Many students choose to work while studying to earn some living expenses. So what are the conditions for working while studying in the United States? Are there any restrictions?How can international students in the United States work legally?Salary for studying and working in the United States, ,How to work while studying in the United States, ,Working in the U.S. and studying in Japan, ,Studying and working in Southeast Asia in the United StatesThe problem.

You must understand the policies for working in the United States

The U.S. government and schools have their own regulations on student work, especially the regulations on off-campus work. If international students plan to work in the U.S., they must understand these relevant laws and regulations to avoid illegal work and severe punishment.

Generally speaking, the US government does not have many restrictions on students' on-campus work. As long as international students register and maintain full-time student status, they do not need to apply for special permission. However, the government has clear regulations on the hours of students' work, that is, students cannot work more than 20 hours during school and cannot work more than 40 hours during vacations.

Working off-campus requires application and permission.

First of all, the company where international students work must be approved by the Immigration Bureau or the Labor Department. International students are not allowed to work in unapproved companies.

Secondly, students must hold a valid student visa and their academic performance must meet general standards before they can apply to the school's international student advisor nine months after enrollment.

Finally, the validity period of the work permit for international students is 12 months. If you wish to extend it, you need to apply again.

Students who need to work off-campus due to financial difficulties caused by some unexpected circumstances can submit relevant certificates to the international student advisor one year after enrollment to apply for a special work permit. If successful, they can work off-campus. The scope of this permit is wider than the previous work permit. Students holding this permit can freely choose companies without being subject to special restrictions.

However, you must abide by the regulations. If you work illegally, the US government will cancel the student's legal status, and even the visas of the student's spouse and children will be invalidated, and they will be deported by the immigration authorities. Therefore, no matter how urgent the reason is, international students must make all preparations before working.

Where do international students usually find part-time jobs?

On-campus employment

According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), international students holding F1 student visas can work freely and legally on campus without applying for special permission, but they must hold a valid F1 visa; the weekly working hours during the semester are generally limited to 20 hours; full-time work (up to 40 hours/week) is allowed during holidays and vacations. Since the opportunity to work in school is limited, even if you work on campus, this job cannot be used as a source of income, and this job cannot be related to your studies. At the same time, you are not allowed to work in the first academic year. Before working on campus, most schools require permission from USCIS.

It is understood that on-campus jobs in the United States are generally easier and can be found in university cafeterias, bookstores, libraries, health clubs or university administrative offices.

Off-campus work

It is understood that students holding F-1 student visas in the United States are subject to federal law for off-campus work. First and foremost, students are allowed to come to the United States for study and research. They must prove that they can afford the expenses of study and life before entering the country, so they should not expect to be allowed to "work off-campus." Secondly, students will be allowed to work off-campus only if they encounter "serious financial difficulties" after admission, or in an "emergency environment" stipulated by the Department of Homeland Security. In addition, students must have been enrolled in school for at least one academic year, have good academic performance, and are unable to obtain the opportunity to "work on campus"; or the salary of "working on campus" is not enough to cover the student's financial needs. Only in these cases can they be allowed to work off-campus. The working hours of off-campus work shall not exceed 20 hours per week. In addition, the validity period of authorized off-campus work is usually one year. If a student is working off-campus and the validity period of his authorized work has expired, he can no longer continue to work. F-1 students should begin applying to the Citizenship and Immigration Service to renew their EAD card between 6 months and 90 days before their Authorized Employment Card expires.

Internship Program

It is reported that during the school period, after completing most of the courses, or during the holidays, American universities can provide CPT (Curricular Practical Training), the total time is one year, which can be used several times. CPT is an internship program of American universities. During the CPT period, students are full-time employees and enjoy the same treatment as employees of the company or organization where they are interning. CPT can not only meet the financial needs of international students, but is also very helpful for finding a job after graduation. However, in principle, CPT work must be related to the major studied. There are mainly two situations: one is that the internship is an integral part of the project, that is, the internship is necessary, which is relatively rare; the other situation is to work outside and register for 1-N credits of practical courses at the same time. The credits are not required for graduation, but they must be registered. The probability of the second situation occurring is relatively high.

Short-term internship after graduation

OPT (Optional Practical Training) refers to a short-term internship for F-1 students in related fields. It is a period of work internship given by the US government to international students who have completed their degrees in the United States and are engaged in related majors. It is generally one year. The internship training period for international students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics can even be extended to 29 months.

