Employment or Training

On-Campus Employment for New Arrivals

F-1 students may enter the United States and begin on-campus employment up to 30 days before the program start date listed on the I-20 issued by the institution they will attend.

• For a list of allowed work hours during the semester and official breaks, please visit On-Campus Employment during Official UF Breaks.

Before beginning employment, the student must:

1. Submit their ISS Mandatory Online Check-in, and
2. Be registered in compliance with F-1 requirements.

ISS will then review the student’s check-in and course registration to activate their SEVIS record and issue the Continued Attendance I-20.

• HR Officials:
  Each semester, ISS reviews and processes check-ins for a large number of new F-1 students, typically between 1,100–1,300 in the Fall and 250–400 in the Spring. During this period, priority is given to students with assistantships, as we understand the urgency to onboard students with assistantships.
• Please allow at least 5–7 business days after the student has submitted a valid check-in for the ISS team to complete the required reviews, activate the SEVIS record, and issue the Continued Attendance I-20.
• Attempting to process the F-1 student's hirebefore these processes are complete may result in failure of the HR hire and E-Verification process, resulting in a Tentative Non-Confirmation (TNC).

On-Campus Employment in General

F-1 students who are maintaining status may work part-time on campus while classes are in session. “Part-time” means up to 20 hours per work week, inclusive of all on-campus positions. Student assistantships/fellowships are considered on-campus employment and are therefore subject to the same cumulative 20-hour weekly limit.

The official work week at the UF is Friday through Thursday. However, some on-campus entities may use a different work week. Students should confirm the work week start and end days with their employer before beginning employment.

• Note: F-1 students are not eligible to complete the Hours Extension Form, as they are always limited to a maximum of 20 hours per work week for on-campus employment while classes are in session. They are also not eligible for Federal Work Study.

F-1 students do not need special/additional authorization to work up to 20 hours per week on campus. On-campus employment typically includes positions with:

• University of Florida (UF)
• Florida Fresh Dining (Chartwells)
• UF Welcome Center/Bookstore (eFollet)
• University Athletic Association (UAA) – may require case by case review; provide offer letter
• Excludes third-party vendors/contractors
• O’Connell Center
• Excludes third-party vendors/contractors

Private companies performing work within the UF campus (such as W.W. Gay Construction, among others) are not considered on-campus employment.

OPS Employment

Temporary Staff (OPS) work is on-campus work.  OPS is an employment designation used by UF Human Resources for employees of the University of Florida who are temporary hourly workers. The OPS classification may also be used for certain student workers. It is not a specific type of work authorization, but rather a classification for on-campus work.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has detailed information about the ability of F-1 students to have employment in the U.S. We advise students to review this resource.

During Official Breaks

F-1 students may work more than 20 hours per week on campus during official breaks, specifically the Thanksgiving break, winter break, spring break, and summer break, provided they are returning to classes in the following term.

• List of allowed work hours during the semester and official breaks

After Program Completion

F-1 students may not work after completing their program of study or beyond the program end date on their I-20, whichever comes first. To be eligible to work following the I-20 program end date, the student must have received, in hand, an OPT or STEM OPT Employment Authorization Document (EAD), and the start date on the EAD must be effective.

If a student is continuing at UF to begin a new academic program, they should submit a Change of Education Level request. They should consult their F-1 international student advisor to determine their eligibility for continued on-campus employment once the COEL I-20 is issued.

• To learn about employment visa options, please contact UF HR Immigration Compliance Services (ICS) for any employment visa-related questions.

Assistantships

Assistantships are on-campus paid positions in which a student assists faculty in a teaching or research capacity. Visit the Graduate School's website for more information.

