Employment Opportunities for the F1 Student
The regulations of the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and
Immigration (
BCIS
) provide five categories of employment for students holding F-1 status:
- Employment
On-Campus
- Curricular
Practical Training (
CPT
)
- Optional
Practical Training (
OPT
)
- Employment
authorization due to Severe Economic Hardship
- Employment
with an International Organization
Employment on Campus
If you chose to work on-campus you need to notify the
International Student Services (OfGA). You may work up to 20 hours per week
during the academic year and full-time (anything over 20 hours) during
winter break and in the summer, as long as your I-20 is valid, you are in
good academic standing, and you are enrolled full-time (except during
winter break and in the summer, when have not graduated and must be
eligible to enroll for the following semester).
On-campus employment includes:
Ø
Employment for
St.
Ambrose
University
(eg., employment as a Research Assistant or for security).
Ø
Employment for an off-campus company which is directly
affiliated with St. Ambrose (eg., Marriott in the cafeteria).
On-campus employment is generally not permitted after
you graduate. However, if you are transferring schools or are in
transition between degree programs, you may continue on-campus employment
at the first school until you have been issued an I-20 for the new program
of study. Once the new I-20 is issued you may work on the new campus even
before the program begins.
Curricular Practical Training
(
CPT
)
If you have been in lawful status (not necessarily
F-1) and enrolled as a full time student at St. Ambrose University for at
least two consecutive semesters, or are in a course of study requiring an
internship/field experience earlier than that, you may request the International Student Services to authorize you for participation in Curricular
Practical Training (CPT). CPT is an internship/field experience that is
integral to the established curriculum and available to all qualifying
students in your field of study. The training is limited to a maximum of
12 months increments, unless a longer period of time is required by the
program of study and always occurs during the program of study. Both
required and optional employment must be clearly identified and described
in the course catalogue or similar publication, and can be paid or unpaid.
Unpaid Curricular Practical Training can be
undertaken after notifying the International Student Services. This experience
need not be tied to course credit.
Paid Curricular Practical Training (
CPT
) must be tied to credit or required by the program of study and be
clearly identified in the course catalogue. The Career Center on campus
can assist with finding internships for either of these categories. Career
Center
Curricular Practical Training may be authorized at
either full-time rate (employment over 20 hours per week) or part-time
rate. Part-time training must be undertaken concurrent with a full course
of study. Part time
CPT
does not affect the eligibility for Optional Practical Training (
OPT
) at the end of the program of study however, the use of 12 months of
full-time
CPT
eliminates all eligibility for
OPT
.
The training must be approved for a specific job,
employer and location by the International Student Services BEFORE beginning to
work. OfGA is required to notify the USCIS of this employment before it
begins.
Optional Practical Training (
OPT
)
You may apply to the
USCIS
for up to 12 months of Optional Practical Training (
OPT
) through the International Student Services. This process may take up to 120
days before authorization is granted so please start early! You must
apply for this benefit before your program of study ends (the date on your
I-20).
The purpose of
OPT
is to provide you with actual paid work experience in your chosen
profession. The total period of authorization for optional practical
training cannot exceed 12 months. Optional Practical Training (
OPT
) can be done on a full or part time basis. You are allowed to have this
work authorization after each completed higher level of study. Optional
Practical Training (
OPT
) in a job related to your major field is available:
-
After the student has been in lawful (not necessarily
F-1) status as a full-time student for at least one academic year before
applying.
-
During or after the program of study.
-
After completion of all course requirement for each
increasing degree, excluding thesis or equivalent (you should be
registered for thesis or dissertation credit).
-
While school is in session, provided employment for
practical training does not exceed 20 hours per week (every two months
of optional practical training authorized at the part-time rate deducts
one month from the 12-month total).
-
Over the summer and during winter breaks, if you are
eligible and intend to register for the following semester.
-
Not tied to a specific job offer but must be appropriate
for someone having your level of education and be related to your field
of study.
-
A student authorized to engage in
OPT
after graduation may not enroll as a full-time student without
forfeiting the approved training.
-
The student in
OPT
must continue to notify their school of any changes in address and or
employer.
Your I-20 expires 60 days after the date you complete degree
requirements. You are expected to leave the country by that date unless you
apply for practical training authorization, enroll in another degree
program, or make other arrangements to lawfully remain in the
U.S.
Severe Economic Hardship
If you are suffering a severe economic
hardship due to unforeseen financial circumstances beyond your control,
you may apply to the US Citizenship and Immigration Service, through the
International Student Services, for authorization to work off campus, provided
you have been in F-1 status for one academic year, are in good academic
standing, and other employment opportunities are not available. These
‘other employment opportunities’ refer specifically to on-campus
employment. If you are able to find employment on-campus, you will not be
able to establish that you require work authorization based upon severe
economic hardship. Examples of unforeseen circumstances include ‘loss of
financial aid or on-campus employment without fault on the part of the
student, substantial fluctuations in the value of currency or exchange rate,
inordinate increase in tuition and/or living costs, unexpected changes in
the financial condition of the student’s source of support, medical bills,
or other substantial and unexpected expenses.’
Under this plan the student may still work
the 20 hours on campus and they do not sacrifice any curricular training.
Employment with an International Organization
If you are an F-1 student seeking
employment with an international organization, as defined by the
International Organization Act, you may apply to the
USCIS
for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) through the International Student Services.
Please be aware that international students are
required to pay state and federal income taxes on monies earned in the US. Taxes
Thanks to the
University
of
Iowa
for assistance this document.
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