International Student Employment

Prospective international students please click here>>

Current International Students

F-1 visa holders have limited employment opportunities while studying in the United States. Four employment options for F-1 visa holders are: on-campus employment, curricular practical training, optional practical training, and severe economic hardship. For detailed information on each of these options, please click on the links below.

On-Campus Employment

All F-1 visa students are permitted by USCIS to work on campus up to 20 hours per week during the academic year, and no more than 40 hours per week during break periods. U.S. law requires all employees to prove their eligibility to work.

In order to work on campus at the California Institute of Integral Studies, you must apply for work authorization from the Financial Aid Office. The International Students Office provides guidance through the process. If you are granted work authorization, you will be eligible to earn a pre-determined amount of money in a given school year. This system is similar to the work-study program that American students face when attempting to find work on-campus. Information on applying for work authorization can be found here.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is defined to be "alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school." It must be an integral part of an established curriculum and requires verification by the International Student Advisor.

General Requirements

1. CPT is available to F-1 student visa holders prior to completion of their studies during the regular academic year.
2. Employment must be temporary and directly related to the student's field of study.
3. Students must have been in full-time status for at least one full academic year and be in good academic standing.
4. Students who participate in 12 months or more of full-time CPT are ineligible for optional practical training.
5. In order for work to be considered permissible under CPT, it must be an integral part of your degree requirement.
6. Employment authorization is employer specific and requires an offer of employment.

The Application Procedure

In order to receive approval for CPT you must submit the following to the International Student Advisor:

1. A Letter from your Proposed Employer: Your proposed employer should prepare a letter on company letterhead explaining the type of work you will be engaged in and the number of hours per week you will be expected to work. This letter should also state the job location and dates of employment.
2. Curricular Practical Training Application: You should complete section one of this form. Section two must be completed by your faculty advisor.

Contact Jody O’Connor, International Student Advisor, for application procedure and further information at joconnor@ciis.edu.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is work authorization available to international students who have been in valid F-1 status for at least two consecutive semesters and who plan to seek employment in the U.S. in their field of study.

OPT is recommended by the CIIS International Student Advisor, but final approval is granted by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). You can download information about OPT and the application process here.

Maintaining Status on OPT

All students are required to report to the International Student Advisor via email or in person within 10 days any changes to the following information:

• Name
• Residential address
• Phone and email address
• Employer name
• Employer address
• Employment status

For regular post-completion OPT, the employment does NOT have to paid employment. Therefore, a student who is self-employed (ex. for performance majors with regular “gigs”), interning or volunteering in a position directly related to the academic field with an average of 20 hours/week would be considered “employed” for the purposes of OPT employment.

Periods of Unemployment

Students authorized for 12 months of OPT put their F-1 status in jeopardy if they are unemployed for more than 90 days cumulative.

H-1B Cap-Gap Extension of Status and Employment

Previously, students who were approved for an H-1B effective October 1st and had an EAD card that expired prior to the H-1B start date had to stop working and leave the country until the H-1B start date arrived. As of April 2008, the new OPT rule remedies this situation by automatically extending the duration of valid F-1 status and OPT employment authorization for students with H-1B petitions and change of status requests for an H-1B start date for the next October 1st. Please note the following:

• The extension of employment authorization automatically ends if the petition is denied, canceled, or revoked by USCIS. Effective on the date of such notification by USCIS, the student’s 60-day grace period to leave the country, transfer programs, or file for a change of status begins.
• Travel abroad and re-entry to the U.S. during this automatic extension period may not be possible.

Severe Economic Hardship

F-1 students may seek off-campus employment in the event of severe economic hardship caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond the student's control.

These circumstances include:

• Loss of financial aid or on-campus employment without fault on part of the student
• Substantial fluctuations in the value of the currency or exchange rate
• Inordinate increases in tuition and/or living costs
• Unexpected changes in the financial condition of the student's sources of support, medical bills, or other substantial and unexpected expenses

In order to apply, students must have been in F-1 status for one full academic year, be in good academic standing, and enrolled in a full course of study.

The Application Procedure

You should make an appointment with the International Student Advisor and bring with you the following items:

• Form I-765, the Application for Employment Authorization
• Write a check in the order of "USCIS" in the amount of the fee required for
• Form I-765
• Supporting materials such as affidavits which further detail the unforeseen circumstances

Check Your Application Status: by calling 1 (800) 375-5283 or online.

You will need to have your 13-character application receipt number. (This a 10 digit number preceded by the letters WAC.)