• Graduate Assistantship: Graduate assistantships are available through the individual academic unit. Stipend payments are determined by the employing academic unit. Interested students should contact their academic offices to discuss available assistantships.
• Teaching Assistantship: Teaching assistants have a primary responsibility in an instructional capacity. Services provided by a graduate teaching assistant may include lecturing, leading discussion groups, serving as assistants to laboratory classes, and grading tests and papers. Florida law requires all non-U.S. students who are going to be graduate teaching assistants to prove adequate command of the English language. Before getting a graduate teaching assistantship, they must submit TSE (Test of Spoken English) or SPEAK (Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit) scores that meet the acceptable minimum set by the university.
• Research Assistantship: Research assistants are selected for excellence in scholarship and promise as researchers. They do part-time research as a portion of their training under the direct supervision of regular faculty members.
• Fellowship: Fellowships do not usually have a work component, although there may be exceptions.

Off-Campus Employment

Off-campus employment is limited to F-1 students in colleges and universities who are pursuing academic studies. Working off campus requires special authorization and is only available in certain situations. The F-1 student should consult their international student advisor (ISA) for advice.

• Curricular Practical Training (CPT): Curricular practical training is a type of employment for an F-1 student, which is an integral part of the curriculum or program. This employment may be an internship or a practicum.
• Standard Optional Practical Training (OPT): Optional Practical Training is the opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the classroom to a practical work experience off campus. Optional practical training is authorized by USCIS. The maximum amount of time granted to work in F-1 standard optional practical training is 12 months. Students who have completed their degree program may be employed full-time in their field of study through OPT. 
• OPT STEM Extension: Students with a qualifying STEM degree (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) may apply for a 24 Month extension of OPT, making the total duration last up to 36 months.
• Severe Economic Hardship Employment: F-1 students may request employment authorization based on severe economic hardship caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond the student's control. These circumstances may include a loss of financial aid or on-campus employment without fault on the part of the student, substantial fluctuations in the value of currency or exchange rate, inordinate increases in tuition and/or living costs, or unexpected changes in the financial condition of the student's source of support, medical bills, or other substantial and unexpected expenses. Source: [8 C.F.R. 214.2(f)(9)(ii)(C)-(D) and (F)].
• Special Student Relief (SSR): Special Student Relief gives F-1 students from designated countries the ability to apply for work authorization and reduce their course load in an attempt to alleviate significant financial constraints caused by emergent circumstances in those designated countries.

Volunteering

Many international students are interested in volunteering their time during their stay in the United States. Volunteering may take a number of forms, such as helping out in a food bank, Habitat for Humanity, or other charitable projects. Others may be interested in volunteering in a company in one’s field, perhaps in order to “shadow” or observe to gain some real-world experience. Or perhaps an international student has a special skill, such as computer programming, and would like to donate their time to a non-profit agency. While the issue of volunteering may seem clear-cut (“I’m not getting paid, therefore I am not working”), it is actually a complex area in which immigration regulations and labor law intersect. Some of these activities are legally acceptable, and some are not. If interested in volunteering, international students must be aware of the relevant regulations so that they do not inadvertently violate these regulations and thus be penalized for unauthorized employment. Continue reading below for more information, frequently asked questions, and a quiz to help determine if you are truly volunteering or engaging in unpaid employment.

Frequently asked questions

The student should consult with the international student advisor to discuss any questions about the specific activity in which he or she wishes to engage.

Bibliography:

“Can Suzy Volunteer until her Visa is Approved? ‘Volunteering’ in the crossroads of immigration and labor law.” Presentation at NAFSA Region VIII Conference, Bethesda, Maryland, Nov. 22, 2002. By Murray Welsh and Helene Robertson.

“Volunteering.” Duke University International Office. Frequently Asked Questions web resource.

NCAA

International Student Athletes And NCAA “Name, Image, & Likeness” (NIL) Legislation

As of July 1, 2021, NCAA legislation allows university athletes to receive Name, Image, & Likeness (NIL) compensation. While this is a great opportunity for athletes, the U.S. Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has not yet provided direct guidance regarding F-1 international students and NIL activities. Therefore, what we can advise at this time is “best practice” guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions