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There are three legal ways an international student can secure employment:

1. (before graduation) is the easiest way for F-1 students to secure legal employment
2. Off-Campus Employment with (before graduation) is allowed so long as the training, practicum, or internship is required by your program
3. Off-Campus Employment with (before or after graduation) is a unique benefit provided to F-1 students and allows for up to 12 months of work authorization either before or after graduation and will be covered below.

Please note: Unauthorized employment will result in immediate termination of your I-20. Intentional or not, a student who begins working without explicit approval from either their DSO (for CPT) or USCIS (for OPT) will have their I-20 terminated. If you are unsure whether official approval has been granted, be sure to contact Student Visa Services.

Several factors constrain legal employment for an F-1 Student. These include, but are not limited to:

• A student who is not maintaining F-1 status
• Working more than 20 hours per employment authorization while school is in session
• Unauthorized off-campus employment (paid or unpaid)
• Employment beyond the authorized period
• Working outside one’s major field of study
• Working on-campus at Biola after being terminated, transferred to another school, or during the 60-day grace period if not pursuing a new academic program in the following term

The U.S. government has strict rules and consequences regarding employment, so please make sure you communicate with the DSO before starting any job, especially off-campus jobs, internships, practicums, field work, or training. This includes paid and unpaid work, even volunteering. When in doubt, ask.

If your Form I-20 is terminated due to unauthorized employment, it will be difficult to request reinstatement from the government, and you will need to depart the country immediately. Our goal is to help you avoid this situation, but it is ultimately your responsibility to follow the regulations.

If you are experiencing economic hardship and need work authorization, you have two options, both of which require an application and coordination with our office. The first option is applying for Severe Economic Hardship, and the second is Special Student Relief (SSR). Below are direct citations from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) describing both programs. If you believe you may be eligible, please contact your Designated School Official (DSO) for guidance. We are here to help you navigate the application process and ensure you meet all requirements.

Severe Economic Hardship to F-1 Students Caused by Unforeseen Circumstances

If you experience severe economic hardship because of unforeseen circumstances beyond your control, you may request employment authorization to work off-campus (if you meet certain regulatory requirements). See . Examples of unforeseen circumstances include (but are not limited to):

• Loss of financial aid or on-campus employment (through no fault of your own);
• Substantial fluctuations in currency value or exchange rate;
• Inordinate increases in tuition or living costs;
• Unexpected changes in the financial condition of your source of support;
• Medical bills; and
• Other substantial and unexpected expenses.

To apply, you must submit , along with a copy of your , and any other supporting materials to USCIS.

Your Form I-20 must include the employment page completed by your Designated School Official, certifying your eligibility for off-campus employment due to severe economic hardship caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond your control.

If your request is approved, you may be able to work off-campus in one-year intervals up to the expected date of completion of your current course of study. See .

Special Student Relief

The following is an excerpt from USCIS, but you can visit the site directly:

Special Student Relief (SSR) is the suspension of certain regulatory requirements by the secretary of Homeland Security for F‑1 students from parts of the world that are experiencing emergent circumstances. Examples of emergent circumstances include natural catastrophe, war and military conflicts, and national or international financial crises. DHS designates SSR by publication of a Federal Register notice, which provides the start and end dates of the suspension of those requirements, which may include any or all requirements for on-campus or off-campus employment. A list of active SSR notices is available on the webpage.

You may be eligible to apply for off-campus employment authorization if you:

• Are the citizen of a country specified in a Federal Register notice;
• Have been lawfully present in the United States for the period indicated in the Federal Register notice;
• Have reported on time to your Designated School Official and been enrolled in a Student and Exchange Visitor Program-certified school since the unforeseen circumstance;
• Are currently maintaining F-1 status; and
• Experiencing severe economic hardship.

To apply, you must submit , along with a copy of your , and any other supporting materials to USCIS.

We also recommend you refer to USCIS for more information:

Yes! F-1 students are allowed to work on campus without approval from USCIS as long as they are maintaining valid F-1 status and don’t work more than 20 hours per week while school is in session.

Yes, there are several things to keep in mind. You must be currently under F-1 status with an active Form I-20 to work on campus. Once your initial Form I-20 is registered in the Student Exchange & Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and you are given an active Form I-20 by the DSO during the registration period, you may begin to search for on-campus employment.

• The work must take place on Biola's school premises
• Work that takes place at Biola could be for an on-campus commercial business, like a bookstore or cafeteria, as long as the work directly provides services for students. It does not need to be directly related to a student's degree of study.
• Employment located on-campus that does not directly involve services to students (such as construction work) does not qualify as on-campus employment.

Please note: On-campus employment must not displace a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. This means that F-1 students are only eligible for "student worker" positions. For more information on student worker positions, see /hr/student-employment.

While school is in session, you may work 20 hours or less/week. During official school breaks, you can work up to 32 hours or less/week.

Step 1: Find On-Campus Employment!

• Use (Biola’s job portal) to search and apply for on-campus jobs.
• Once you receive a job offer, Student Employment will send you an F-1 Employment Letter by email.

Step 2: Request an SSN Letter

Please note: We only issue SSN letters for authorized employment.

• The email from Student Employment will contain a link to the SSN Letter Request Form from Student Visa Services.
• Fill out and submit the request form.
• Processing time: 3-5 business days.
• Student Visa Services will then email you the SSN Letter.

