F-1 Employment

The main purpose of the F-1 visa is to allow nonimmigrants to study in the United States. It is not a work visa.

The types of employment allowed under the F-1 visa are limited by specific requirements. Before engaging in any type of work, F-1 students should verify they are eligible to work and have the proper authorization. Working without authorization is a serious violation of F-1 status.

The following information refers to immigration permissions and restrictions. Additional campus policies may apply. Please check with the UT Dallas Human Resources and the University Career Center for more information.

Special Rules Regarding Unpaid or “Volunteer” Work

• F-1 students may not engage in unpaid or ‘volunteer’ internships or training opportunities, or engage in unpaid work without impacting their immigration status unless specific work authorization is granted by the ISSO via CPT, or other options.
• The only true volunteer activities which may be permitted are civic or humanitarian in nature, generally in service of a non-profit organization.
• Unpaid internships with a for-profit company are not volunteer work and will be considered a violation of status unless ISSO granted authorization for the activities in advance.
• Speak with an international student advisor if you need help determining if you can lawfully engage in unpaid work.

On-Campus Employment

F-1 students may generally work on-campus without special authorization while attending school. It is important to understand what counts as “on-campus” work. On-campus employment options depend on where the work is physically located and who the employer is. Find job openings through the Career Center.

Eligibility

• Valid F-1 status
• Valid, unexpired Form I-20 from UT Dallas
• Full-time enrollment in fall and spring semesters, or authorization from ISSO to enroll less than full time

Authorization

• No authorization required on Form I-20.

Limitations

• 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 UT Dallas campus unless ISSO provides written permission for off-site employment at an educationally affiliated organization
• Limited to part-time (20 hours or less each week) during the fall and spring semesters
• May work full-time (more than 20 hours each week) when school is not in session, during the summer term (if summer enrollment is not required), and during other official school breaks.
  • The definition of “in session” at UT Dallas is from the first day of classes to the degree conferral date of that term, as shown on the UT Dallas Academic Calendar.
    • Example: for winter of Fall 2024, international students may work full-time from January 3, 2025 (first day the university is open after Fall 24 Degree Conferral and winter holiday closure) through January 18, 2025 (the last Saturday before classes resume for Spring 2025 the following week)
  • Official university break periods are shown on the UT Dallas Academic Calendar for winter break, spring break, and fall break.
  • Students who work full-time when school is not in session or during official school breaks must return to part-time at the start of the week that classes resume. A work week is defined as Sunday – Saturday.
• New students may start working up to 30 days prior to the program start date listed on the Form I-20.* The program start date is usually the first day of classes. Continuing students may start any time.
• Participation in CPT may be an important part of your journey as an F-1 student; however, study must be your primary activity. Please refer to the policies of the University Career Center, JSOM Career Management Center and Jonsson Career Services pertaining to F-1 students participating in CPT and on-campus work simultaneously.

* The regulations distinguish between students just arriving from overseas and those transferring from another U.S. institution, allowing transfer students to start on campus work as soon as their immigration record is released to the transfer-in school. It is a UT Dallas HR policy to apply the same start date to both groups

Types of work allowed

• On-campus, employed by UT Dallas
• On-campus, employed by campus commercial firms that directly serve the UT Dallas student population (e.g., Chartwell’s, UT Dallas University Bookstore, etc). Positions with third parties not providing services directly to students or personal services for faculty or staff (housekeeping, lawn care) are not allowed.
• Callier Center, Dallas and Richardson locations
• At the site of an organization educationally affiliated with UT Dallas, employed by UT Dallas (requires written authorization)

Educationally Affiliated Off Site Location

The F-1 regulations allow off-site work to be considered “on-campus employment” if it meets certain requirements. The work location must be either associated with established curriculum at UT Dallas or related to contractually funded research projects at the post-graduate level.

In order to work at an educationally affiliated off-site location, students must get the On-campus Work Authorization Form completed by the appropriate academic department and then submit it to IssoDocuments@utdallas.edu for approval. If there is not an affiliation agreement already on file for the worksite location, the academic department should include a copy of the agreement with the form.

UT Southwestern Exchange

UT Dallas and UT Southwestern Medical Center have an established institutional agreement. A student may be employed at UTSW and be considered on-campus work IF:

• the work is covered by a current institutional agreement.
• the work is integral to the student’s curriculum.
• the On-campus Work Authorization Form is completed by an appropriate academic representative and emailed to IssoDocuments@utdallas.edu to be authorized by the UT Dallas International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO).

