Working on Campus and in the US

WANT TO WORK IN AMERICA?
Most international students work on campus to earn money as part of their 'student contribution' or for personal expenses. If you are on a F-1 visa (student visa), you are ONLY allowed to work on campus up to 20 hours a week during the school year and up to 40 hours during breaks and between the semesters.

Most job openings are in Dinning Services, administrative offices, the library, and so on. Other jobs may involve collaborative work with faculty members. You can gain more information about employment after you arrive.

In order to work you must first get hired by a department and you would then apply for a Social Security number. The Office of the International Student Adviser takes students to the SS Office the first few weeks of classes in September. Remember that working off campus without proper authorization is deportable offense! "Work Study" jobs on campus are available to students on federal financial aid (U.S. students ONLY).

International students are classified as "Regular" on the student payroll. When applying for a job on campus, make sure that neither you nor the potential employer are confusing "Regular student employment" with "Work Study." When it is time to pay the federal government (around April every year), the Accounting Office will contact you. They will calculate the tax for you and help you prepare the forms. For tax forms you need to know the dates when you entered and left the U.S.A. and other information that will be on your passport and visa. The college offers certain programs like CINTAX and GLACIER to help you through the process.

STUDENT EMPLOYMENT
Employment, as defined by INS, is any type if work performed or services in exchange for money or other compensation. In securing a visa, you proved to the satisfaction of Connecticut College and the U.S. Embassy that you primary purpose in the U.S is study. Thus, INS has restrictive employment. Be sure to check with the International Student Advisor before accepting any employment offers.

DEFINITION OF EMPLOYMENT
Employment is defined as any type of work performed or services provided in exchange for money, tuition, fees, books, supplies, room, food or any other benefit. Caution: Do not assume that you are automatically eligible to work in the U.S. The INS considers unauthorized employment to be the most serious violation of your F-1 status. Please consult your advisor before accepting any employment.

ON CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS

1) ON-CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT
Work on the Connecticut College campus is permissible as soon as you are a full-time enrolled student here. Acceptable employment includes: libraries, computer help desk, dinning services, theatre services, administrative offices, and work performed on Connecticut College premises for an outside contractor or firm as long as the employer provides direct services to students (example: work for a food service company at Connecticut College). Many but not all jobs are posted online. You can always ask people about administrative jobs. You can also work in the writing center and tutor in the math help center. Employment is limited to 20 hours per week while school is in session, but may be full-time during Conn's vacation periods.

2) ON CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT AT AN OFF CAMPUS LOCATION
The INS has expanded the definition of an on-campus employment to jobs with employers that are educationally affiliated with Connecticut College, provided that the job is associated with Conn's curriculum or related to contractually funded research projects and provided that the job is an integral part of your academic program.

OFF CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT OPTIONS

1) CURRICULAR PRACTICAL TRAINING
Under most circumstances to be eligible for this category you must have been in F-1 student status for one academic year (nine months). A job offer required to be eligible to apply for curricular practical training. While there is no limit to the length of time you may be employed in curricular practical training, any student who works for twelve months or more in full-time curricular practical training automatically loses the eligibility of any optional practical training after completion of studies. Curricular practical training is defined as:

• Non-credit training that is required for ALL students in the degree program as part of the established curriculum (e.g. required internships as published in the school catalogue).
• Training programs taken for academic credit which are an integral part of the established curriculum, but are not required (e.g. field study courses as published in the school catalogue).

2) INTERNSHIP WITH AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION
To be eligible for this category you must have been in F-1 student status for one academic year (nine months). If you are maintaining lawful F-1 status and are offered employment in the form of an internship by a recognized international organization, you may obtain permission to engage in this work during summer vacation periods prior to graduation. You must first obtain a written certification from the international organizations include the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.

3) OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING
To be eligible for this category you must have been in F-1 Student status for one academic year (nine months). A job offer is not required to be eligible to apply for optional practical training. You are eligible for a total of twelve months of full-time optional practice training during your entire stay in the U.S. as an F-1 student. You may apply for periods of practical training before completion of studies, save the total twelve-month period to be used after completion of studies, or use a combination of both. Such employment may be full time or part time and it may take place at any location in the U.S. but it must be directly related to your major field of studies. Any periods of optional training used before completion of studies will be deducted from the total twelve-month period available. For example, if you worked full-time for two months during a summer vacation, you would only have ten months of practical training available after graduation.

Last Modified: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 9:46