Am I eligible for on-campus employment?

All F-1 students, even those in their first semester at SJSU, are eligible for on-campus employment, as long as they maintain their status by enrolling full-time each semester and are in good academic standing. No authorization is required from ISSS. 

Eligibility for on-campus employment ends once you complete your degree program at SJSU (i.e., your I-20 end date), if you are on academic probation or if you lose your F-1 student status due to a violation of status. Please check with ISSS if you are unsure of your eligibility. 

What counts as on-campus employment?

• Employment on the SJSU campus (Examples: teaching assistant, student assistant, Spartan Shop student worker, etc.)
• Work performed on the SJSU campus for a commercial firm providing direct services to students (Example: Jamba Juice, Panda Express, Subway. etc.)
• Employment at an off-campus location educationally affiliated with SJSU. The educational affiliation must be associated with your academic department's established curriculum or related to contractually funded projects at the postgraduate level, and be an integral part of your educational program.

If you are unsure whether the employment opportunity you are being offered can be considered on-campus employment, please contact ISSS at [email protected].

How many hours am I allowed to work on-campus?

Students who are eligible for on-campus employment may work part-time during the Fall and Spring semesters. Part-time employment means you may work up to a maximum of 20 hours per week. Working more than 20 hours per week is a serious violation of status that could result in the termination of your SEVIS record.

Full-time on-campus employment is permitted during semester breaks (i.e., winter and summer breaks) provided you are eligible and intend to register for the next school term. Full-time employment means you may work more than 20 hours per week.

Do I need to apply for a Social Security Number?

Social Security numbers are used to report a person’s wages to the government and determine a person’s eligibility for Social Security benefits. If you do not already have a Social Security Number (SSN), you must apply for one in a timely manner before your employment starts. Please let ISSS know if you need to apply for an SSN as we can guide you through the process of applying for an SSN and provide you a support letter to include in your application.

More Information:  SSN For Noncitizens, and SSN FAQS

When can I begin working on campus?

New F-1 students 

Students who have been issued an Initial Attendance Form I-20 and who intend to enroll for the next regular academic semester at SJSU may start their on-campus employment up to 30 days before the program start date listed on their I-20. However, please check with the hiring department and human resources, as they have their own policies.

Change of Degree Level and Transfer students  

Students who have been issued a Form I-20 to begin a new degree level at SJSU or SEVIS transfer students who intend to enroll for the next regular academic semester at SJSU may continue on-campus employment between programs.

Change of Status to F-1 students  

Students whose change of status application has been approved by USCIS and who intend to enroll for the next regular academic semester at SJSU may work on campus from the F-1 validation date or no more than 30 days before the program start date on form I-20.