On-campus employment
- Allows a student to work at the university while maintaining full-time enrollment without requiring prior permission from USCIS. The student can work on campus up to twenty hours a week.
- F-1 Students with an Active SEVIS record may apply for on campus employment. In order to apply, talk to your PDSO. Eligible students can work up to nineteen hours a week with a pay rate of fifteen dollars per hour.
- Students interested in applying for a work-study position must have an active account on Handshake. All student positions are posted on Handshake. Apply to Handshake at this link: athens.joinhandshake.com/login. For questions, email careerdevelopmentcenter@athens.edu
- If approved, your PDSO will provide you with a letter of approval. Take this letter from your PDSO and a letter of approval from your employer to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN). All students who wish to work must apply for a Social Security Number.
Curricular Practical Training
- Required for the degree program: Internship is mandatory to receive the degree (Criminal Justice & Education majors).
- An integral part of an established curriculum: If the internship is not required, then it must be taken for credit; the student must sign up for an internship course. The student must provide documentation that the internship is directly related to their degree program. Part-time CPT does not count towards the 1-year threshold at which a student loses eligibility for Optional Practical Training. The student will receive a new I-20 from ISS authorizing employment. No Employment Authorization Document (EAD) is required.
Optional Practical Training
- Pre-completion OPT: Employment in a related field before completing the program listed on I-20. Students must apply no sooner than 90 days prior to beginning employment.
- Post-completion OPT: Employment in a related field of study after completion of the program listed on I-20. Must be applied no sooner than 90 days prior to the completion of the program or no later than 60 days after the completion of the program. The processing time may cut into the student’s 12 months of OPT if applied close to the 60-day mark.
- STEM OPT Extension (available only to students who completed a degree in the Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math fields): must be applied before the expiration date on the EAD card. The employer must also be an E-Verified Employer.
Documents required for OPT:
- Documents required for OPT
- I-765 | Application for Employment Authorization Electronic Application Recommended
- Check or money order for $380 made payable to: Department of Homeland Security
- Two recent passport-style photos. The photos must be 2×2 inches; the images must be 1 inch from the hair to the chin and 1 1/4 inch from eye height to the bottom of the photo. Your name and I-94 number must be printed in pencil on the back of the photos. More information can be found here.
- Copy of both sides of your I-94 card
- Copy of passport or visa
- I-20 reflecting OPT Employment Requested
Instructions from USCIS
Click here for instructions.
Employer Reporting Requirement
All students on Post-Completion OPT must report their employer information and provide a copy of their EAD card (front and back) to ISS. Failure to report your employer’s information can result in a loss of legal status.
Social Security Number
Students may obtain a Social Security Letter from ISS. To learn more about this process visit the Social Security Administration website.