Students under this agreement are subject to the same immigration restrictions as other UT Dallas students working on-campus.

Stipends

If money is to be paid for labor, activities or service of any kind, it is employment. This is true whether the payment is called wages, stipend or salary, or even honorariums (where it the honorarium is compensation for services). If combining stipends and other types of on campus employment ensure that you do not exceed 20 hours per week in total when school is in session.   If the stipend is provided by a non-UT Dallas entity, then off campus work authorization is required prior to engaging in the work activities.

If money is to be paid with no expectation of labor, activities or service involved then it is not employment. This can include scholarships, grants, conference reimbursements (where ‘volunteering’ during the conference is not required). 

Off-Campus Employment

Curricular Practical Training

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) may be available to F-1 students after one year of full-time enrollment, in the academic year immediately preceding CPT, at a U.S. university. CPT must take place before student completes the minimum graduation requirements.

Optional Practical Training

Optional Practical Training (OPT) may be available to F-1 students after one year of full-time enrollment, in the academic year immediately preceding OPT, at a U.S. university. There are different types of OPT.

• Post-Completion OPT: Begins after graduation from a program of study. The most commonly used form of OPT at UT Dallas.
• STEM OPT Extension: An extension available to students in certain STEM majors. It must come immediately after a period of Post-Completion OPT.
  • Check your STEM OPT eligibility. To use the STEM OPT extension, the CIP code found on page 1 of your I-20 must appear on the list of designated majors designated by ICE as STEM eligible majors. For details about UT Dallas programs and your I-20, visit Understand Your I-20.
• OPT for Thesis Students (before or based on oral exam): Doctoral candidates or students with program thesis requirements who have finished all of their required coursework have the option to apply for OPT while they finish their thesis or dissertation or after completing their thesis oral exam/ defense.
• Pre-Completion OPT: Takes place while student is completing their degree and ends no later than the program completion date. Most students choose to use CPT to do practical training while completing their degree instead.
• H-1B Cap Gap Extension of OPT: If a student on OPT has a pending H1B petition, they may be eligible for an extension of their practical training to cover the “gap” between when their OPT ends and when the H-1B would begin.

Severe Economic Hardship

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

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.

Special Student Relief

Special Student Relief is a temporary suspension of restrictions related to on- and off- campus employment under certain emergent circumstances. Immigration regulations allow Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to suspend or alter rules regarding duration of status, full course of study, and employment eligibility, for specific groups of students from parts of the world that are experiencing emergent circumstances. This collection of benefits is known as “special student relief.”

SSR is activated only when DHS makes a finding of emergent circumstances, and publishes a notice in the Federal Register to define the specifics of what is to be suspended, and for whom, and the procedures for how to apply for any benefits that result from the suspension. See the page linked at the top of this section for more information.

Temporary Protected Status

Congress created a limited remedy called Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to address the needs of people whose countries are going through emergency situations such as famine, natural disaster, and civil war. TPS is a temporary status. If a country’s designation expires without the Secretary of DHS renewing the designation, the foreign national’s TPS expires.

While TPS does allow employment authorization, accepting employment through TPS could affect your F-1 status. The ISSO strongly recommends consulting with an experienced immigration attorney regarding questions about TPS.

Internship with an International Organization

This F-1 employment benefit allows F-1 students to work for recognized international organizations as defined by the International Organization Immunities Act [59 Stat. 669]

Eligibility

• Active F-1 status
• Cannot have completed academic program

Employment information

• Must be with a qualified international organization
• Authorized by United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) in increments of no more than one year
• May be full-time or part-time employment, however, must maintain full-time student enrollment
• Does not have to be related to course of study
• Must have a written offer of employment
• Must apply for and receive the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from USCIS before employment begins

Employment Outside U.S.

F-1 status is a U.S. immigration status, which means the F-1 restrictions on employment apply within the U.S. Work authorization requirements depend on whether the employer is a U.S. employer and whether the F-1 student is performing work inside or outside the U.S.

What work authorization do I need?

	U.S. Employer	Non-U.S. Employer
Student inside U.S.	Requires F-1 work authorization. Common options include: CPT, OPT, STEM OPT	F-1 work authorizations do not apply to non-U.S. employers, and F-1 students in the U.S. must be authorized to work. If you wish to work for a non-U.S. employer while you are physically in the U.S., we recommend consulting an immigration attorney about possible risks and future implications.
Student outside U.S.	Does not require F-1 work authorization. Check with your employer about requirements and restrictions.	Does not require F-1 work authorization. Check with your employer about requirements and restrictions.