Client Login

F-1 Student Visa Employment Options

Post-secondary F-1 students may qualify for employment and practical training opportunities during and after their academic program. Employment may be on- or off-campus depending on certain conditions.

1. On-campus employment

Basic requirements:

  • On-campus employment must be performed on the sponsoring school’s premises, or at an off-campus location as long as it is educationally affiliated with the school.
  • The employment must be an integral part of the student’s educational program.
  • The student’s working hours must not exceed 20 hours a week while school is in session, except:
    • The student can work more than 20 hours a week only if s/he satisfies the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) that more hours of work are necessary to avoid economic hardship caused by emergent circumstances.
    • The student can work full time when the school is not in session or during the annual vacation.
  • The student’s on-campus employment must not displace a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
  • The student must apply for a social security number.

Restrictions:

  • On-campus employment is limited to the student’s school or a company that contracts with the school to serve students.
  • Students must not work without authorization, and must not work more hours than authorized. Otherwise, the student becomes removable.
  • Students cannot work during the 60-day period following the end of their program.
    • Students can only work during these 60 days if starting a new program of study.
  • F-1 border commuter students are not eligible for on-campus employment.
2. Off-campus employment

Severe economic hardship

A student may request off-campus employment due to severe economic hardship caused by unforeseen circumstances that are not within the student’s control. These circumstances may include, for example, loss of financial aid or on-campus employment not the student’s fault, increase in tuition and/or living costs, unexpected changes in the financial condition of the student’s source of support, medical bills, and others.  If approved, the employment authorization is issued in one-year intervals up to the expected date of completion of the student’s current course of study.

Basic requirements:

  • The student is in F-1 status for at least one full academic year.
  • The student experiences severe economic hardship after enrollment in an academic program.
  • Off-campus employment must be related to the student’s area of study and is limited to 20 hours a week when school is in session (full time on holidays or school vacation).
3. Practical Training Opportunities:

There are two (2) types of practical training available for F-1 students: OPT and CPT.

Optional Practical Training (“OPT”)

OPT is a form of training, often paid, that directly relates to a student’s program of study. Students can apply for OPT during or after their program of study. An OPT issued during a student’s program of study is known as pre-completion OPT, whereas an OPT issued after a student finishes his/her program of study is known as post-completion OPT.  In both types of OPT, students receive up to 12 months of OPT.

Pre-completion OPT:

  • The student is enrolled as a full-time student for one full academic year.
    • However, students do not need to have held F-1 status; students can satisfy this requirement if they held another nonimmigrant status.
  • OPT must relate to the student’s major area of study.
  • OPT does not exceed 20 hours a week while school is in session.
    • Student can work full time when school is not in session.

Post-Completion OPT:

  • The student can apply for post-completion OPT after completing his/her studies.
  • OPT must relate to the student’s major area of study.
  • If a student participates in pre-completion OPT, USCIS deducts that amount of time from the student’s post-completion OPT period.
  • If the student earns a degree in science, technology, engineering, or math (“STEM”), s/he may apply for a 24-month extension of post-completion OPT.
  • OPT employment terminates automatically upon transfer to another school or start of another educational level.

Curricular practical training (“CPT”)

CPT is an alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education, or other type of required internship or practicum offered by sponsoring employers through agreements with the student’s school.

  • CPT is an integral part of the student’s program of study.
  • CPT can be full time and is not restricted to 20 hours a week.
  • A student may begin CPT only after receiving his or her Form I-20 with the DSO endorsement.
  • If the student has 12 months or more of full-time CPT, the student is ineligible for post-completion OPT. However, the student with part-time CPT is eligible for OPT.
Menu