Can I get a job on campus with an F-1 visa?
International students on an F-1 visa can secure on-campus employment in the U.S. By adhering to specific rules, you can earn additional income to help cover tuition and living expenses.
As an international student in the U.S., you may want to get a job on campus while school is in session. Even if you have a visa allowing you to be in the U.S., you still need to follow the four requirements outlined by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to legally work in the U.S..
- On-Campus Employment
- Off-Campus Employment
- Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
- Optional Practical Training (OPT)
On-campus employment is the most easily available to F-1 students and does not require approval from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). Both USCIS and DHS are government branches that make decisions about international students. According to DHS, F-1 students can work on campus or at an “educationally affiliated off-campus location.” That means that F-1 students can work anywhere on campus, such as bookstores, libraries, dorms, or cafeterias. On the other hand, F-1 students can also work somewhere like an off-campus research lab, which matches DHS’s definition of “educationally affiliated off-campus location.”
During your first academic year in the U.S., you are only eligible for on-campus employment. Also, the regulation established by DHS about working time is worth emphasizing: You can only work up to 20 hours per week during the semester, but you can work full time (40 hours a week) during holidays and vacation periods, such as summer/winter vacation and Thanksgiving vacation. But bear in mind that your weekly total can be no more than 20 hours, so even if you are working more than one on-campus job you still can’t work more than 20 hours per week. Make sure you follow the 4 rules below to ensure your eligibility to work on-campus.
How do I get an on-campus job?
Job searching and interviewing can be overwhelming, particularly when you’ve never done it before. Read the following tips to get an awesome start!
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- Prepare a one-page resume. Most on-campus jobs focus on good communication and customer skills, so highlight your related experience on your resume to attract more attention.
- Ask for help. Many of the on-campus jobs are given through internal referrals. If you have relationships with people in the community, don’t be shy about asking for help getting a job.
- Visit your career center. Most universities in the U.S. have a career center on campus to help students look for on-campus opportunities as well as to provide general career advice. There should be a careers website for your university that will show you all the open positions on campus.
- Network. Joining different student organizations and networking with people you meet might give you more opportunities to get a job on campus. If it’s hard for you to take the first step of reaching out to people, you might want to read our blog, The true goal of networking.
What rules should I follow to ensure my eligibility to work on-campus?
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- Have a valid F-1 visa and I-20 form
- Be enrolled as a full-time student
- Do not work more than 20 hours a week (part time) while school is in session
- Work on campus. During your first academic year in the U.S., you are only eligible for on-campus employment; but in the second semester or after, you can apply for CPT to work off-campus.
Will working on campus affect my OPT?
If you only work on campus during the academic year, it will not affect your OPT situation. So, try to get a job on campus so you can have some work experiences to brighten your resume or just earn some extra cash.
What other resources are there?
Your university’s international student office might be the best place to find resources. They work closely with USCIS and DHS, which are both government branches that make decisions about international students. Therefore, the office will be able to help you with what you need and provide you with the most up-to-date information. Make sure that you utilize them as a valuable resource. Find your school international student service website here and bookmark the page!
Additional financial help for international students in the U.S.
MPOWER Financing offers international student loans to help support your independence at one of our 500+ approved schools in the U.S. or Canada. These funds can be used to pay for up to 100% of your education expenses in the U.S, including living expenses, meal plans and health insurance. Additionally, we don’t require a cosigner or collateral, making it an easy and affordable way to fund your international education on your own.
But MPOWER is more than just a lender. Our Path2Success program provides support every step of the way. This includes a free visa support letter, visa prep course and career services for F-1 students.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can an international student work more than 20 hours a week?
As an international student, you can only work up to 20 hours per week during the semester, but you can work full time (40 hours a week) during holidays and vacation periods, such as summer/winter vacation and Thanksgiving vacation.
Can I work in the United States with a student visa?
Yes, you can work in the US with a student but with some restrictions. Students with an F-1 and M-1 visa can work on-campus and in specified training programs, but can work off-campus only after completing their first academic year.
What happens if you work more than 20 hours as a student?
This depends on your F-1 hourly limitations. If your work over our hourly limits, you have violated your F-1 student status and will have to apply for reinstatement of your F-1 status.
