F-1 Employment Resources

F-1 and J-1 students are limited in the type and location of employment in the United States. In order to obtain a Social Security Number (SSN) and card, the Social Security Administration (SSA) requires F-1/J-1 students to provide proof of valid F-1/J-1 status, proof of employment and of work authorization. Required documents vary depending on the job.

F-1 students are generally permitted to work on the premises of the school that issued their currently valid I-20, while attending school and maintaining their F-1 status. This work is part-time and limited to 20 hours per week when school is in session or fulltime work during holiday and vacation periods. Work on campus is a benefit of F-1 visa status and no additional authorization is required.

Note: Although immigration rules permit you to work up to 20 hours per week, Albion College limits all students to 15 hours per week.

Eligibility

• Valid F-1 status
• Valid, unexpired Form I-20 from Albion College
• Full-time enrollment in fall and spring semesters
• No special authorization on the I-20 is required if working on campus for Albion College or select companies providing services to students, e.g. Albion Bookstore, Bon Apetit Dining Services.

Employment Details

• New and transfer students may begin on-campus employment up to 30 days prior to the program start date on the Form I-20
• Cannot work on campus after the completion of program requirements
• Must physically work at the Albion College campus
• May be part-time (1-20 hours each week) during the fall and spring semesters
• May be part-time (1-20 hours each week) or full-time (21 or more hours each week) during the summer and other official school breaks only for continuing students

Yes, international students should request CPT authorization for ALL practica, internships, and MOST volunteer work done in the U.S. Visit with CIE, Vulgamore 306, or research using the University of Michigan’s Employment and Volunteering webpage for details.

CPT REQUEST FORM
INTERNSHIP APPLICATION FORM

Both forms must be submitted to the Career and Internship Center and Registrar’s Office before CIE can authorize your CPT request.

Yes, international students should request CPT authorization for ALL practica, internships, and MOST volunteer work done in the U.S. Visit with CIE, Vulgamore 306, or research using the University of Michigan’s Employment and Volunteering webpage for details.

Yes, international students with ALL MAJORS are eligible to do internships in the U.S.! Albion international students are wise to consider a semester at Albion College’s Philadelphia Center to gain valuable work experience in the United States while sometimes even earning a salary. See the Career and Internship Center for details.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a benefit of F-1 non-immigrant student status, and provides temporary employment authorization for off-campus training that is directly related to an F-1 student’s major field of study. Albion College students typically request part-time CPT (up to 20 hours a week) for spring and fall semesters, and full-time CPT (20 hours or more) during the summer term. F-1 students cannot engage in volunteering, training, or working until CPT is authorized and the start date of CPT has been reached. CIE will only authorize CPT for a semester at a time. There is no set limit to the amount of time a student may engage in CPT. However, if a student engages in full time CPT for 12 months or more, the student becomes ineligible for post-completion OPT. Engaging in part-time CPT (20 hours or less) does not affect eligibility for post-completion OPT.

To be eligible for CPT, F-1 students must:

• Be in valid F-1 immigration status and have been enrolled as a full-time student for at least one full academic year.
• Continue to meet full-time enrollment requirements while engaging in CPT, whether full or part-time. Note: CPT authorized for summer requires enrollment only in the internship coursework.
• Work only for the specific dates of employment authorized on the I-20, and for the specific employer authorized. They must not begin before the start date or continue working after the end date, or change employers, without receiving a new authorization. This would be a violation of the F-1 immigration status terms, and could result in a loss of immigration status and/or deportation.
• Have additional courses to complete for their Albion College degree. They must not have completed all program requirements, regardless of graduation status.

Training/ Employment Requirements

• CPT training (and employment associated with the training) must be “an integral part of an established curriculum” and “directly related to the student’s major area of study.”
• For-credit CPT may be mandatory or elective. The training program must be listed in the school’s course catalog with the assigned number of credits and the name of the faculty member teaching the course clearly indicated. There should also be a description of the course with the course objectives clearly defined. Students enrolled in such a course may work out the details of their specific projects within the established course objectives under the supervision of the instructor.
• CPT employment may be unpaid or paid, and F-1 students engaging in off-campus non-paid internships require CPT authorization. Federal and state labor and wage/hour laws do still apply.