Step 3: Apply for an SSN at the Social Security Office

Take the following documents to your local Social Security Office:

1. Active Form I-20
2. SSN Letter (from Student Visa Services)
3. F-1 Employment Letter (from Student Employment)

Step 4: Complete Onboarding with Student Employment

• After receiving your SSN card in the mail, report to Student Employment to complete onboarding.
• You may also send a copy of your SSN card to studentvisa.services@biola.edu if you want it in Biola’s records.

F-1 students to gain practical work experience directly related to their major. To qualify, the work must be an integral part of Biola’s established curriculum, meaning it must be tied to a degree-seeking course in the student’s major field of study or fulfill a graduation requirement, such as an internship, practicum, or fieldwork, as outlined in the University Course Catalog. CPT is not authorized simply for the purpose of gaining work experience; the employment must be specifically required by the student’s academic program. Additionally, declared minors are not eligible for CPT, as the authorization applies strictly to a student’s primary field of study.

Key Rules and Requirements

• CPT is required for all paid and unpaid off-campus work that fulfills a degree requirement.
• CPT must be completed before the student’s program end date.
• CPT authorization is specific to one employer and a set timeframe.
• Processing time is approximately five to ten business days, and there is no SEVIS fee.
• The student must receive CPT approval before starting work.
• The student must secure an internship offer before applying for CPT.

Eligibility Requirements

• Students must have maintained F-1 status for at least one academic year (two semesters or three trimesters) unless a »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵ program requires an immediate internship.
• The student’s academic program must require practical training as listed in the University Course Catalog.
• Students must enroll in a course that requires practical training. For example, B.S. Business Administration students may enroll in BUSN 460 for their required internship.
• Since CPT is employer-specific, a training offer is required before authorization.
• The practical training must be directly related to the student’s degree program.

Work Hour Limits

• During required academic terms, such as spring and fall for semester programs and spring, fall, and summer for trimester programs, students may work up to 20 hours per week on CPT.
• While school is in session, students may work on campus up to 20 hours per week and off-campus on CPT up to 20 hours per week at the same time. However, students should prioritize their academic studies.
• During official school breaks, such as summer for semester programs, students may work either part-time or full-time on CPT.
• Students can work up to 32 hours per week on campus and full-time off-campus on CPT simultaneously during official school vacation periods.
• A full-time CPT authorization while school is in session can only be granted if the degree-seeking internship course specifies this requirement in the Biola Course Catalog.

Restrictions and Important Notes

• CPT cannot begin until the CPT Form I-20 is issued.
• CPT cannot begin until the student has received a Social Security Card if the work is paid.
• CPT start and end dates must align with the academic course dates.
• CPT is employer-specific, meaning students may only work for the employer listed on their Form I-20.
• If a student completes 12 or more months of full-time CPT, they will not be eligible for post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) at the same educational level.
• Students in English language training programs are not eligible for CPT.

CPT employment must comply with the Biola University State Authorization for Online Programs policies.

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a temporary off-campus employment authorization that allows F-1 students to gain practical skills and work experience directly related to their major field of study. Employment may be paid or unpaid but must be directly connected to the student’s academic program.

There are two kinds of OPT a student may use:

• Pre-completion OPT – Work authorization while still enrolled in coursework.

• Post-completion OPT – Work authorization after program completion, extending F-1 status.

Unlike Curricular Practical Training (CPT), OPT is not tied to a specific employer and does not require a job offer before applying. Post-completion OPT is an extension of F-1 status rather than a new visa, making it a unique benefit for F-1 visa holders.

Application Process

• OPT is authorized by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) based on a Designated School Official (DSO) recommendation in SEVIS.
• Processing time ranges from 30 to 90 days, though delays may occur, as seen in Summer 2024 when processing exceeded 100 days.
• The application fee is $470 for online applications and $520 for paper applications.
• Premium processing is available for $1,685, reducing processing time to approximately 15 days.
• Students must apply while physically in the U.S.
• The OPT application must be submitted within 30 days of receiving the DSO’s recommendation on the Form I-20.

Benefits of Applying Online

Applying online is recommended because students can:

• Submit fees directly through the USCIS website.
• Track the status of their case in real-time.
• Communicate securely with USCIS through an online inbox.
• Respond quickly to Requests for Evidence (RFEs) if needed.

Students cannot submit their OPT application to USCIS until they receive their OPT Form I-20 from Student Visa Services.

General Work Rules

• OPT allows employment with any U.S. employer as long as the job is directly related to the student’s major.
• Self-employment is not recommended due to strict compliance requirements.
• Students have 90 days of allotted unemployment while on OPT, after which OPT is terminated. If this time is exceeded, there is no grace period to remain in the U.S.

Work Hour Limits

• Pre-completion OPT:
  • While school is in session: Up to 20 hours per week.
  • During official school vacations: Part-time or full-time.
  • Students may work on-campus up to 20 hours per week while also working part-time on pre-OPT, provided their combined work hours do not interfere with academic requirements.
  • During official school breaks, students may work up to 32 hours per week on-campus and full-time on OPT.
• Post-completion OPT:
  • Students must work at least 21 hours per week to be considered full-time.

OPT Duration and STEM Extension

• The standard OPT period is 12 months.
• Students in STEM-designated majors may apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension, allowing for a total of 36 months of work authorization.

Eligibility Requirements

To apply for OPT, a student must:

• Be in active F-1 status.
• Have maintained F-1 status for at least one academic year (two semesters or three trimesters) at Biola.
• Not have previously used 12 months of full-time CPT or OPT at the same degree level.
• Be physically present in the U.S. when applying.
• Be enrolled in a degree program, as students in English language training programs are not eligible.