Special student relief benefits for international students

Summary: Eligible Burmese, Syrian, Somalia, Venezuelan, Cameroonian and Ethiopian citizens who are lawful F–1 nonimmigrant students may request employment authorization, work an increased number of hours while school is in session, and reduce their course load while continuing to maintain F–1 nonimmigrant student status.

Due to the recent military coup in Myanmar (Burma), the U.S. government added Burma (Myanmar) to the TPS eligible country list along with other 11 countries. Besides, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced “Special student relief” for Burmese students.

Other than Burma, nationals from Syria and Venezuela can also benefit from special student relief programs. To read the original notice, click the link in the following paragraphs:

• Cameroon: Effective December 8th, 2023, until June 7th, 2025. Federal Register notice can be found here.
• Afghan: Effective September 25, 2023, until May 20, 2025. Federal Register Notice at 88 FR 65721
• South Sudan: Effective November 4, 2023, through May 3, 2025. Federal Register Notice at 88 FR 60965
• Sudan and Ukraine: Effective October 20, 2023, through April 19, 2025. Federal Register Notice at 88 FR 56857 for Sudanese students and 88 FR 56851 for Ukrainian students
• Yemen: Effective January 3, 2023, through Sept. 3, 2024. Federal Register Notice at 88 FR 88
• Ethiopia: Effective December 12, 2022 until June 12, 2024. Federal Register notice can be found here.
• Somalia: Effective September 18, 2021, until March 17, 2023, then it is extended to September 17, 2024. Federal Register notice at 88 FR 15427
• Haiti: Effective August 3, 2021, until February 3, 2023, then it is extended to August 3, 2024. Federal Register notice at 88 FR 5016
• Burma/Myanmar: Effective May 25, 2021, until November 25, 2022. Federal Register notice at 86 FR 28128 (May 25, 2021). On March 22, 2024, the special relief for Burmese students got extended until November 25, 2025, click here to learn more.
• Syria: Effective April 22, 2021, until September 30, 2022, then it is extended to April 1, 2024. Federal Register notice at 86 FR 21333 (April 22, 2021) and 87 FR 46975 (10/01/2022). On Jan. 29, 2024, the special relief for Syrian students got extended until September 30, 2025, click here to learn more.
• Venezuela: Effective April 22, 2021, until September 9, 2022, then it is extended to March 10, 2024. Federal Register notice at 86 FR 21328 (April 22, 2021) and 87 FR 55017 (9/8/2022). On March 11, 2024, the special relief for Venezuelan students got extended until September 10, 2025, click here to learn more.

In this blog post, I will summarize the official notice and share what is special student relief for Burmese, Syrian, Venezuelan, Cameroonian and Ethiopian students. By reading this post, you will learn the eligibility to take advantage of the special relief and how to apply for each benefit. Hope this blog helps international students who encounter financial hardships due to what is going on in their home countries. Please share this post with your international peers who are from the three countries!

The Secretary is taking action to provide relief to Burmese citizens who are lawful F–1 nonimmigrant students so the students may request employment authorization, work an increased number of hours while school is in session, and reduce their course load while continuing to maintain F–1 nonimmigrant student status. … Without employment authorization, these students may lack the means to meet basic living expenses.

Federal Register/Vol. 86, No. 99

Contents

• What is special student relief programs
• (Live Update) from the newest to the oldest
• Benefit 1: Work an increased number of hours
• Benefit 2: Off-campus work authorization
• What is the eligibility
• Frequently asked questions

What is special student relief programs

The immigration regulations suspend F-1 international students to work more than 20 hours while the school is in session. In the same way, F-1 visa holders must maintain the full course of study throughout the semester, which is 12 credits for undergraduate students and 9 credits for graduate students, to maintain their F-1 visa status.

The notice announced by DHS temporarily suspends these F-1 regulatory requirements for eligible students. This is why the notice is commonly called as “special student relief.”

It is worth mentioning that “who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current crisis,” in their home countries, not due to COVID-19. The relief allows eligible F-1 nonimmigrant students to work more than 20 hours, apply for work authorization and reduce their coursework. Each benefit will be introduced in the following paragraphs.

