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Admissions

Immigration-Employment Options

Immigration--Employment Options

 

On campus employment

As an international student, you can work throughout the SUBR Campus for a maximum of 20 hours per week while school is in session. Working on campus is a convenient way to earn extra money, make professional contacts, and improve your professional skills. In an effort to ensure that the student obtains a good academic foundation, and maintain immigration status, many International Student Advisors will only permit students to take on-campus employment after their first year of study in the U.S. It is highly recommended that students refrain from on-campus employment and focus on their coursework during their first year of study.

 

Curricular practical training (CPT) & Academic training

CPT or AT may be conducted off campus. This option is available if you are registered for an internship course or enrolled in an academic program that requires you to obtain practical training in your field of study for a specified period of time.

Internships are considered part of your education and, therefore, are allowed through a program called Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for F-1 students; Academic Training (AT) for J-1 students. This is a great way to network, develop new skills and gain work experience.

Most internships will also count as course credits, thus helping you make steady progress towards completing your studies. Here is the process for obtaining CPT or AT:

  • Check with your International Student Advisor to make sure you are eligible for an internship or practical training in your field, and to find out the specific
  • See if your academic department requires you to conduct academic training or offers any internship
  • Have your prospective employer write a letter on company letterhead, containing a job description, and specifying the length of the internship. Ask your advisor in advance, about other
  • Have the professor in charge of the internship course or overseeing your academic training to approve your internship in
  • Register for the internship or academic training credits.
  • Pay your tuition
  • Bring the job description, approval letter, proof of course registration, payment receipt, and your I-20 or DS-2019 to your International Student Advisor to obtain approval to work

 

Optional Practical training (OPT)

Through a program called OPT, international students can work full-time for up to one year to gain work experience in their field. You must be in F-1 status for one year to receive OPT. There are 2 categories of OPT: Post Completion and Pre-Completion.

POST COMPLETION:

Following graduation, F-1 international students are allowed to work full time for up to one year to gain work experience in their field of study before returning to their home country.

STEM OPT:

In March 11, 2016, USCIS published a regulation allowing F-1 students in STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields to apply for an additional 24 months of OPT, beyond their initial 12 months. To qualify for the STEM, OPT extension, a student must be engaged in an authorized OPT based on graduation from a program in the acceptable STEM field. The student must also be working for or have a job offer from an employer that is enrolled in the E-Verify system.

PRE-COMPLETION:

F-1 students can obtain OPT prior to graduation. They can work 20 hours a week while classes are in session and 40 hours a week during holiday and vacation periods. The amount of time used under Pre-Completion OPT is deducted from the students Post Completion OPT.

 

Social Security Number

If you get a job while in the U.S., you will need to obtain a Social Security Card from a U.S. Social Security Office. This card will contain your Social Security Number. You need the Social Security Number for tax and employment purposes. Your Social Security Number will never change, so you only need to apply once.

To get a Social Security Number, you need to get a referral letter from your International Student Advisor. Take this letter, along with your job offer, passport, I-94, I-20 or DS-2019, and SUBR identification card to the Social Security Office nearest you.


Taxes

International students earning money while in the U.S. are subject to federal and state income taxes, and will need to complete the W-4 form prior to working.International students must report their annual U.S. income by filing income tax forms each year, even if they do not work or receive some other form of U.S. income. Students who do not receive U.S. income are required to file U.S. Internal Revenue Form 8843.

Students who receive U.S. income (including scholarships and assistantships) will need to file non-resident federal and state forms. Under certain conditions, international students can file as a U.S. resident for tax purposes only. Tax forms for those who earned U.S. income are filed between January 1 and April 15; for those who do not receive income during the year, the filing deadline is June 15th.

Check with your advisor to determine which forms are best for you, and to find out about available tax software programs.