It is understood that before applying for OPT, you must first apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). The International Affairs Office can help and guide students to apply for an EAD. Before applying for an EAD, you are not required to have found a job, but you must prepare relevant documents, forms, photos and fees. It takes about 12 weeks to apply for an EAD, and students can start working only after obtaining a work permit.

How to save money when studying in the United States? Let’s take a look at the following good ways to save money

1. Mobile phone is life, compare the prices of different telecom operators

As a person who cannot live without internet, the first thing to do when arriving in the United States is to buy a phone card. The more famous telecommunications companies in the United States include AT&T, Verizon, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile and Alltel.

In addition, there are many telecommunications companies. You can search online to find a plan that suits you and then compare prices to choose the most cost-effective plan.

The United States has a family plan, a preferential package. 2 to 5 people share a contract package, and the payment is evenly divided, the price will be relatively much more cost-effective. So, singles should also stick together, unity is to save money~

Most telephone companies in the United States offer free calls between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. the next day and on weekends in their monthly plans. Try to make calls at night or on weekends to save money every minute.

2. Booking tickets in advance saves money

You can also save money on transportation in the United States. If you book your rail tickets in advance, you may be able to buy special early bird tickets. The ticket prices are relatively reasonable and the stations are spread all over North America, which is very convenient.

3. Student ID card can get more discounts

In the United States, being a student is great! You can ride public transportation for free within the school's designated area, and you can get discounts on insurance, electricity, gyms, etc. Some discounts are really a shame if you don't take advantage of them, such as showing your student ID card when buying an Apple computer to get a $200 discount.

When you go to any store, remember to ask if there is a student discount, because even if some stores have student discounts, they will never mention it if you don't ask. Otherwise, how can there be a saying: No *, no business, cough cough...

Many clothing brands such as J.Crew, Topshop, Madewell, etc. have discounts. While you are still young and a student, you should try your best to enjoy the student discounts!

4. Buy second-hand books

When I first came to the United States to study, I was more surprised than seeing my grades. The price of textbooks must be... Any book costs 40 or 50 US dollars, and it can easily go up to 100 US dollars. If you are not a nerd who is obsessed with books, you can actually buy second-hand books or rent books.

You can buy and rent books on the school's trading forum or on Amazon. Or you can use your personal connections to ask seniors to lend you books.

5. Top students should work hard to apply for scholarships

What? You are a top student? Then please turn left and go to the International Student Office to ask how to apply for a scholarship!

The scholarship system in the United States is mostly divided into three categories:

Need-blind scholarships are generally for extremely outstanding students, which is probably not you or me.

Need-Based Scholarships are more suitable for American students, which is neither you nor me;

Merit Based Scholarship, this is you and me.

If you are a top student, remember to apply for a scholarship. If you are successful, you can save a lot of money. So studying well can really save money!

6. Study hard and don’t fail

It doesn't matter if you are not a top student, but at least don't be a poor student or a poor student who will fail the course. The United States adopts a credit system, and tuition fees are also calculated based on credits.

If you fail a course, you need to retake it, and you need to pay tuition again. Not only will you have to endure the pressure of studying, but you will also have to endure a second loss of money. So believe in yourself, study hard, and strive to pass with 60 points!

7. Plan your courses properly and graduate early

The tuition in the United States is charged by semester. If you can graduate one semester early, the tuition savings will be considerable, especially since the better the university, the more expensive the tuition! When studying in the United States, as long as you plan your course selection reasonably, many students will graduate early and will not experience too much pressure from studying.

When you enroll, consult the school's course selection counselor and ask them to help you plan your courses for the next few years. You can choose courses and go to school step by step, graduate early, and use the money you save to go on a graduation trip.

I'll take you with me, and you'll take the money you save, and we'll go eat and shop together~

8. Learn to use credit cards

When you come to the United States, you can have everything you want with a credit card. In the United States, international students can also apply for bank credit cards, but different types of credit cards have different discounts or offers. For example, some credit cards offer quarterly cash back, and some credit cards offer discounts on car gas. You should compare several banks to see which one is more suitable for you.

How to work legally as an international student in the United States

Summary of How to Legally Work as an International Student in the United States

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