Generally, international students may only apply for off-campus employment in the case of severe financial hardship.
Circumstances that may make a student eligible for off-campus employment:
- 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 increases in tuition and/or living costs
- Unexpected changes in the financial condition of the student’s source of support
- Medical bills
- Other substantial and unexpected expenses
Eligibility
To qualify for off-campus employment as an F-1 student, you must:
- Provide documentation that one of the above situations is true
- Have been in F-1 status for one academic year (nine months)
- Be in good academic standing
To apply, you must meet with the International Program Center Director to discuss your situation.
If the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service approves your application, they will issue you an Employment Authorization Document, valid for one year, renewable upon application. This will include your photo.
Note
The application for off-campus employment authorization is burdensome to compile, and the Immigration & Naturalization Service requires about one month to process such applications. Most students who need employment find work on the campus, where no permission procedures are necessary.