F-1 Student Employment

F-1 STUDENT EMPLOYMENT

If you encounter an E-Form access issue and have tried accessing the E-form in multiple web browsers, please email iss[at]umass[dot]edu

There are multiple employment options available to F-1 students.

On-Campus

F-1 students are eligible to work on-campus as long as you are maintaining your immigration status.*  Employment is limited to a total of 20-hours per week (including assistantships) while school is in session, and 20+ hours per week during vacation periods (i.e.  Winter Break, Spring Break, Summer). You may have multiple jobs on-campus as long as the total hours from all your jobs are under the hour limits noted above. Remember to Apply for your Social Security Number (SSN) and complete I-9 paperwork with Human Resources.

Employment of an academic nature (teaching, research, etc.) at one of the Five Colleges (Smith College, Mt. Holyoke College, Amherst College and Hampshire College) or one of the other UMass system schools is generally considered “on-campus employment.” Please submit the Five College Work Authorization Request for IPO approval.

*You cannot work on-campus after your I-20 end date/completion of studies date. You must have OPT authorization (see below) to work after you have finished your academic program.

**Working remotely in the U.S. for a company outside the U.S. while you are physically in the U.S., may require CPT authorization. Please review our CPT FAQs on the CPT link below for more information.

How to Find an On-Campus Job

Search for jobs here: in the Search Engine choose ‘Not Work-Study’ and ‘On-Campus’ for F-1 student eligible positions.


Off-Campus

F-1 Students are eligible to work off-campus with prior authorization from the International Programs Office. 

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

Initial 12 Month Optional Practical Training (OPT)

24 Month STEM Extension Optional Practical Training (STEM OPT)