The rules for on-campus work authorization for F-1 students are relatively easy in comparison to the requirements for off-campus work authorization. An F-1 student who is maintaining his or her F-1 status is permitted to accept on-campus employment at any time during his or her studies. Students can work up to 20 hours per week while classes are in session and full-time during holidays and recesses (unless the student does not intend to resume full time studies when the next academic term begins). The 20 hours includes time spent working on an assistantship.
“On-campus” actually can include certain jobs for private firms and certain jobs off the campus. Undergraduates may take work with commercial firms providing services to students (such as in the bookstore or cafeteria), but not with on-site firms that do not provide student services (such as a utility company). On-campus employment for both undergraduates and graduate students also includes off-campus jobs so long as the job is for an employer educationally affiliated with the university such as with a research center or performing arts center. Graduate students may work off-campus on research projects with private firms under contract with the university.
An Employment Authorization Document is not necessary to work on-campus and no endorsement by the Designated Student Officer (“DSO”) or the INS on the I-20. However, it is often useful to have the DSO endorse the I-20ID to indicate that the on-campus employment is authorized in order to avoid any possible misunderstandings later on.
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