Work Regulations for Students with F-1 and J-1 Visas

Eligibility Requirements

 You may work on campus provided: 

• You are maintaining F-1 status

• You have a minimum Boise State University GPA of 2.0 or above

 Limitations

You may not work more than a total of 20 hours per week (including any off-campus work you may have been authorized to perform) while school is in session.  A 20-hour per week graduate assistantship, for example, would exhaust your academic year on-campus and off-campus work eligibility.

You may be employed full-time only during holidays and summer vacations provided you are eligible and intend to register for the next semester.

You may not be employed on campus after you have completed a program of study unless you have applied for and been granted written permission to engage in a type of employment the INS calls “post-completion practical training.”

 Jobs Qualifying as “On-Campus Employment”

On-campus work performed for Boise State University is usually acceptable, whether it is employment in the library, the Recreation Center, the housing office, an academic department, a computer lab, or work required by an assistantship. 

You are NOT eligible for jobs listed as “work study” employment.

Work performed at Boise State University is “on-campus employment” as long as the employer provides direct services to students.  Employment for the university food service is acceptable, even though it is operated by a private commercial firm.

 Steps to Complete:

1. Look for a job (only non-work study) on campus.

• Get an Employment Authorization Letter from the International Programs Office.

2. Students may search for on-campus employment by using BroncoJobs from the Career Center website found at http://career.boisestate.edu .  

3. Once you have a job offer you will need to:

•  Go back to the International Programs Office with a copy of a job offer from the department to begin the process of obtaining the required Social Security number and other documentation that you will need to supply to the Human Resources Office (Room 218 Administration).   

4. Apply for a Social Security number. 

• You will need an Employment Authorization letter from the International Programs Office (IPO) AND a letter from the campus employer stating that you have a job. 
• It then takes several weeks to get a Social Security number but you can begin working once you provide documentation to Human Resources that you have applied for your Social Security number.

5. Go to work!  Remember you can only work 20 hours per week during each semester, and you may work full-time during semester breaks.   

A NOTE OF CAUTION

While INS regulations provide a variety of opportunities for you to be employed during your time in F-1 status, working improperly or without authorization is a serious violation of your status.  You should therefore consult with the International Programs Office before taking up any employment.  It is your responsibility to comply with all Immigration regulations that apply to F-1 students.  If you fail to comply, you may not be eligible for benefits normally granted to F-1 students.

On-Campus Employment                 International Student/Work