F-1 Status and Employment

n F-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows non-U.S. citizens to study at an accredited college or university in the United States. F-1 visas are issued by the U.S. Department of State at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. A visa does not guarantee entry into the U.S. Rather, it allows travel to a U.S. port-of-entry to request permission from a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent to enter the country. An F-1 visa is not renewable from within the U.S. Canadian citizens are not required to have an F-1 visa for entry as an F-1 student.

Locate the website of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you will apply for an F-1 visa. Learn what the F-1 visa requirements are and how to apply. Allow plenty of time for the processing of your visa application.

Steps of the F-1 Visa Application Process

1. Receive your Emory I-20. Ensure the information on your I-20 is correct and the spelling of your name is at appears in your passport.
2. Complete the Online Form I-901 and Pay the SEVIS I-901 Fee. Information about the SEVIS I-901 fee is located at Study in the States website. 
3. Complete the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application (DS-160). 
4. Schedule a Visa Interview
   1. Review instructions for scheduling a visa interview at the website of the U.S. embassy or consulate where you will apply.
   2. Wait time for an interview appointment varies among embassies and consulates. Check Visa Wait Times on the U.S. Department of State website or the local U.S. embassy or consulate website.
   3. Be prepared to provide documentation and to answer questions about ties to your home country, English language skills, your academic background, the academic program to which you have been admitted, and your financial support.

More information about applying for an F-1 visa can be found at the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs website, at the Study in the States website and at EducationUSA Advising Centers around the world.

To maintain F-1 status students must follow specific requirements set forth by the U.S. Department of Homeland (DHS). Failure to follow these requirements results in the loss of lawful F-1 student status as well as eligibility for F-1 benefits such as employment authorization.

Lawful F-1 status requirements are:

• Report to Campus - Report your arrival on campus within 21 days after your initial entry into the U.S. Submit copies of your recent port of entry stamp in your passport, F-1 visa, and I-94 Arrival/Departure record to ISSS Link.
• Full-time Enrollment - Maintain full-time enrollment each semester until you complete your degree. Summer enrollment is not required unless it is your first term in your program of study. Full-time enrollment is a minimum 12-credit hours per semester.

Federal regulations allow only a few exceptions to the full-time enrollment requirement. Students must be authorized to be less than full-time by the Oxford international student advisor BEFORE they drop below full-time.

• ​Employment - Do not work without employment authorization and follow F-1 rules regarding on-campus and off-campus employment.
• Valid Immigration Documents - Always have a valid, unexpired passport. If your passport will expire soon, you must renew it through the embassy or consulate of your passport country. An unexpired F-1 visa is not required to maintain F-1 status but is required to re-enter the U.S.
• Academic program and I-20 Changes - Notify your international student advisor if you change majors, educational level, sources of financial support, or plan to take a leave of absence. If you want to transfer to another institution, you must follow the procedures for transferring your SEVIS record. Contact your international student advisor for details.
• Address Updates - Update your U.S. phone number and local address and permanent address within 10 days of any change. Make updates by logging into your Emory OPUS account.
• Extension of I-20 - Be aware of the program end date listed on your Emory I-20 and make normal progress towards completing your degree on time. If you require more time on your I-20, you must request an extension before the program end date listed on your I-20. Contact your international student advisor at least 30 days prior to your I-20 program end date to ensure timely processing. Failure to extend your I-20 prior to the program end date will result in loss of lawful F-1 status.
• Grace Period - Following the completion of your program of study, you have a 60-day grace period within which you should do one of the following:
  • Depart the U.S.
  • Apply for employment authorization for Optional Practical Training.
  • Apply for and be accepted to a new program of study either at Emory University or at another institution.
  • Apply to USCIS for a change of non-immigrant status.

If you have difficulty meeting the above requirements, contact the Oxford international student advisor.

F-1 students who failure to follow the above requirements will be considered "out-of-status" and must follow reinstatement procedures in order to regain lawful status.

