Employment | International Student & Scholar Services

Immigration regulations restrict employment eligibility for F-1 and J-1 students. You should verify that you have the appropriate authorization before engaging in any form of employment. For immigration purposes, employment is defined as the exchange of services for any form of compensation, monetary or otherwise. Unauthorized employment is a serious violation of your immigration status and may result in the termination of your immigration status.

On-Campus Employment

F-1 On-Campus Employment
Duration	During the academic program Cannot be used after completion of studies
Location	On campus location and paid by DU On-campus commercial firm, providing direct services to students and not paid by DU (ex. Sodexo) Off campus location with an educational affiliation with the curriculum or continually funded research with DU and related to student's academic program*
Hours per week	20 hours while class are in session More than 20 hours during university breaks and annual vacation term
Approval	No specific approval
J-1 On-Campus Employment
Duration	During the academic program Cannot be used after completion of studies
Location	Anywhere as part of a scholarship, fellowship or assistantship Any on-campus location
Hours per week	20 hours while classes are in session More than 20 hours during university breaks and annual vacation term
Approval	Written employment authorization letter from J program sponsor in advance of starting employment

*If you have questions about what qualifies as on-campus employment, see an ISSS advisor.

This handout will provide you with more information on how to find an on-campus job.

Please also visit the DU student employment job board for on-campus employment.

Off-Campus Employment

Students in F-1 or J-1 immigration status must receive prior authorization from ISSS (or the program sponsor, if different, for J-1 students) or United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) prior to engaging in off-campus employment. The type of employment authorization you may receive will depend on the nature of the employment, your immigration status, and the relationship of the employment to your academic program.

Type	Max Duration	Authorized by	Purpose
F-1 CPT *	None	ISSS	Required or integral internship prior to completion of studies
F-1 OPT *	12 months per degree level	USCIS	Practical training in field of study, generally following completion of studies
F-1 OPT Extension for STEM Majors	17 additional months of OPT. May only be used once	USCIS	Extension of OPT benefit for students who completed degrees in qualifying STEM fields.
H-1B Cap-Gap Extension	6 months (for employment with companies subject to the H-1B cap)	ISSS	Extension of OPT benefit to cover gap between end of OPT and start of requested/approved H-1B status.
J-1 Academic Training	18 months total for UG + Master's, 36 months for doctoral degree. Given for max amount allowed or duration of program, whichever is less.	Program Sponsor	Internship/practical training in field of study before or after completion of studies
Economic Hardship	None. Given in one-year increments	USCIS or Program Sponsor	Work authorization in unforeseen financial situations

* For more information on F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or F-1 Optional Practical Training (OPT), you can attend one of our F-1 Employment workshops which are held throughout the year.

Volunteer Work and Unpaid Internships

F-1 and J-1 students may engage in unpaid volunteer activities, provided they receive no compensation for their services and the position is not one that would normally be paid. Unpaid internships may qualify as volunteer work and may not require a Curricular Practical Training or Academic Training authorization. If you are unsure if an unpaid job experience qualifies as volunteer work, please meet with an international student advisor to discuss the opportunity prior to beginning work.

Dependents

F-2 dependents (spouse and children) are not permitted to work on or off campus, but they may engage in volunteer work for which no compensation is received. J-2 dependents may apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) through USCIS for employment authorization in one-year increments. An EAD may be used for on- or off-campus employment.