Off-Campus Employment

International students must always obtain work authorization to work off-campus. Off-campus employment must be related to your U of M Crookston major.

  • These requirements apply to any type of off-campus employment, including:
  • Paid internships (including those required by an academic program)
  • Employment during the summer, winter break, or spring break
  • Employment that receives a stipend, bonus, etc.
  • Positions where the individual receives a benefit instead of pay (for example, getting free rent in exchange for babysitting or being a caretaker of an apartment building).

ISS encourages international students to consult with an ISS advisor early in the job search process to ensure they can receive authorization for the type of work they are seeking.

Terms to Know

Types of Authorization

F-1 Work Options: Paid, Unpaid, and Volunteer Work

Some organizations do not pay college students to work since students are gaining experience and/or academic credit for your employment. It is important that international students understand the difference between paid, unpaid, and volunteer work so you can understand whether you will need work authorization.

Paid Employment

Employment where you receive pay or some kind of compensation. This pay/compensation could include an hourly wage, biweekly or monthly salary, stipend, bonus, tuition, and/or room and board (being allowed to live somewhere without paying rent). If you have paid off-campus employment, you need to get CPT authorization before you start working.

Unpaid Employment

Employment where you do not receive any form of compensation.

ISS recommends F-1 students who find a job off campus get CPT authorization before they start working, even if the job appears to be unpaid. Some employers offer a bonus or stipend for unpaid employment, and international students cannot accept this pay if they have not obtained CPT authorization.

Volunteer Roles

Someone who performs a service without pay. Usually, the service is altruistic and the goal is to promote quality of life (for example, packaging food for the homeless, tutoring children in a school, or picking up garbage in a public park). While you receive no pay, you may develop useful career skills such as leadership, teamwork, working with people from different cultures, and more.

The Department of Labor provides helpful information to determine if it is an appropriate form of volunteer role. Please carefully review their factsheets.

WARNING: Some students think they are “volunteering” if they offer to work for a company through a class opportunity. The U.S. government does not consider employment to be “volunteering” any time you are paid.

F-1 Work Options: Part-Time and Full-Time Employment

The F-1 visa regulations differentiate between full- and part-time employment. Except in specific situations explained here, international students should only be employed to work part-time (20 hours or less) during the fall and spring semesters.

You must continue to maintain a full course of study during every fall and spring semester, regardless of how many hours per week you are working.

  • Paid, unpaid and volunteer work. 
  • Full time and part time employment.