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Can I Work On-Campus as an International Student?

On-campus employment is a benefit of maintaining F-1 and J-1 student status. International students are responsible for making sure employment does not violate immigration regulations and that they complete all necessary employment steps with the university. ISSS is here to help students understand the limitations as they relate to their student immigration status.  

In order to be eligible for on-campus employment, international students in F-1 or J-1 status must:

  • Maintain their nonimmigrant status; and
  • Be enrolled in a full-time course load or authorized equivalent in the current term or, in the case of summer or winter vacation, have not completed their degree requirements and are enrolled full-time (or an authorized equivalent) in the next required term.
    • The on-campus employment benefit is determined by continued enrollment. Once an international student in F-1 or J-1 status has completed their last required date of enrollment, their authorization for on-campus employment ends.

Students in J-1 status must report their on-campus employment and the number of work hours per week to ISSS prior to beginning any on-campus employment opportunity. Students in F-1 status need only report their initial employment at 񱦵 to ISSS if they need to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN).

International students can work on-campus up to 20 hours per week while school is in session during the fall and spring semester.

  • If a student has multiple on-campus jobs, the total hours worked for all jobs cannot exceed 20 hours per week while school is in session.  
    • Working more than 20 hours a week on-campus during the semester will result in the loss of F-1 or J-1 status, so it is very important to monitor closely the number of hours worked in a week. There is no exception to the 20 hours per week limitation of on-campus employment for international students in F-1 or J-1 status when school is in session.
  • A student cannot work 19 hours one week and 21 hours the next week.
  • A 50% RA or TA appointment counts as 20 hours per week and an overload cannot be granted in the fall or spring semesters for international students in F-1 or J-1 status.
  • International students can work on-campus full-time (more than 20 hours) during official school breaks (spring break, summer vacation, Thanksgiving break, and winter vacation).
    •  If students want to work more than 25 hours on-campus during a short break, the university may require them to submit an exception request form. You will need to consult your hiring department. This exception request form is not required during the summer vacation.

If you are interested in pursuing on-campus employment, then a good place to get started is with the Student Employment Office. Please note, international students in F-1 or J-1 status are not eligible for “work study” positions.  

Sometimes it can be difficult to determine if a job is truly considered on-campus per the F-1 and J-1 regulations. The following situations qualify as “on-campus employment”:

  • Employment where a student is hired by a unit or department of the 񱦵 campus (񱦵) and paid by 񱦵.
  • Employment by a private company that is physically located on the 񱦵 campus but provides direct services for students (e.g., Subway in the UMC).

If you are questioning whether a job is considered on-campus employment, please reach out to ISSS.

International students working in the U.S. must obtain a Social Security Number (SSN) in order to be properly reported in the 񱦵 (or their off-campus employer's) employee system and to be able to properly file a tax return.

In order to apply for a SSN through the Social Security Administration for on-campus employment, a student must have a qualifying employment offer (documented in an official offer letter) and a letter from ISSS. Please review the Applying for Social Security Number (SSN) handout for additional information. To request an SSN letter for on-campus employment from ISSS, complete the appropriate SSN Letter Request in the MyISSS portal.

Off campus employment may be possible if a student receives prior authorization from ISSS. Once a student in F-1 or J-1 status completes one full academic year (fall & spring semester) of continuous full-time enrollment in active nonimmigrant status, they may be eligible for off-campus training opportunities through Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Pre-Completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Academic Training (AT) (students in J-1 status). We encourage you to attend one of ISSS’s Employment Workshop Series presentations to learn more!

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