F-1 students are eligible to work on-campus at Oxford and Emory. The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations limits F-1 student employment to 20 hours per week while school is in session, but there is no limit to hours during official university breaks such as Winter Break and Summer Break. However, Oxford College limits the number of hours students may engage in on-campus employment to 6-7 hours per week while school is in session. 

How to Find a Job

F-1 students eligible to apply for any Work-Ship position. However, they are not eligible for Work Study positions because these are funded by the U.S. Federal Student Aid program. 

Work-Ship positions on the Oxford campus include lab assistants, supplemental instruction leaders, tutors, swim life guards, Writing Center tutors, athletic team managers, and notetakers. Currently, there is no central location where Work-Ship jobs are posted. Students are encouraged to contact departments directly to inquire about job openings. 

Below is a list of departmental contacts that may be helpful in seeking a Work-Ship position:

• Supplemental Instruction - Ian Jesse, ian.jesse@emory.edu
• Writing Center - Leigh Elion, leigh.elion@emory.edu
• Mathematics Center - Paul Oser, poser3@emory.edu
• Center for Healthful Living - Nina Gibbs, nina.w.gibbs@emory.edu
• Science Labs - Joy Budensiek, jbudens@emory.edu
• Humanities Hotspot - Matt Smith, m.smith@emory.edu

1. Obtain an On-Campus Employment Letter from Bonnie Cowan in the Enrollment Services Office.
2. Submit copies of your I-20, passport, visa, port of entry stamp, and most recent I-94 to Bonnie Cowan.
3. Obtain a signature on the On-Campus Employment Letter from International Student Programs.
4. Schedule Social Security Number appointment 
5. Apply for a social security number if you do not already have one. Provide a copy of your SSN to Bonnie Cowan as soon as you receive it.
6. Complete the online New Student Employee Orientation.
7. Receive your clocking code - Bonnie Cowan will issue the code after you complete the online orientation and have submitted your immigration documents.

Contact Oxford's student employment coordinator, Ms. Bonnie Cowan, for assistance and more information about applying for on-campus employment. 

F-1 On-Campus Employment Eligibility Requirements 

• Must be in valid F-1 status.
• Must have or apply for a Social Security Number.
• Must have a valid Emory Form I-20.
• Must maintain full-time enrollment in fall and spring semesters.
• New students can begin on-campus employment up to 30 days prior to the program start date on the Form I-20.
• No special authorization is required if employment is located on the Oxford or Emory campus; however, certain jobs on the Emory campus are not considered on-campus employment. Consult the international student advisor.

F-1 On-Campus Employment 

• May be a job on the Oxford or Atlanta campus that is paid through Emory payroll.
• May be with an on-campus commercial firm that provides services directly to students. 
• May be at an off-campus location that is educationally affiliated with Emory such as the Carter Center.
• Must be part-time (1-20 hours each week) during the fall and spring semesters.
• May be full-time (21 or more hours each week) during the summer and other official school breaks.
• A Social Security Number will be required for employment.

F-1 students may engage in off-campus employment under the options described below.  F-1 students should not begin employment off-campus without authorization from the Oxford College international student advisor or the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  Contact the Oxford International Student Programs office if you have questions about any of the following options.

Curricular Practical Training

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is work authorization that allows F-1 students to participate in off-campus academic internships. F-1 students are eligible for CPT after completing one year of full-time enrollment but before they have completed the course requirements of their academic program.

Optional Practical Training

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is work authorization that allows F-1 students to participate in employment related to their fields of study. Students are eligible for up to 12 months of OPT per educational level. OPT is authorized by USCIS. 

Severe Economic Hardship

F-1 students may apply for Severe Economic Hardship employment authorization if they have been enrolled as a full-time student in the U.S. for at least one year and have experienced unforeseen economic difficulty due to circumstances beyond their control. Employment is authorized by USCIS.