International Student Employment
F-1 students may work under certain circumstances with authorization from the International Office.
As an F-1 student there are some restrictions to the jobs you can work on and the amount of hours you can work.
Work on Campus
International Students can work on Campus up to 20 hours per week while being a full-time student.
There is no limit to how long you can work on campus. But you have to follow guidelines:
- You may work up to 20 hours per week (part-time) while school is in session
- You may work over 20 hours (full-time) during any official university breaks, it is only allowed for students to work on-campus a maximum of 40 hours per week during university breaks such as winter, spring, and summer breaks.
- You may work for as many years as you are pursuing a full course of study (and not working in another employment category, such as OPT)
Types of On-Campus Jobs
On-campus Opportunities
- Professor Assistants
- Department Assistant
- Tutors
- Maintenance
- Student Ambassadors (Scholarship)
- Resident Assistant/Coordinator (Scholarship)
- Cafeteria (Fresh Ideas)
- Bistro (Starbucks/Fresh Ideas)
Types of Off-Campus Jobs
International Students are not allowed to work off-campus without prior authorization from the Department of Homeland Security
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) may be authorized under certain circumstances to allow F-1 students temporary off-campus employment. Such employment must be directly related to a student’s major field of study and an integral or important part of the program of study. CPT may also be required for any practical experience (not just paid employment) that is necessary for academic credit. This is explained in further detail below.
Training must be a requirement or an integral part of your degree, as determined by your academic advisor or department. A qualifying CPT experience is one that carries academic credit, and has a faculty member assigned to it. This could include:
- alternate work/study
- internship
- any other type of required internship or practicum which is offered by sponsoring employers through agreements with the school
- graduate student research for a thesis or dissertation
A course offered for the primary purpose of facilitating employment authorization does not qualify for CPT.
If you are a graduate student engaged in research that is integral to a thesis or dissertation, the research should involve innovative technology available only at a particular corporation’s research facilities or the collection of data or experience essential for your thesis or dissertation. All required coursework for the degree must be completed to use this form of CPT.
Who is eligible for CPT?
To be eligible for CPT, F-1 students must meet all criteria below:
- Active F-1 status
- Students who have completed one full academic year (30 weeks of full-time study) immediately prior to the start of their requested CPT work authorization. Students who have studied under a different status during this period may also meet this requirement. This requirement is waived for students in a program that requires immediate CPT participation.
Studying in an online program outside of the United States does not count towards the full academic year requirement.
Full-time vs. Part-time
- Full-time CPT is more than 20 hours per week
- Part-time CPT is 20 hours a week or less
- For part-time CPT to be issued, you must be simultaneously enrolled in full-time in-person classes to maintain lawful F-1 status.
If a student participates in 365 days or more of full-time CPT, they will lose eligibility to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT). Participation in part-time CPT does not affect eligibility for OPT.
Apply for CPT
- Receive an offer letter from your employer. The offer letter should be on company letterhead and should include the following information:
- Your job title,
- Job duties,
- Dates of employment,
- Name and address of employer,
- Salary
- Deliver the Internship Handbook with all the filled out information to your academic supervisor and your program Dean.
- After your internship has been reviewed by your academic advisor and Dean of career and signed by them you will make sure your internship is registered by the registrar’s office.
- Receive authorization from the international office. With this authorization, you can begin your employment.
You are not eligible to work until you receive your CPT I-20 from the International Office and the start date of your work authorization has arrived. No other authorization is required for CPT.
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Optional practical training is an opportunity for F-1 students to gain work experience to complement their academic program.
All F-1 students are entitled to one year of Optional Practical Training for each higher degree they receive, unless ineligible from using over a year of full-time CPT.
Apply for OPT
To use OPT, you must apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with a recommendation through MVC International. You may apply for OPT after completing one academic year (two semesters) as a full-time F-1 student.
Your job must be related to your field of study. A marketing major, for example, is not eligible to work as a physical trainer on OPT.
When to Apply
When you apply for OPT depends on the type of OPT you are applying for:
- Apply for Pre-Completion OPT if you intend to work before you finish your degree program.
- Apply for Post-Completion OPT if you intend to work after your degree program has ended.
If you are an undergraduate student applying for post-completion OPT, you may apply 90 days prior to graduation and no later than 60 days after the end of your academic program.
You may only work after you have fully completed your program of study.
Steps to follow
- Send a letter to your DSO (Yesenia Farfan) requesting your opt, the letter must include your desired work start date and then you will get a new I-20.
*You must choose your star date after graduation with a 60 day period.
*Once you get your new I-20 signed by Yesenia you have 30 days to apply for the OPT.
- After you send the letter you are going to need the required following documents:
- 2 passport photos (photo requirements)
- Copy of a new I-20 with OPT recommendation, signed by DSO, and you.
- Copy/printout of (electronic I-94); or copies of both sides of the paper I-94.
- Photocopies of: F-1 visa(s) and Passport(s).
Once you have all these steps completed, set up a meeting time with David Alvarenga dea0306@moval.edu to follow your OPT Application.