CPT Process Overview

Follow Albion College Career and Internship Center (CIC) procedures to find an internship, practicum, or other position in your academic major. Gain a job offer letter for the position, on the organization’s letterhead, that includes the following information:

• Job title.
• Employment start date and end date.
• Number of hours per week to be worked.
• Employer name, address, and phone number.
• Description of work.

Then get signatures on the CPT request form by the CIC and your department chair.  Register for the course on your CPT request form. Submit the CPT request form to the Center for International Education, Vulgamore 306.

Schedule a meeting with the Dena Reuben for 1-2 days after submitting the form. At that meeting, you will receive a new I-20 with your CPT work authorization, and/or be notified of additional information required.

Only AFTER receiving the I-20 with CPT work authorization, report to work.

Severe Economic Hardship is for F-1 students who experience severe changes in funding that are unforeseen and uncontrollable:

• Provides one year of off-campus work authorization before completion of studies.
• Authorizes work up to 20 hours per week while school is in session, 21 or more hours during school breaks.
• Student must maintain full-time enrollment.

Eligibility

• Lawfully enrolled full-time in a U.S. university for at least one academic year (two long semesters).
• Valid F-1 status.
• Good academic standing.
• Since arriving in the U.S. something unexpected happened to your funding, such as a sponsor dies or unexpected medical bills.
• You have looked for an on-campus job and have been unable to find sufficient work.

Application Process

• Set an appointment to speak with the CIE Director to review requirements and required documents.
• Submit the required documents to CIE to obtain a new I20 with economic hardship recommendation.
• Pick up the I-20 and mailing instructions.
• Send the required documents to USCIS. USCIS processing usually takes about three months.
• If approved, USCIS will send you an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) authorizing off-campus employment.

How to Apply for Severe Economic Hardship Employment

1. Schedule an appointment with the CIE Director, and bring your personal statement and completed I-765 form (see below).
2. The CIE Director will review your documents, and if complete, will send your request to SEVIS electronically, and generate a new SEVIS I-20. The recommendation will be written on page 2 of the new I-20.
3. You will compile your Economic Hardship packet for mailing to USCIS. CIE is available to review and give feedback on packet instructions.
4. Send your request to USCIS. Refer to Submitting Your Severe Economic Hardship Request Application to USCIS below.

Documentation Needed to Apply to USCIS

• A personal statement describing the unforeseen hardship situation and, if possible, attach backup documentation; for example, news articles, a letter from home telling of a change in family circumstances or proof of a currency devaluation in your country, etc. Include the date you are requesting your Economic Hardship to begin, which should be no earlier than 60 days after your letter is dated.
• Completed Form I-765, using the code (C)(3)(iii) at item 16. Do not date the form until you are ready to send the application to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
• Copies of your current and previous I-20s
• Copy of paper or print-out of electronic Form I-94 (please click on the link for instructions)
• Copy of your F-1 visa page (except Canadians) or I-797 (approval of change of status to F-1), if applicable
• Copy of your unofficial transcript available from ACIS

Submitting Your Severe Economic Hardship Application to USCIS

Once you have requested a Severe Economic Hardship Employment recommendation and received your new I-20 from the CIE Director, you will need to prepare and submit the following list of items to USCIS:

• A copy of the new I-20 with employment recommendation
• Copies of your previous I-20(s)
• Copy of paper or print-out of electronic Form I-94 (click on the link for instructions)
• Copy of your passport page showing your biographical information and the expiration date
• Copy of your F-1 visa page (except Canadians) or I-797 (approval of change of status to F-1), if applicable
• Form I-765 and the base fee
• Two full-face passport style photos. The photos must be identical and in color with a plain background. They must be no more than 30 days old when the I-765 is filed to USCIS. Photos can be obtained at the Albion City Post Office. Put photos in an envelope. You should attach the fee and the photo envelope on top of the entire application (on the upper left-hand corner). Please do not staple the fee and the photos.
• The personal statement along with any other supporting documents, if available.

