Employment Information

Potential Effects for International Students

Contravening Employment Restrictions

International students contravening employment restrictions risk violating their visa status. Potential effects of violating international student visa status include, but are not limited to, termination of SEVIS record and the need to regain visa status through costly and sometimes lengthy procedures. Please direct questions about employment restrictions to International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) at 303-871-4912 or isss@du.edu.

1. May work only at the University of Denver, including on-location commercial firms such as Sodexho or off-campus sites designated as "educationally affiliated by contract."
2. To be eligible to work during vacation periods-normally winter break, spring break and summer vacation-international students must be registered full-time for the next academic term.
3. If the end of an academic term and the beginning of a subsequent vacation period starts before the end of the standard work week, distribution of hours over the week should be made accordingly. For example, if the academic term ends on a Thursday, and hours worked Monday through Thursday are16, the total number of hours that full week may exceed 20 if additional hours beyond 4 are worked on Friday.
4. GTA/GRA positions and service scholarships are on-campus employment, thus the hours worked for these positions are counted against the total hours allowed.
5. Individual tutoring is considered self-employment and is not allowed.
6. International students are not eligible for Work Study positions.
7. On-campus employment eligibility ends after completion of academic program, but may continue if the student has been issued an I-20 to begin a new program at DU.

1. Must be in good academic standing and immigration status.
2. Student must have been a full-time student for a minimum of one academic year unless the respective academic program requires an internship or practicum prior to the one year being reached.
3. Student must be enrolled in an internship or independent study course that is applied particularly for CPT employment. The course must be an integral part of the student's program of study (i.e. the course must be for earned credit or be required for the degree), and must cover the entire duration of the CPT employment.
4. Work is authorized by International Student and Scholar Services. See CPT Forms and Instructions for details.
5. If CPT exceeds 12 months full-time, the 12 month OPT benefit for the respective degree level will be forfeited.

1. Must be in good academic standing and immigration status.
2. Student must have been a full-time student for a minimum of one academic year.
3. Employment must be directly related to student's academic field of study and commensurate with student's educational level.
4. Employment limited to 12 months per each new academic degree level (e.g. Bachelors to Masters or Masters to Doctorate). A student must complete optional practical training within a fourteen-month period following completion of study.
5. Full-time employment is available A) after completion of all course work except thesis (or equivalent) or dissertation; or B) after completion of study (post-completion practical training).
   The application for full-time OPT must be received by the immigration service before the student completes his or her course of study. Please plan ahead.
6. Part-time employment (20 hours or less) where available, will be deducted at 1/2 the full-time rate.
7. Work is authorized by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) on an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and approval may take 3-4 months to obtain. See OPT Forms and Instructions for details.

1. Must be in good academic standing and immigration status.
2. Student must have been a full-time student for a minimum of one academic year.
3. Student must establish need caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond their control.
4. Students must have made a "good faith" effort to locate on-campus employment, and need to show that the available on-campus employment is insufficient to meet the need.
5. Work is limited to 20 hours/week during the academic term (full-time during breaks and vacations).
6. Work authorization is granted in one year intervals by the immigration service on an EAD and is renewable if need still exists and student is maintaining status and academic standing. See Economic Hardship Authorization Forms and Instructions for details.

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1. Work authorization is must be granted by program sponsor prior to commencing employment.
2. Must be in good academic standing and immigration status.
3. Work is limited to 20 hours per week (part-time) total for all jobs during the academic terms (Fall, Winter, Spring), and when the student is enrolled full-time (including Summer).
4. More than 20 hours (full-time) allowed only during breaks and vacations when not enrolled full-time (winter break, spring break, summer vacation).
5. If a student is graduating in the summer and has authorization to be less than full-time due to last quarter, the student is still limited to 20 hours per week because summer is not considered a vacation term in this situation.
6. For off-campus employment, student must demonstrate serious, urgent and unforeseen financial circumstances that have occurred AFTER enrollment in school.

    

   Please note the following additional requirements:

   1. May work only at the University of Denver, including on-location commercial firms such as Sodexho, or employment pursuant to the terms of a scholarship, fellowship, or assistantship.
   2. To be eligible to work during vacation periods-normally winter break, spring break and summer vacation-international students must be registered full-time for the next academic term.
   3. If the end of an academic term and the beginning of a subsequent vacation period starts before the end of the standard work week, distribution of hours over the week should be made accordingly. For example, if the academic term ends on a Thursday, and hours worked Monday through Thursday are16, the total number of hours that full week may exceed 20 if additional hours beyond 4 are worked on Friday.
   4. GTA/GRA positions and service scholarships are on-campus employment, thus the hours worked for these positions are counted against the total hours allowed.
   5. Individual tutoring is considered self-employment and is not allowed.
   6. International students are not eligible for Work Study positions.
   7. On-campus employment eligibility ends after completion of academic program, but may continue if the student has been issued a DS-2019 to begin a new program at DU.

1. Work authorization is must be granted by program sponsor prior to commencing employment.
2. Must be in good academic standing and immigration status.
3. Must be related to academic field of study.
4. Academic training can be authorized up to 18 months (but no longer than the time that the student has actually been enrolled and pursuing study in the US) or up to 36 months for post-doctoral training.
5. Must be authorized during studies or within 30 days of the completion of study.
6. All academic training is counted as full time, even if employment is on a part-time basis.

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1. EAD (Employment Authorization Document) Granted by USCIS (Citizenship and Immigration Services) for the validity of J-l's DS-2019.
2. May work full- or part-time in any field.
3. May not use earnings to support J-l spouse.
4. Not exempt from Social Security tax.

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1. Obtain a job offer letter as per sample .
2. Bring the job offer letter to I-House and request a letter of certification for a Social Security Number.
3. Bring both letters and your immigration documents to the Social Security Office (directions available at the front desk of I-House) at least 10 days after your arrival to the United States.

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