Employment Options

On-Campus Employment

As an F-1 student, you are eligible to work on the Cal State Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV campus no more than 20 hours per week while you are enrolled full-time, or 40 hours a week during your authorized vacation term which is generally summer. Full-time employment (40 hours per week) is allowed during breaks between semesters. Employment on-campus is NOT allowed after you complete your degree requirements.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

An International Student Advisor may authorize an F-1 student to participate in curricular practical training which is "an integral part of an established curriculum." At Cal State Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV, 'integral' is defined as a position which is required for your academic program or an internship that is approved by the Internships Office and/or your academic department. The employment must also be related to your degree program, and a job offer is required before the curricular practical training can be authorized. Students must be in lawful status for nine consecutive months before beginning the curricular practical training.  

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

Optional practical training is available to F-1 students who have been enrolled on a full-time basis for at least nine consecutive months. An eligible F-1 student may request OPT in order to work in a position which is directly related to his/her major area of study. A total of twelve months of full-time OPT is available per degree level in the U.S. USCIS must grant an employment authorization document (EAD) BEFORE a student may begin employment. Applications take up to 90 days for USCIS to process.

F-1 students who are currently on a period of Post Completion OPT based on a STEM major and currently working with an E-Verified employer, are eligible to apply for an additional 24 Month OPT

Economic Hardship

A student may apply for off-campus employment based on Economic Hardship through the USCIS. The student must demonstrate that

  1. There are unforeseen circumstances beyond the student's control which require off-campus employment, and
  2. Other employment opportunities (i.e. on-campus) are either unavailable or insufficient.

Employment based on Economic Hardship, if approved, is limited to 20 hours a week while school is in session (or full-time during your vacation periods). A student must be in F-1 status for 9 months before applying and in good academic standing.