Can new students work on campus before the semester starts?

One of the great ways to fund your education while studying abroad is by working on campus. There are many benefits of working on campus but here is a summary:

• Unlike off-campus employment, international students don’t have to get any authorization before working on campus.
• In most cases, students can build flexible work schedules.
• In most cases, students can get a free meal a day if they work in dining halls.
• Students can build an on-campus network that can lead them to better on-campus work positions.

To learn more about the best ways to get on-campus jobs and work hour limitations, please click the following related blog post.

Related blog post: On campus jobs; the easiest way to earn money

Now let’s suppose that you successfully secured the on-campus position- when would be the earliest that you can start working? This blog post will answer this question based on the F-1 regulations. Please note that new students mean students whose SEVIS record is in the “Initial” status including newly arrived students, transfer students, and students who changed their level of education (bachelor’s to Master’s and Master’s to Doctoral) in the United States.

This blog post will also answer if international students can continue to work on campus while they are awaiting OPT application outcome.

Related blog post: 2022-2023 ICE update for international students

Contents

• On-campus employment regulations for new students
• On-campus employment regulations for transfer students
• On-campus employment regulations for change of level students

On-campus employment regulation for new students

New students may know that the F-1 student visa can be issued up to 120 days in advance of the program start date on your Form I-20. Check out the Visa Forum to see what you can expect when your visa interview date is earlier than the 120 days prior to the I-20 program start date.

Related blog post 1: All about F1 immigration status; entry date, Form I-515A
Related blog post 2: The cheapest air flight & immigration documents

Students who successfully receive the F-1 student visa can fly into the U.S. no more than 30 days prior to the I-20 program start date. The earliest date that new students can engage in on-campus employment is the same as the earliest date that new students can enter the U.S.:

Upon initial entry to begin a new course of study, an F-1 student may not begin on-campus employment more than 30 days prior to the actual start of classes.

8 CFR 214.2(f)(9)(i) 

On-campus employment regulation for transfer students

The immigration rule for transfer students who would like to transfer to another school before enrolling in the school is the same as newly arrived students- Students can start working no earlier than 30 days before the new program start date on the updated Form I-20. Here’s why.

Let’s say the new student paid the SEVIS fee and received an F-1 visa for SEVIS Univerisity. While the student proceeds with the visa though, the student got accepted into the SAVVY University where the student would like to attend ultimately. The student’s I-20 can be transferred from SEVIS University to SAVVY University only when the new school (SAVVY University’s) start date is within 30 days of the student’s entry date to the U.S.

Related blog post: Transfer college within the U.S. for international students

Therefore, the first date the new student work on campus cannot be sooner than 30 days before the new program start date.

What about current students who transferred within the U.S.? Then, the earliest date that students can start working in the new school will be the date that their updated Form I-20s are re-issued by the new university.

In the case of a transfer in SEVIS, the student may only engage in on-campus employment at the school having jurisdiction over the student’s SEVIS record.

8 CFR 214.2(F)(9)(I)

On-campus employment regulations for change of level students

When students graduate, they no longer can engage in on-campus employment because most likely on-campus jobs are for current students. Students who are paid through Payroll will be told that they are no longer eligible to work on campus. This policy applies to the group of students who are waiting for the outcome of the OPT application as well.

However, students who changed their level of education from bachelor’s to master’s or master’s to doctoral in the same university can continue to work on campus.

A student who has been issued a Form I-20 A-B to begin a new program in accordance with the provision of 8 CFR 214.3(k) and who intends to enroll for the next regular academic year, term, or session at the institution which issued the Form I-20 A-B may continue on-campus employment incident to status.

8 CFR 214.2(F)(9)(I)

Click the following article to learn further about cases for transfer and change of level students: On campus jobs; the easiest way to earn money

All other important F-1 regulations can be found on the F-1 visa page. To learn more about off-campus employment, click CPT/OPT page. Remember that it is your education, your right to know. Don’t be ignorant but be savvy with SEVIS SAVVY!