Do you want to be a boss someday? Start now! In fact, it’s never too early to start thinking about the employment options you have as an international student. As a F-1 visa holder, you are allowed to work in the United States as long as you follow the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS)’s guidelines. This article covers the employment options that I used when I had an F-1 visa:
On-Campus Employment
This is the least regulated employment option of all three, as it doesn’t require USCIS approval. However, you must maintain an active F-1 status to be eligible for this employment option. Maintaining an active F-1 status means that you will need to be registered in at least 12 credit hours per semester, and be in good academic standing. The latter is as important as the first one because your number one priority in the United States is to study, so if you are failing your classes, you will not be authorized to work on campus. Most universities have their own rules as far as what they consider “good academic standing”.
Also, most universities will not allow you to start working the first semester. Some have a one year wait time, which means that you can only be considered for on-campus employment when you are Sophomore. Furthermore, you will only be allowed to work part-time (20 hours per week or less) during the semester and over 20 hours during school breaks. Although you probably won’t start working on campus your first year, start looking at departments you are interested in and build some relationship with the those that work there. Also, checkout one of my previous blog post for tips on things you can do your first semester or year to ensure you easily find a job when the time comes. I recommend that you take advantage of the on-campus employment opportunity as it will help you a lot and take some load off your sponsor’s back.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
The USCIS defines CPT as “any alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education, or other type of required internship or practicum that is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school”. In other words, CPT must be a part of an established curriculum or academic program. CPT is an off-campus employment option and must be related with the field you are studying. You could even get academic credits for some internships. Of all employment options, this is a MUST before you graduate. I cannot emphasis enough on the importance of doing this as you get real world work experience directly related to your field, which will make it easy for you to find a job after you graduate. And for some people, their CPT will turn into their OPT, which was my case. Your school must approve you and notify USCIS before you can start working. A good place to start looking for CPT opportunities is by talking to your academic advisor and your school’s career development center.
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
This is the employment option that requires the most planning and time to get approved. As an F-1 student, you may be eligible to participate in OPT in two different ways: Pre-completion OPT (before graduating from your program) and Post-completion OPT (after graduating from your program). The length of a regular OPT is 12 months but can be extended for STEM majors to 36 months total (12 months of regular OPT and 24 months for STEM extension). Please note that if you participate in pre-completion OPT, the amount of time will be deducted from your post-completion OPT authorization period. All OPT opportunities must be related to your field of study. You can find more information on the USCIS website here .
College is hard and your success is important. Reach out to your International Student Advisor to learn more about the employment options that are the most suitable for you.
