Economic Hardship
Severe Economic Hardship is an F-1 work exception reviewed by USCIS on a case-by-case basis for students who experience a severe financial hardship caused by circumstances beyond their control after obtaining F-1 status. Some examples of circumstances beyond the student’s control:
- Unexpected changes in the financial condition of the student’s sponsor.
- Loss of financial aid or on-campus employment if the loss is not the student’s fault.
- Unexpected medical bills in the U.S. not covered by insurance.
- Large increases in tuition or living costs.
- A substantial fluctuation of currency in the student’s home country.
Fast Facts
- Provides one year of off-campus work authorization before completion of studies.
- Economic Hardship is not limited to one year and can be renewed. If applying for renewal, the student must repeat the same application process and show a new unforeseen circumstance or explain why the same unforeseen circumstance continues.
- Authorizes work up to 20 hours per week while school is in session, 21 or more hours during school breaks.
- Work does not have to be related to the student’s program of study.
- Student must maintain full-time enrollment.
- Approval for an Economic Hardship EAD does not affect the duration of optional practical training (OPT).
- Student not authorized to work until the EAD is received and the start date listed on the EAD has arrived.
- If you transfer to a new school, your Economic Hardship work authorization automatically ends.
Eligibility
- Valid F-1 status.
- Lawfully enrolled full-time in a U.S. university for at least one academic year (two long semesters).
- Good academic standing (minimum 3.0 GPA for graduates, 2.0 GPA for undergraduates).
- 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.
- Employment must not interfere with carrying a full course of study.
- The student is not required to have a job offer to apply for Economic Hardship.
Application Process
- We strongly suggest you set an appointment to speak with an international student advisor to review requirements and required documents.
- Submit the Economic Hardship Request Form and supplemental documents to obtain an economic hardship I-20 to ISSODocuments@utdallas.edu. See our processing times.
- You will submit a letter explaining the need for Economic Hardship work authorization and any additional evidence related to your situation.
- Include copies of previously issued EAD cards, if you have any.
- The ISSO will send an email to your UT Dallas email address when the I-20 is ready. Filing instructions will be included with the I-20.
- File your application with USCIS.Use code (c)(3)(iii) in the Eligibility Category field.
- If approved, USCIS will send you an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) authorizing off-campus employment.