International Student Employment

F-1 and J-1 students may engage in employment without GEC authorization under the following conditions:

• The student must be in valid F-1 or J-1 status.
• Employment meets one of the following conditions:
  • The student is employed by the university.
  • The student is employed by an on-campus contractor providing direct student services.
• The student may work no more than 20 hours per week while school is in session.
• The student may work full-time during school vacations and holidays.

Students must be authorized by the GEC to participate in Curricular Practical Training (CPT). Students may be authorized to participate in CPT only while enrolled in a program of study. CPT may be authorized only for a specific internship supervisor, location, and period; this information is noted on the I-20 upon receiving authorization for CPT. CPT may be paid or unpaid.

In practice, this means that a student must be participating in an internship as part of a degree requirement or for academic credit.

Note: Adding an internship may incur extra tuition or fees.

Eligibility

To be eligible for CPT, a student must:

• Be in legal F-1 immigration status.
• Have been a full-time student for at least one academic year — waived if CPT is required immediately for a graduate student’s degree program.
• Have a written offer from the internship sponsor and the recommendation of his or her academic advisor.
• Earn academic credit for the internship experience.

Part-time vs. Full-time CPT

Work for 20 hours or less per week is considered part-time CPT. There is no limit on the length of time during which a student may participate in part-time CPT, but CPT must be re-authorized each term, and the student must continue to be enrolled in classes full-time.

Work for 20 hours or more per week is considered full-time CPT. There is no limit on the duration of full-time CPT other than the length of the student’s degree program. Please note that participation in 12 months or more of full-time CPT forfeits the student’s eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT) at the same educational level. A student participating in full-time CPT must continue to make appropriate progress toward his or her degree in order to maintain F-1 status.

Overview

A student must be authorized by both the GEC and U.S. Customs & Immigration Service (USCIS) to participate in Optional Practical Training (OPT). A student may be authorized for OPT both during his or her course of study and after graduation.

OPT must be directly related to the student’s area of study. The total amount of time a student may spend engaging in OPT is 12 months for each level of education (e.g. 12 months of OPT after a Bachelor’s degree and another 12 months for a Master’s degree). Students who have used CPT for one year or more are not eligible for OPT.

Students are eligible for OPT once they have been enrolled in a U.S. college or university for one year.

• Optional practical training (OPT) is defined as “temporary employment for practical training directly related to the student’s major area of study.” Typically, OPT is utilized after graduation for a maximum period of 12 months.
• The OPT STEM extension is a 24-month extension of OPT for which students holding science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degrees may be eligible.
• A student may submit an application for  OPT up to 90 days prior to graduation.

Eligibility

To be eligible for OPT, a student must:

• Be in legal F-1 immigration status.
• Have been a full-time student for at least one academic year.
• Not have participated in full-time CPT for a cumulative period of 12 months or more.

The EAD Card

Once the student’s application is approved, USCIS will issue the student an Employment Authorization Document card. The student may not begin working until this card is in their possession and the begin date listed on the card has been reached. The student is allowed to stay in the U.S. while searching for employment.

Cancelling OPT is almost impossible once it has been approved. The amount of time listed on the EAD card will be counted regardless of the student’s actual employment. Requests to cancel should be made to the GEC as soon as possible.

Traveling Outside of the U.S. on OPT

Students who leave the U.S. while authorized for OPT must have the following documents in order to be granted re-entry:

• I-20, signed for travel within the last six months
• EAD card
• Valid passport
• Valid F-1 visa
• Proof of employment or job offer

Failure to carry these items may result in the student being denied entry. Please consult with the GEC before travel during the OPT-authorization period.

J-1 academic training is defined as training related to a student’s field of study. Academic training must be authorized by the GEC. During academic training a student remains in J-1 status. Academic training activities will vary based on discipline but may involve either paid or unpaid work. The most common academic training activity is a business internship.

A student may begin academic training during his or her program of study or within thirty days following. Academic training is authorized either for the duration of the student’s exchange program or for the amount of time required to satisfy mandatory degree requirements while in the U.S., whichever is less.

Required Documents

• Official offer of employment on company/organization letterhead showing:
  • Student’s name
  • Supervisor’s name & contact information
  • Student’s job title
  • Employment address
  • Number of hours per week to be worked
  • Dates of employment
• Official letter from student’s current academic advisor on official letterhead showing:
  • Student’s name
  • Proposed academic training opportunity
  • Requirement fulfilled by proposed academic training opportunity
  • Advisor’s name & contact information
• Most recent DS-2019 & I-94 card

All international students are required to file a tax return regardless of income earned during the previous year. A tax return is simply a declaration of earned income; in most cases a student will not be liable for additional taxes as a student’s employer will have automatically withheld the required tax amount.

Students are responsible for filing their own tax returns through Sprintax, a software package that helps students file their tax returns. They should do so by the federal filing deadline, typically April 15th.

Students will receive an e-mail during the spring semester with an individual access code and instructions for logging in. The software will help students prepare the required documents based on their individual responses.

ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)

Please make an appointment with the GEC to review the I-10 application process.

Students may only obtain a social security number if they have received an offer of employment. Students who have been offered legal employment may make an appointment with the GEC to review the application process before applying.

To be granted a social security number, the student must present the following:

• An official offer of employment detailing the terms of employment (job title, hours per week, supervisor’s name, ink signature, and phone number) on the organization’s official letterhead.
• GEC authorization letter.
• Valid passport.
• Valid I-20 or DS-2019.
• Most recent I-94 card.
• Completed SS-5 application for social security number.

F-1 students participating in Curricular Practical Training must be sure the GEC has authorized such training, noted on the I-20 document.

For complete information on obtaining a social security number, please visit the Social Security Administration’s website.