On-Campus Employment

F-1 and J-1 students have very specific rules they must follow when it comes to employment. If you have any questions or concerns about a position or the number of hours you will work, please consult with ISSS prior to accepting the position or working the additional hours.

What is Considered On-Campus?

On-campus employment takes place on the school's premises. If the ISU job posting lists the job location as "Off Campus" then it is not considered an on-campus job and you will need specific off-campus work authorization (see our CPT page) prior to beginning any such position. In addition, if you are applying for a job on campus and you learn that an entity other than the University is going to pay you, please check with your ISSS Advisor before accepting the job.

Work Hour Limitations

F-1 Students

New students may not begin on-campus employment more than 30 days prior to the actual start of classes
May work up to 20 hours per week during fall/spring
May work up to 28 hours per week during official university vacation periods (see the Academic Calendar). If summer is your first or last semester, then it is no longer considered a vacation period and you can only work up to 20 hours per week.
Must have a valid I-20 and be maintaining F-1 status

J-1 Students

Need to receive written authorization from ISSS before you begin working
- If you DO NOT HAVE a social security number (SSN) then you should request authorization by completing the steps on the Social Security and Taxes page of our website under the heading "How do I apply for an SSN?"
- If you already HAVE a social security number (SSN) then you should request authorization by submitting a J-1 On-Campus Employment Request in the ISSS Portal.

NOTE: These instructions are only for ISU sponsored J-1 students. If you are sponsored by an outside organization (e.g. Fulbright, SACM, World Learning, etc.) then you must contact your sponsor for information on how to request work authorization.

Must receive work authorization for each new employer (follow the same steps above to request written authorization before beginning each new job)
May work up to 20 hours per week during fall/spring
May work up to 28 hours per week during vacation periods (see Academic Calendar). If summer is your first or last semester, then it is no longer considered a vacation period and you can only work up to 20 hours per week.
Must have valid DS-2019 and be maintaining J-1 status

Calculating Your Work Hours

Definition of Work Week

F-1/J-1 students can work up to 20 hours per week, while school is in session. At ISU, the "work week" is from Monday to Sunday. Any work week that has an active class day is subject to this regulation, so you should limit your employment to 20 hours for that full work week.

Calculating GA Hours

Students with Graduate Assistantships have an assigned FTE stipulated in their GA contract. Your FTE correlates to a specific number of hours per week. For example, a 0.50 FTE is equivalent to 20 hours per week. Students with Graduate Assistantships also have specific dates stipulated in their GA contract. While your GA contract is in effect, it is counting against your hour per week limit.

Therefore, an F-1/J-1 student with a 0.50 FTE Graduate Assistantship cannot work in any other on-campus position, while school is in session and their contract is in effect.

Work During Breaks

During official university breaks, F-1/J-1 students are permitted to work up to 28 hours per week. The dates of these breaks are determined by the Academic Calendar. Winter break begins the Monday after the Fall semester ends and ends the Sunday before Spring semester classes begin. Summer break begins the Monday after Spring semester ends and ends the Sunday before Fall semester classes begin.

Students with Graduate Assistantships must continue to count the hourly equivalent of their GA against their number of hours per week during University breaks. For example, an F-1 student with a 0.50 FTE Graduate Assistantship during the Spring semester (equivalent to 20 hours per week) would only be permitted to work an additional 8 hours during spring break.

Remote Work

As stated in the Post-COVID FAQ (bottom of page 6), students can engage in remote on-campus work opportunities as long as the employer can explain how the student is providing services associated with the employment while not at the location of the employer. Please contact Human Resources if you have questions regarding the University's remote work policies related to a specific position.

Finding a Job

You can view all current postings for student employment and graduate assistantships. You can also inquire in-person about employment opportunities. Some of the top locations on campus that hire student workers include the following:

Next Steps

Here are next steps after accepting a job offer.

Form I-9

All new employees must complete an I-9 form. The purpose of this form is to verify your identity and that you have proper authorization to work. You will fill this form out at Human Resources in the Nelson Smith Building Room 101. Make sure to bring: your passport, I-20/DS 2019, I-94, and Social Security card (if you have one).

Social Security Number

If you don't already have one, you will need to be issued a Social Security Number (SSN) soon after beginning employment. Please visit the Social Security section of our website for further details.

Taxes

You will receive tax documents in January for the purpose of filing your taxes by April 15th. If you have any questions, please contact the Tax Specialist at taxoffice@ilstu.edu or (309) 438-7677.

Working off campus is not permitted without specific permission from the International Student and Scholar Services or from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.