Employment

On Campus Employment:

Students who are maintaining F-1 status are eligible to work on campus only. Students are permitted to work a maximum of 20 hours per week while classes are in session and a maximum of 40 hours during holidays or school vacation periods of one week or more in duration, provided the student intends to enroll full-time during the academic term following the vacation period. F-1 students do not need special verification to accept employment as long as it qualifies as on-campus employment.

Off-Campus Employment:

Students who would like to work off-campus must have special permission from USCIS prior to employment. Working without authorization is a violation of the F-1 visa status. There are several possible ways to get permission to work off-campus.

Off Campus Employment Authorization Due to Economic Hardship
Curricular Practical Training
Optional Practical Training

Off-Campus Employment Authorization Due to Economic Harship:

Under certain circumstances, an F-1 student may apply for "off-campus employment based on economic hardship. Conditions creating this economic hardship include loss of financial aid or on-campus employment without the fault of the student, unexpected changes in the financial condition of the student's source of support, substantial flucuations in the value of currency or exchange rate, inordinate increases in tuition and fees, and medical bills or other substantial and unexpected expenses. The above circumstances must be unforeseen, not in the student's control, and well documented. To be eligible, a student must have been in lawful F-1 status for one full academic year and must be carrying a full course of study as defined by USCIS.

If you believe you qualify for employment authorization due to economic hardship, make an appointment (573 592-4251) with your International Student Advisor as soon as possible. The application process, if you qualify, will take approximately three months. You should bring the following things to the appointment with you:

Any supporting materials you have which detail the unforeseen circumstances that have caused your economic hardship.
USCIS Form I-765, fill in to the best of your ability. For # 16, use code "C3iii".
Your passport, including your visa and I-94.
You will also need two photos that meet Department of State specifications and a check or money order to pay the $340 application fee. You should verify with your International Student Advisor that you qualify to apply for economic hardship BEFORE you have your photos taken.

Curricular Practical Training:

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) allows F-1 students to take academic internships off campus. The requirements of CPT are:

The internship must be related to the student's field of study.
The internship must be required by the department or advisor.
The student must receive academic credit and a grade for the internship.

CPT is employer-specific. Therefore students must have been offered a position in writing before CPT can be approved. The internship can be either paid or unpaid. For detailed information about CPT, please read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The Application Process:

To apply for CPT, students should first meet with the international student advisor to discuss the internship and then submit the application:

An Employer's letter
An Advisor's letter
Current I-20

The international student advisor processes applications within ten days of receiving the documents listed above.