(Live Update) from the newest to the oldest

• Update 10/06/2023: Cameroonian students who meet the eligibility can benefit from SSR from December 8th, 2023, to June 7th, 2025. Click here to check the eligibility.
• Update 9/25/2023: Afghan students who meet the eligibility can apply for re-designation and can extend the SSR benefit until May 20, 2024. Click here to check the eligibility.
• Update 9/6/2023: Students from South Sudan who meet the eligibility can benefit from SSR from November 4, 2023, until May 3, 2025. Click here to check the eligibility
• Update 8/21/2023: Students from Sudan and Ukraine who meet the eligibility can benefit from SSR from October 20, 2023, through April 19, 2025. Click here to check the eligibility for Sudanese students and here for Ukrainian students.
• Update 1/3/2023: Students from Yemen who meet the eligibility can benefit from SSR from March 4, 2023, through September 3, 2024. Click here to check the eligibility.
• Update 3/10/2023: From March 18, 2023, eligible students from Somalia can extend the SSR benefit until September 17, 2024. Click here to check the eligibility.
• Update 2/3/2023: From February 4, 2023, eligible students from Haiti can extend the SSR benefit until August 3, 2024. Click here to check the eligibility.
• Update 9/26/2022: From September 27, 2022, eligible students from Burma can extend the SSR benefit until May 25, 2024. Click here to check the eligibility.
• Update 6/7/2022: From June 7, 2022, eligible students from Cameroon can apply for Special Student Relief employment benefits (SSR) until December 7, 2023. Click here to check the eligibility.
• Update 5/20/2022: From May 20, 2022, eligible students from Afghanistan can apply for Special Student Relief employment benefits (SSR) until November 20, 2023. Click here to check the eligibility.
• Update: From April 19, 2022, eligible students from Sudan and Ukraine can apply for Special Student Relief employment benefits (SSR) until October 19, 2023. Click here to check the eligibility.
• Update: From March 3, 2022, eligible students from South Sudan can apply for Special Student Relief employment benefits (SSR) until November 3, 2023. Click here to check the eligibility.
• Update: From November 29, 2021, eligible Hong Kong students can apply for Special Student Relief employment benefits (SSR) until February 5, 2023. Click here to check the eligibility.
• Update: From September 18, 2021, Somali students will be eligible to apply for Special Student Relief employment benefits (SSR). Haitian students who maintain valid F-1 student as of August 3, 2021, can apply for SSR.

Benefit 1: Work an increased number of hours

Eligible F-1 student visa holders will be able to work more than 20 hours per week upon authorization. This update applies to both on-campus and off-campus employment opportunities. Therefore, if you are currently working on-campus or plan to work on-campus, check with your employer to see if you can work more than 20 hours per week. If you can work more than 20 hours per week, then, reach out to DSO to have a note in your I-20 (To learn more about the remark in your Form I-20, go down to the Frequently Asked Questions paragraph.)

College F-1 students might have been working more than 20 hours per week as that is what the OPT regulations require during the normal times (OPT students can work less than 20 hours during the pandemic). Therefore, most eligible F-1 international students would be interested in learning how to apply for the EAD card through special student relief. The process and required documents to apply for the EAD card through Special Student Relief will be listed in the following paragraph.

It is also important to note that students who get to work more than 20 hours per week while the school is in session will be able to reduce the course load to the minimum. According to the notice, the minimum course load requirement for each education level is as below:

• Undergraduate students: 6 credits per academic term
• Graduate students: 3 credits per academic term
• Online class: one class or three credits per session, term, semester, trimester, or quarter of online or distance education will be counted toward satisfying this minimum course load requirement

The guidance for students who are in secondary education is as below:

• Private school (kindergarten through grade 12) or public school (grades 9–12): ‘‘class attendance for no less than the minimum number of hours a week prescribed by the school for normal progress toward graduation,’

DHS will deem an F–1 nonimmigrant student who receives employment authorization by means of this notice to be engaged in a ‘‘full course of study’’ for the duration of the employment authorization, if the nonimmigrant student satisfies the minimum course load requirement described in this notice.

Federal Register/Vol. 86, No. 99

Benefit 2: Off-campus work authorization

F-1 students who are enrolled in colleges and universities had to apply for OPT programs to work off-campus. However, this notice allows students to apply for the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card and engage in employment opportunities.

In the past, approved EAD cards showed only a specified period of time but the policy has been updated and USCIS may grant “off-campus SSR employment authorization” for the “duration of the Federal Register notice validity period.” This is great news for SSR-eligible students as they may not have to apply for the EAD renewal after the current expiration date.

To apply for the EAD card, students need to assemble the application packet with the following documents:

• A completed Form I–765; 
  • The category is (c)(3)(iii).
• The required fee or Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver
  • USCIS is generous with SSR applicants so SSR applicants are advised to file the fee waiver.
• A signed and dated copy of the student’s Form I–20 with the appropriate DSO recommendation, as previously described in this notice;
• Send the application in an envelope clearly marked on the front of the envelope, bottom right-hand side, with the phrase ‘‘SPECIAL STUDENT RELIEF.’’ Failure to include this notation may result in significant processing delays.

