for international students. Photo by oisa05

Employment opportunities for foreign students are limited by INS regulations and are available only to students who have maintained their immigration status and academic standing.

1. remain enrolled full-time (at least 12 credit hrs.) at the institution you are authorized to attend;
2. maintain a valid passport;
3. hold a valid, current I-20;
4. be in good academic standing (have a 2.0 GPA);
5. if employed, have appropriate authorization for any work and not be employed for more than 20 hours per week while classes are in session.

Social Security Numbers: It is required that an international student have an official Social Security Number before  the he/she accepts any on- or off-campus employment.  Details on how to apply for a social security number can be obtained from the International Student Affairs Office, suite 301-K in the 600 S. Michigan Bldg.
 
Employment
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) makes the assumption that F-1 students are here for the primary purpose of attending school.  The following employment possibilities exist for F-1 students:

I.  On-Campus Options:

• Graduate Assistant,
• Research Assistant ,
• Teaching Assistant and
• Work-aid

As a non-immigrant student maintaining F-1 status, you are eligible to work on campus up to 20 hours per week while school is in session.  During vacation periods, you may work full time on campus if your supervisor offers you more hours and if permitted by the College.  Your eligibility for on-campus employment is in effect only as long as you are maintaining lawful student status (see above).  If you violate your status and continue working on-campus, you would be engaging in illegal employment, and would potentially risk deportation.  You would also jeopardize any future benefits from the INS, such as “practical training” and/or adjustment to another non-immigrant status.  Students need to check with the Career Center for Arts and Media Office at 623 S. Wabash, Rm. 300 to receive a copy of the guidelines regarding “Work-aid” employment.

Please Note: 
Clearance to accept employment should be obtained from the foreign student advisor each and every semester before an F-1 student may be employed on campus.

II.  Off-Campus Options:
a) Employment due to severe economic hardship
b)“Special Student Relief Program” [Affecting students from Thailand, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia only]
c) Curricular Practical Training (i.e. paid internships) [employment must be related to major]
d).  Optional Practical Training [employment must be related to major]

Generally, in any of these categories, a student may qualify for off-campus employment for a limited amount of time only if he/she has been in lawful F-1 status for at least one academic year (usually 9 months).

Graduate students should speak to the Foreign Student Advisor regarding the 9 month in status requirement.
 
(a).  Employment due to severe economic hardship:
Student must demonstrate an unforeseen change in financial circumstances which arose after admission to the U.S. and which makes it necessary to work for essential financial support. 

The student must apply to the INS for authorization through the foreign student advisor and must convince both that these requirements are met.  If the application is successful, the INS will issue an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) to the student. 

The student is authorized to accept off-campus employment only after INS has issued the EAD.  Students may work for up to 20 hours per week while school is in session and full-time during school holidays.  Employment authorization may be granted up to a year and is renewable.  The following is needed to apply:

1. I-765 form
2. Columbia College Issued SEVIS I-20
3. Two (02) passport-sized photos-with a white background (3/4 turn exposing the right ear)
4. a valid passport
5. letter from the student & any additional documentation proving severe economic need
6. a money order for $175.00 payable to USCIS
7. I-538 form (can be picked up & filled out in foreign student advisor’s office)

Please note:  INS processing time is any where from 90 to 120 days!!
 
(b).  “Special Student Relief Program”

Eligibility
--For students whose means of financial support, as documented on the form I-20, comes from any of the following 5 countries:  Korea, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia
 
--Students must have received their F-1 student visa status and engaged in studies prior to June 10, 1998.

Please contact the office of International student Affairs for application procedures
 
(c).  Curricular Practical Training:
  As a student in F-1 status, you may apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) work authorization in your field of study if the employment is an integral part of an established curriculum, such as an internship.  If the internship is a paid internship, students must be registered for internship hours and are not limited in the amount of curricular practical training they can use.  Depending on the circumstances, curricular practical training can either be full-time or part-time:  usually 20 hours per week during the academic year; unlimited hrs./wk. during vacation periods.  However, students who use more than a year of full-time curricular practical training are not eligible for the 12-month optional practical training period after they graduate.

Application requirements:

(1) You must be in legal F-1 student visa status for at least one academic year (Fall and Spring) or be a graduate student who is required by your dept. to begin an internship immediately.

(2) You must be registered for a course corresponding to the internship
 
The following forms are needed:
 
1. Columbia College Internship Registration Form or letter from Dept. advisor.
2. Columbia College Issued SEVIS I-20
3. a valid passport
4. I-538 form (can be picked up in the foreign student advisor’s office
 
IMPORTANT:
You are not authorized to begin work until your Form I-20 has been endorsed by the Foreign Student Advisor.  Curricular practical training (CPT) is granted only for the beginning and ending dates that correspond to the semester during which you are registered for the related academic credit.  You may work ONLY during the period specified by the CPT authorization; these dates will appear on pg. 4 of your I-20.  You are required by law to obtain permission BEFORE you begin your employment.
 
 
 POLICY ON CURRICULAR PRACTICAL TRAINING
 
1. Credit option:  the student is granted academic credit by his/her dept. in conjunction with the work experience.  Examples include internship, practicum, co-op credit.

2.   Non-credit option:  any work experience which is required of all students in the academic program, regardless of whether or not the student is given academic credit.  Example would be a required practicum for which credit is not given.
 
 
(d).  Optional Practical Training:

Is permission from immigration to accept employment in your academic field.  You are eligible to apply once you have maintained your F-1 status for a minimum of 9 months.  As an F-1 nonimmigrant student you may apply for up to 12 months of optional practical training during your entire stay in the US as a nonimmigrant.

There are four types of optional practical training (OPT):  OPT - course work for a degree completed (usually refers to a graduate student who is finishing his/her Master's thesis); OPT - vacation period; OPT - academic year and OPT - post-completion of studies.  In any case, employment must be directly related to the student's academic studies/field of study.

OPT permission can be granted either at the ½ time rate (limited to no more than 20 hrs./wk.) or full-time (unlimited # of hrs./wk.).  If the permission is authorized as ½ time, then only half the # of months granted will be deducted from the 12 month total allowed.  For example, if 4 months of ½ time permission is granted, the # of months deducted is only ½ x 4 (or 2 months).

Please note:  USCIS processing time is any where from 90 to 120 days!!

The following is needed to apply:

1. I-765 form
2. Columbia College Issued SEVIS I-20
3. 2 passport-size photos-on a white backgound (3/4 turn exposing the right ear)
4. a valid passport with I-94 card
5. a money order for $175.00 made payable to ‘USCIS’
6. I-538 form (which can be picked up & filled out in the foreign student advisor’s office)