International Student Employment
You may have a lot of questions regarding how to work in the U.S. We want to help make your situation clear, so you can take advantage the benefits allowed by your visa status.
As a benefit of F-1 and J-1 visa status, students are allowed to work on-campus for up to 20 hours during the fall and spring semesters and up to 40 hours during summer and other school breaks. Students may also apply for permission to work for more hours, or to work off campus. To determine their eligibility for off-campus work permission, students should attend one of the employment workshops offered throughout the year by International Student Services.
PLEASE NOTE: It is illegal to work off-campus in ANY student visa status without prior permission. You should consult the information listed for your visa status on this page and contact International Student Services if you have any questions or concerns.
- You must be in good academic standing with the university and be maintaining your immigration status.
- You must have a passport that is valid throughout the term of employment.
- Your I-20 or DS-2019 must not be expired and you must still be pursuing your degree.
- You must be enrolled in a minimum 6 hours if you are a graduate assistant, 9 hours if you are a graduate student, and 12 hours if you are an undergraduate.
- Enrollment during summer terms is optional, but required if you are a new or transferring student beginning studies at USC.
- J-1 exchange visitors need a letter from their sponsor (if other than USC) authorizing the employment. F-2 dependents are not eligible for on-campus or off-campus employment. J-2 dependents must apply for work authorization from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and must be approved before the employment begins.