According to the Instructions for Application for Employment Authorization, students who are applying for the EAD card due to severe economic hardship should include the following evidence in the EAD application packet:

• F-1 Student Seeking Off-Campus Employment Due to Severe Economic Hardship–(c)(3)(iii). File Form I-765 with a copy of Form I-20 that includes the employment page completed by the DSO certifying eligibility for off-campus employment due to severe economic hardship caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond your control. Include evidence that:
  1. You have been in F-1 status for one full academic year;
  2. You are in good standing as a student;
  3. You are carrying a full course of study (eligible students can note that they are applying through Special Student Relief to be exempted from this requirement);
  4. Acceptance of employment will not interfere with your carrying a full course of study (eligible students can note that they are going to/or enrolled in the minimum course of study defined by the notice);
  5. Employment is necessary to avoid severe economic hardship due to unforeseen circumstances beyond your control; and
  6. On-campus employment is unavailable or is not sufficient to meet the needs that have arisen due to unforeseen circumstances.

Upon approval, your I-20 will have the following remark:

“Recommended for off-campus employment authorization in excess of 20 hours per week and reduced course load under the Special Student Relief authorization from the date of the USCIS authorization noted on Form I-766 until [DSO must insert the students’ program end date or the end date of this notice or one year from the approved date, whichever date comes first].”

It is worth noting that each SSR employment authorization is for one year per immigration regulation 8 CFR 214.2(f)(9)(ii)(D);

(D) Procedure for off-campus employment authorization due to severe economic hardship. The student must request a recommendation from the DSO for off-campus employment. The DSO must complete such certification in SEVIS. The DSO may recommend the student for work off-campus for one-year intervals by certifying that:

8 CFR 214.2(f)(9)(ii)(D)

What is the eligibility

The aforementioned benefits are eligible for those who meet the following requirements:

1. Are citizens of eligible countries, regardless of country of birth;
2. Were lawfully present in the United States in F–1 nonimmigrant status from the effective date (differs based on eligible countries)
3. Are enrolled in an academic institution that is Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified for enrollment of F–1 nonimmigrant students;
   • According to the Federal Register/Vol. 86, No. 99, “This notice applies to F–1 nonimmigrant students engaged in private school (kindergarten through grade 12), public school (grades 9–12), and undergraduate and graduate education.”
4. Are currently maintaining F–1 nonimmigrant status; and
5. Are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current crisis in eligible countries.

Frequently asked questions

Based on the official notice, questions below are arranged for students to have a better understanding of the special student relief:

• I am planning to transfer to different institutions in the U.S., will I still be eligible for the relief?
  • Yes, the notice says “An F–1 nonimmigrant student covered by this notice who transfers to another SEVP-certified academic institution remains eligible for the relief provided by means of this notice.”
• I already have on-campus or off-campus employment authorization, will I get benefits from this notice?
  • Yes, the notice says “An F–1 nonimmigrant student who already has on-campus or off-campus employment authorization and is otherwise eligible may benefit under this notice.”
  • If you have applied and received the EAD card, reach out to your DSO to have the following remarks in your Form I-20.
    “Approved for more than 20 hours per week of [DSO must insert ‘‘on-campus’’ or ‘‘off- campus,’’ depending upon the type of employment authorization the student already has] employment authorization and reduced course load under the Special Student Relief authorization from [DSO must insert the beginning date of the notice or the beginning date of the student’s employment, whichever date is later] until [DSO must insert either the student’s program end date, the current EAD expiration date (if the student is currently authorized for off-campus employment), or the end date of this notice, whichever comes first].”
• I have F-2 dependents, can they benefit from the notice?
  • No, the notice says “No. An F–2 spouse or minor child of an F–1 nonimmigrant student is not authorized to work in the United States and, therefore, may not accept employment under the F–2 nonimmigrant status.
• I am a new incoming international student, can I get benefits from the notice?
  • No, eligibility outlines that students should have been in the U.S. and maintained the F-1 visa status. The notice says “An F–1 nonimmigrant student who does not meet all of these requirements is ineligible for the suspension of the applicability of the standard regulatory requirements under this notice.”
• What is the difference between TPS and Special Student Relief (SSR)?
  • StudyintheStates says “TPS may be offered to various visa classifications, when applicable, including F-1 students. However, SSR, when applicable, is offered only to eligible F-1 students.

This blog post had a look at Special Student Relief for Burmese, Syrian and Venezuelan students. To learn more about all the updates for F-1 students, click the F-1 visa info page. To learn OPT and STEM OPT programs that allow international students to work off-campus, click OPT and STEM OPT page respectively.