IV. EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION

 

Students in F-1 Status

Students in F-1 status may accept employment under certain conditions.  If you have questions about or would like to determine your eligibility for F-1 employment, please contact Kevin Morrison.

 

On-campus employment

 

As a student in F-1 status, you may work on-campus up to 20 hours per week during the academic year, and full-time during school vacation periods. On-campus employment includes any job for which Meredith College will pay.  Please note that your on-campus employment must stop once you complete your studies.

 

Off-campus employment

 

Economic Hardship

 

On occasion, students in F-1 status experience a sudden and unexpected change in their financial situation. The Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) may authorize off-campus employment to help alleviate the problem. In order to qualify for off-campus work, you must have been in F-1 status for at least nine months. You must also be able to document the nature of your financial problem so that the CIS can decide if off-campus work permission is warranted.

If permission is granted, you may work 20 hours per week during the academic year, and full-time during school vacations.  Your total employment from all sources cannot exceed 20 hours a week during the academic year. Please make an appointment with Kevin Morrison if you think that you qualify for off-campus work permission for economic hardship purposes.

Practical training:

 

Practical training authorization permits you to take a job that is directly related to your field of studies and commensurate with your educational level. In most cases, you must have been a full-time student for at least nine months prior to applying for practical training permission. You may work with practical training either prior to or after completion of studies.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is for an off-campus internship for credit, either through your major or the Cooperative Education office, which can be a part-time or full-time placement while you are a student at Meredith. This option can be approved on-campus directly through Kevin Morrison.

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is for work authorization in your field of study for part-time or full-time work either before or after your graduation from Meredith. You must apply for authorization for this option directly with Citizenship and Immigration Services as is for up to a total of 12 months. Most F-1 students use this option post-graduation employment, applying for the benefit in their final semester.

Please make an appointment with Kevin Morrison for further information on practical training guidelines and application procedures.