On-Campus Employment

Students with F-1 visas are allowed to work on campus in a wide variety of roles. When beginning work on campus, it is important for international students to familiarize themselves with the regulations related to their visa status.

To be considered on-campus employment, a position must be one of the following:

  • Work performed on the school’s premises (including on-location commercial firms that provide services for students on campus, such as the school bookstore or cafeteria).
  • Work at an off-campus location that is educationally affiliated with the school. The educational affiliation must be associated with the school’s established curriculum or related to contractually funded research projects.

International students cannot:

  • Be employed in "work-study" positions.
  • Work on-site for a commercial firm if the firm does not provide direct student services (an example would be a a construction company building a school building).

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Eligibility

  • Students in possession of a University of Minnesota I-20 adjudicated by the Department of Homeland Security or a University of Minnesota I-20 generated by ISS for degree/major change, school transfer, program extension, or replacement are eligible to work on the University of Minnesota Crookston campus.
  • F-1 students who enroll at the University of Minnesota Crookston but who are on another school’s I-20 program are not eligible to work on the University campus unless: off campus employment permission, OPT or CPT <link>.
  • Students transferring to begin a program of study must obtain a University of Minnesota I-20 and complete their ISS Check-In to be eligible for employment.
  • Students transferring away from the University of Minnesota Crookston will not be eligible to work on the campus of the U of M Crookston as of the “transfer release date” on which their SEVIS record is transferred to the new school.

Limitations of Employment

  • On-campus employment is limited to a total of 20 hours per week while school is in session and up to full-time during semester breaks and the summer vacation period.
  • Students are in violation of their F-1 status if they work more than 20 hours a week while school is in session.
  • Students holding employment in more than one U of M Crookston department should inform their employers of the other position(s).
  • Students new to the University and admitted to begin a program of study during the Summer Session are required to enroll full-time over the summer of admission and are limited to 20 hours/week on-campus employment.

Work Authorization End Date

On-campus work eligibility ends on the day a student completes all of their degree requirements. Students who have applied for post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) but fail to complete by the date specified on their OPT application are not eligible to continue on-campus work unless the job is related to their field of study and the student has received the OPT authorization for employment.

Finding a Job

  • The U of M Crookston Job Search webpage has postings of on-campus positions (such as data entry, clerical, grounds maintenance, food service, etc.).
  • Student and non-student titles are acceptable employment. Assistantships and administrative fellow positions also include tuition and insurance benefits.