Mailing to USCIS

Send your complete application to the address on the Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization webpage.

NOTE: The U.S. Postal Service is the only service that delivers to a P.O. Box address. You may want to send your application via express (next day) mail.

Employment Authorization Card (EAD)

If the application is approved, USCIS will issue an EAD (Employment Authorization Document) to you. If the application is denied, you will be notified by USCIS in writing.

You may not begin employment until you have received the EAD and the dates are valid. Authorization is granted in one-year intervals up to the expected date of completion of studies. You may work part time while school is in session and full time during official university holidays.

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a benefit of F-1 non-immigrant student status that permits up to 12 months of off-campus employment, typically after graduation, for the purpose of gaining independent practical experience that is related to your major field of study.

Types of OPT:

1. Post-Completion OPT provides for up to one year of practical training authorization after completion of studies. Most Albion students choose to apply for post-completion OPT in their graduating semester. Download the CIE’s OPT Request Form, Instructions, and Information Sheet
2. 24 Month STEM OPT Extension allows students who have received a degree and OPT related to specific STEM degrees, as designated by the Department of Homeland Security, to apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension after completion of post-completion OPT. Download the CIE’s STEM OPT Guide and submit the STEM-OPT Request Form (fillable form) to [email protected] to request an I-20 with DSO STEM-OPT recommendation.
3. Pre-completion OPT is available on a part-time basis while a student is working on their degree. Pre-completion OPT allows work during school sessions (20 hours per week or less) or on a full-time basis during school breaks (over 20 hours per week). Part-time OPT will be deducted from the 12 months of available OPT at one-half the full-time rate. Important Note: CPT is often a better option for international students than pre-completion OPT.

Reporting Requirements while on OPT

Upon being approved for OPT, students will receive an email from DHS that includes information about the SEVIS Portal. Students should set up their SEVIS portal, and update employment, address, and name information regularly. Students with STEM OPT approval have additional requirements, outlined on this Study in the States webpage.

In addition, students can submit information to CIE:

• OPT Reporting Form (Employment)
• OPT Reporting Form (Name and Address)

Students on OPT whose employment information is not complete, or reflects more than 90 days of unemployment, will have their SEVIS record automatically terminated.

All F-1 Students on OPT

Within 10 days of the start of your period of OPT work authorization and within 10 days of any subsequent change, you are required to report the following: Employment Status, current U.S. address, change of your official name, start or end of employment, change of your employer’s address, change of your employer’s name.

All Students with an OPT STEM Extension

This Study in the States webpage has a detailed overview of your STEM OPT reporting requirements. You are required to report all the above, plus the following: employment status, 6 months after your extension start date, even if your information has not changed, employment status, 12 months after your extension start date, even if your information has not changed.

Updated I-20

Updates to the following information will result in CIE issuing an updated I-20: Change of your official name, start or end of employment, change of your employer’s address, change of your employer’s name.

Information for Spring 2024 Albion Graduates:

Students can apply up to 90 days before and up to 60 days after program completion. USCIS adjudicates the OPT application, and the process takes several months- apply early, and no later than the completion date of the final semester. In addition, the Form I-765 must be received by USCIS no later than 30 days after CIE submits your OPT recommendation to SEVIS.

24 Month STEM OPT Extension

24 Month STEM OPT Extension allows students who have received a degree and OPT related to specific STEM degrees, as designated by the Department of Homeland Security, to apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension after completion of post-completion OPT. Download the CIE’s STEM OPT Guide and submit the STEM-OPT Request Form (fillable form) to [email protected] to request an I-20 with DSO STEM-OPT recommendation.

All Students with an OPT STEM Extension — The Study in the States webpage has a detailed overview of your STEM OPT reporting requirements. You are required to report all the above, plus the following: employment status, 6 months after your extension start date, even if your information has not changed, employment status, 12 months after your extension start date, even if your information has not changed.