F-1 On-Campus Work Information

F-1 On-Campus Work/Employment Information

ATTENTION: Engaging in unauthorized work/employment violates U.S. immigration regulations and can result in severe consequences, including the termination of a student’s immigration status, requiring their immediate departure from the U.S.

• U.S Work/Employment Overview
• Defining On-Campus Work/Employment
  • Guidelines For F-1 On-Campus Work/Employment
  • U.S. Work/Employment Categories
• Limitations For On-Campus Work/Employment
• On-Campus Work/Employment Special Guidelines
  • Special Guidelines For Contractually Affiliated Work/Employment
  • Special Guidelines For F-1 UROP Participation
• Important Reminders
• Additional Resources

U.S. Work/Employment Overview

Important Information For MIT International Students: U.S. federal regulations impose strict limitations on work/employment opportunities for international students. International students enrolled in an MIT degree program are eligible for limited on-campus work/employment.

Back to Top

Defining On-Campus Work/Employment

The U.S. government defines work/employment-related activities by the “nature of the work/employment-related activities, services, and/or duties performed”, regardless of whether it’s paid or unpaid, for a company outside the U.S. and/or a non-U.S. company. If a student provides a service or benefit to an employer, organization, or individual, proper work/employment authorization is required.

Guidelines For F-1 On-Campus Work/Employment

F-1 degree-seeking international students are not required to obtain prior authorization before starting on-campus work/employment. However, F-1 students can ONLY begin on-campus employment if:

• It is after the start date listed on their Form I-20.
• They are enrolled full-time and maintain their F-1 status.

U.S. Work/Employment Categories

Understanding U.S. immigration rules and regulations regarding work/employment is crucial for a student’s success in the U.S. MIT international students should thoroughly review the information on this webpage, while also maintaining clear documentation (i.e., department job letters, etc.) of their on-campus work/employment details.

On-Campus: “On-Campus” work/employment is defined as activities exclusively for MIT, at MIT, and/or funded by MIT (i.e., salary, stipends, fellowships, RA/TA-ships, housing benefits, honorarium, etc.).

Off-Campus: “Off-Campus” work/employment is defined as activities that DO NOT meet the “On-Campus” work/employment criteria, requiring prior authorization from the ISO and/or USCIS. Examples include but are not limited to:

• Activities performed at MIT, but they are not for MIT and/or funded by MIT.
• Activities with a professor’s private company/companies.
• Consulting or freelance work/employment.
• Participation in another MIT student’s and/or professor’s startup.
• Activities with/for a company outside the U.S.
• Mentor/Mentee relationships in company/start-up.
• Team project that provides a service/benefit.
• Activities conducted at another school, university, institution, lab, etc.

Back to Top

Limitations For On-Campus Work/Employment

The total number of hours for on-campus work/employment is subject to a strict weekly limit, which includes the combined hours of ALL on-campus work/employment activities.

• During Required Academic Terms: During a program’s required academic terms (e.g., fall and spring), on-campus work/employment is limited to 20 hours per week or LESS.
• During Official Vacation Terms: During a program’s official vacation term (e.g., summer and IAP), students may work more than 20 hours per week, but ONLY if their program/department does not require coursework or enrollment during those terms.

IMPORTANT: Research Assistantships (RA), Teaching Assistantships (TA), and Fellowship Awards with service components count as on-campus work/employment at 100% and are considered equivalent to the 20-hour weekly limit for international students. However, some Fellowship Awards without service components may not be categorized as on-campus work/employment. Students should confirm with their academic department if unsure.

Back to Top

On-Campus Work/Employment Special Guidelines

Special Guidelines For Contractually Affiliated Work/Employment

F-1 graduate students (ONLY) may be eligible for on-campus work/employment authorization at an off-campus location if the work/employment fulfills ALL of the following conditions:

• The location is at a contractually affiliated research location with MIT. The affiliation must be through direct relationships between an MIT department or MIT faculty member, such as through a grant (e.g., Broad Institute, Whitehead Institute, Harvard University, other colleges/universities, local hospitals, research centers, etc.).
• It must be required for the graduate program curriculum or related to a student’s graduate research. The work/employment must be an integral part of the student’s program of study.
• The student emails their ISO Advisor in advance and includes a letter from their academic advisor giving detailed information about the activity, its relationship to the student’s academic work, and confirmation of the contractual affiliation.
• The ISO approves the work/employment BEFORE the student engages in any activities.

Back to Top

Special Guidelines For F-1 UROP Participation

F-1 students participating in a paid or for-credit Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) must maintain clear documentation of their UROP details. BEFORE engaging in any UROP activities, they must follow the guidelines outlined above, along with the following additional steps:

1. Confirm details with the UROP hiring department, lab, and/or facility, including:
   • Name of the UROP department, lab, and/or facility.
   • A clear description of the UROP position and duties.
   • Whether the UROP is paid or unpaid.
   • Weekly hours during the academic term and/or vacation term periods [see Limitations section above].
   • Start and end dates of the UROP.
   • UROP supervisor’s name and administrator office contact information.
2. Obtain a formal UROP offer letter with the above details and keep it for personal immigration records.
3. Track hours carefully:
   • The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) considers both paid and unpaid UROP activities as part of the total allowable hours [see Limitations section above] for on-campus work/employment.
   • NOTE: Unpaid UROP hours are NOT logged in the student payroll system. Therefore, unpaid UROP students must self-track the total hours they work per week to ensure their immigration compliance.

Back to Top

Important Reminders

• F-1 students are not required to receive approval before beginning any on-campus work/employment, but they must meet the abovementioned guidelines.
• Special & Advanced Study Program Students: MIT Special and Advance Study Program (ASP) Students are NOT eligible for on-campus work/employment at MIT.
• MIT Visiting Student Program (VSP): International students taking part in the MIT Visiting Student Program (VSP) are NOT allowed to pursue work/employment or positions (paid or unpaid) outside the research activity with their host research group on-campus at MIT.

Back to Top

Additional Resources

• ISO Main Employment webpage.
• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Working in the United States webpage.
• The Department of State (DOS) J-1 College and University Student webpage.

Disclaimer: The information on this webpage is for MIT students only. For additional questions, students should email their ISO Advisor directly.

Back to Top