Employment Opportunities for F-1 Students

[KyleC 0]

So I know that I am allowed on-campus employment for under 20 hours/week, and that except for OPT, I am not allowed to work off-campus.

Here is what I'm wondering:

What exactly is OPT? Who can get it?

Is there any other way to get work off-campus?

Does for example a Starbucks on Campus count as on- or off-campus employment?

I know this gets asked a lot, but I hear different stories every time and I would really like to know...

Thanks,

KyleC

[Harsh_77 718]

OPT is optional Practical Training, which means at end of your degree you have an option to work off campus in line of your degree to gain real world experience.

If depends how it is setup, your international srudents office should be able to validate if that is on campus or off-campus.

The school I attended had pizzahut as part of schools cafeteria which was condisered on-campus, same time there was a 7-11 with campus boundry, but that was not considered as on-campus.

[Little_My 464]

Whether the Starbucks is considered off-campus or on-campus will probably depend on where your paycheck would come from if you worked there. If your employer is the school/university, then it is an on-campus job.

All F1 students who have not violated their visa terms during their studies are eligible for OPT, but it won't be an option for you until after graduation. CPT, which is Curricular Practical Training, is something you can do while in school and also be paid, and this can be off campus. You should talk to your international student services office about these different options, they should have all this information and be able to help you. I think you have to have completed 2 semesters before you are eligible for CPT.

There is also an exemption for students working for an international organization (for example UN, World Bank, IMF, etc.), which is allowed under certain conditions. You'll beed ISS approval for all paid work though, so make sure to talk to them before taking on any jobs, whether on- or off-campus.