Forms regarding employment may be found here.
All employment for F-1 international students, whether on-campus or off-campus, must be authorized by the Office Of International Services and Study Abroad (ISSA).
On-Campus Employment
International students are allowed to work on-campus during their first year of study, provided they maintain their F-1 status. It is important to note that jobs listed as Federal Work Study (FWS), are federally funded and not available to international students. However, positions categorized as “Non-Federal Work Study” are available.
To find available positions, students must visit the University of La Verne Human Resources website and click on Student Employment Openings. International students can work up to a maximum of 20 hours per week while school is in session, and up to 28 hours per week during breaks or summer.
Once hired, international students must obtain a Job Offer Letter from the Human Resources department, confirming that an on-campus job has been offered. The student will then email the Job Offer Letter and submit a request to the ISSA for a Social Security Number Verification letter.The ISSA will issue a letter confirming that the student has secured on-campus employment and is a full-time student in good standing. Finally, the student must take a completed and printed SS-5 application form, a current I-20, a copy of their passport, a copy of their visa, a print out of their current I-94, the Job offer letter from Human Resources, and the SSN Verification letter from ISSA to the Social Security Administration (SSA) office to request a Social Security Number.
Off-Campus Employment
International students can work off-campus after completing one year in their program, but the employment must be related to their area of study and must be authorized by ISSA and USCIS.
- Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
- Optional Practical Training (OPT)
- Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students (STEM OPT)
- Off-Campus employment based on Economic Hardship (To discuss this in detail, please email us at international@laverne.edu)
Volunteering vs. Unpaid Internship
Under the U.S. Department of Labor Laws, “employee” includes anyone providing services for wages or other compensation, such as free housing or food. Unpaid work may still count as employment for F-1 visa holders.
A “volunteer” is someone who offers services for civic, charitable, or humanitarian reasons without expectation of compensation. Volunteer work must meet these criteria: no expectation of pay, no displacement of a genuine employee, no repetition of paid services, and work for a non-profit organization serving public, religious, or humanitarian purposes. Volunteers cannot expect to be hired or paid for similar services in the future.