On-Campus Employment
International students can work on-campus up to 50% time (20 hours/week or less)
during the academic terms and full-time during the academic break periods including
summer time. Special authorization is not required to work on-campus as long as
you are in valid F-1 student status, pursuing a full course of study. Once you complete
your study program you are no longer eligible to be employed on-campus without special
authorization -- i.e., practical training. On-campus employment is employment engaged
in at UCSB such as a teaching or research assistantship, employment in the University
Center, library aide, etc. Generally speaking, this means that you will be receiving
a paycheck from this university.
Off-Campus Employment
A summary of the options for off-campus employment for F-1 students is provided
below. No matter which off-campus employment option you pursue, the following items
apply for all applicants.
- Off-campus employment requires some form of written or documented authorization
issued by either the US Immigration service or OISS.
- You must be currently in legal status and have been enrolled as an F-1 student in
the US for a minimum of one academic year (9 months) to be eligible for any
form of off-campus employment. (You can engage in on-campus employment without
any special authorization before 9 months have elapsed, as long as you are a full-time
enrolled student.)
- Employment, both on and off campus together, is limited to 50%-time (20 hours per
week or less) while school is in session and can be full-time during the vacation
or break periods. Additional information is available at OISS.
- OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING Optional Practical Training (OPT) is employment
or training directly related to your field of study. OPT provides an opportunity
for you to obtain actual work experience in the U.S. related to your studies. In
the F-1 status you are allowed 12 months of full-time optional practical training
per degree program. (For example, if you are in the U.S. for both a B.A. and M.A.
program, you are allowed 12 months of OPT for each one.) The application procedure
for OPT requires that the training be recommended by the International Student Advisor.
The actual authorization is granted by the Immigration service and is indicated
on an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), a card with the applicant’s picture
that contains the dates for which employment is authorized. The immigration service
can take up to 90 days to process a practical training application. Employment cannot
begin until the immigration service has granted the authorization. The immigration
service will require a $340 fee for an OPT application. Optional Practical Training
can be taken:
(A) Before completing the degree program
- During the school break periods (full or part-time)
- While school is in session (part-time, less than 20 hours/week); and
- After completion of the course requirements for the degree, excluding the thesis
or equivalent (part-time). Any amount of OPT taken before completion of the degree
will be subtracted from the maximum 12 months allowed. Part-time OPT is calculated
at 50% - for example, 2 months of part-time OPT equals 1 month of full-time OPT.
(B) After completion of the degree program:
The application for OPT must be received by the immigration service no later than
the date you complete your degree program, and can be submitted up to 120 days before
completion. You do not need to have already secured a job at the time you apply
for OPT.
Note: Students who engage in OPT after graduation remain in F-1 student status
under the sponsorship of UCSB. They are required to update any change in their living
address in the UCSB GOLD system.
- CURRICULAR PRACTICAL TRAINING Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is off-campus
employment or an internship related to your major that is a requirement of a course.
You must be registered for a class (e.g., internship, independent study) where you
will receive unit credit for the training or internship. CPT is limited to part-time
while classes are in session and may be full-time during the break periods. CPT
is not deducted from your 12 months of OPT, unless you work one year or more of
full-time CPT. In this case you will not be eligible for any OPT. Authorization
for CPT is granted by OISS and can take about 2 weeks. No fee is required.
- EMPLOYMENT DUE TO UNFORESEEN ECONOMIC HARDSHIP F-1 students can apply for
off-campus work permission based on economic hardship caused by unforeseen circumstances. Applications for this work permit are reviewed by the immigration service on a case by case basis and decisions are dependent upon the student’s personal circumstances. Students applying for this type of work authorization are required to first make a “good faith” effort to find employment on-campus. The authorization is granted by the immigration service in the form of an EAD card that takes up to 90 days for processing and requires $340. The work permit allows employment that is unrelated to the study program. Authorization is granted in one-year intervals.