Working Legally in the U.S.
F-1 international students have several employment options while studying in the United States, but most opportunities require prior authorization. Students cannot work without the appropriate approval unless the position is considered volunteer work or on-campus employment.
Employment authorization in the U.S. involves specific eligibility requirements and application steps. The information below provides a brief overview of the most common options available to F-1 students—on-campus employment, Curricular Practical Training (CPT), and Optional Practical Training (OPT). Students with on-campus employment or approved off-campus work authorization are also eligible to apply for a social security number.
Each semester, OIS hosts an Employment Authorization Webinar that provides a detailed overview of the employment options available to F-1 students. We encourage students to keep an eye out at the start of each semester for announcements about the next session. Below is the presentation from our most recent webinar.