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F-1 Off-Campus Employment

F-1 On-Campus Employment
Economic Need Employment
Curricular Practical Training
Pre-Completion OPT
Post-Completion OPT
OPT Info Sessions
Contact Information

Economic Need Employment Permission
F-1 Economic Need work permission is a type of employment authorization for F-1 students who have suffered severe economic hardship due to unforeseen and unexpected economic problems.

In order to qualify for Economic Need employment, you must meet the following criteria

1. You must have been a full-time student at UMSL for at least one full academic year.
2. You must be able to document that the circumstances which led to your economic situation were unexpected and beyond your control.
3. You must be capable of continuing full-time studies and maintaining F-1 status while engaged in Economic Need employment.
4. You do NOT need a job offer to apply for Economic Need work permission.

If approved, you will receive an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card from the USCIS granting you permission to work off-campus. Typically, permission is granted for up to one year. Also note:

a. You may work a maximum of 20 hours per week during the school year, full-time (over 20 hours per week) during vacation periods.
b. You may accept any type of lawful employment once you have received your EAD.
c. You may not start employment until you have received an EAD or before the start date indicated on the EAD. You must stop employment by the EAD expiration date or by the date you finish your studies, whichever is earlier.
d. You must remain a full-time student and make full-time progress toward degree completion while on Economic Need work permission.

Please make an appointment with an ISSS advisor in order to apply for Economic Need Employment authorization.

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F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT) allows you, as an F-1 student, to accept paid, off-campus employment that is an integral part of the curriculum of your degree program. If your program does not have an internship option or fieldwork requirement, you are not eligible for CPT.

In order to qualify for Curricular Practical Training, the following must apply:

1. You must have been a full-time student at UMSL for at least one full academic year, and be in lawful F-1 status. You may engage in CPT before the end of one full academic year only if your program requires all enrolled students to obtain work experience in the first academic year.
2. You must be making normal progress toward degree completion, be in good academic standing, and otherwise maintaining F-1 status while engaged in CPT.

CPT may be part time (twenty hours or less) or full time. If you accumulates twelve months of full time CPT, OPT will not be possible. Part time CPT has no limit and does not effect eligibility for OPT.

You may not begin CPT without prior authorization from the ISSS. Retroactive authorization is not possible.

Please see an ISSS advisor if you would like to apply for CPT.

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F-1 Pre-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Pre-Completion OPT can be conducted in the following manner:

1. on a part-time basis only, during the academic year while engaged in coursework.
2. on a part-time or full-time basis, during the annual vacation period
3. on a part-time or full-time basis, while working on a master's thesis / project or doctoral dissertation following completion of all coursework.

In order to be eligible for Pre-Completion OPT, the following must apply:

a. You must have been a full-time student at UMSL for at least one academic year.
b. You must currently be in F-1 status.
c. You must be in good academic standing and making full-time progress toward degree completion.
d. You must not have used more than 12 months of OPT in the past at your current degree level.
e. You do NOT need to have a job offer in order to apply for OPT, although once you are approved for OPT, the time is deducted from your 12 months regardless of whether you actually work.

OPT requires an application to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The USCIS may take up to 3 months to process an application for OPT. Please plan accordingly - we recommend that you apply as early as possible.

If your application for OPT is approved, you will receive an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card from the USCIS granting you permission to work off-campus.

If you are interested in applying for OPT, please sign up to attend an information session listed in the OPT workshop schedule.

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F-1 Post-Completion Optional Practical Training
Post-Completion OPT is conducted on a FULL-TIME BASIS ONLY, once ALL degree requirements have been fulfilled.

In order to be eligible for Post-Completion OPT, the following must apply:

a. You must have been a full-time student at UMSL for at least one academic year.
b. You must currently be in F-1 status.
c. You must be in good academic standing at the time of application, and you must have made normal, full-time progress toward degree completion.
d. You must not have used more than 12 months of pre-completion OPT in the past at your current degree level.
e. You must not have been authorized for more than 12 months of full-time Curricular Practical Training.
f. You do NOT need to have a job offer in order to apply for OPT, although once you are approved for OPT, the time is deducted from your 12 months regardless of whether you actually work.

IMPORTANT: Your application for post-completion OPT must be received by USCIS before the end of your program. That means they must have it before the end of your last semester. Be sure to allow ample time for the completion and mailing of your application.

OPT requires an application to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The USCIS may take up to 3 months to process an application for OPT. Please plan accordingly - we recommend that you apply as early as possible. If your application for OPT is approved, you will receive an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card from the USCIS granting you permission to work off-campus.

If you are interested in applying for OPT, please sign up to attend an information session listed in the OPT workshop schedule.

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Optional Practical Training (OPT) Information Sessions
If you are an F-1 student and would like to know more about OPT and how to apply for this benefit, please call or email our office to sign up for an OPT Information Sessions.

The sessions will last approximately 30 minutes and will be held in 132 SSB. See you there!

Contact Information
If you have any questions about off-campus employment authorization, please contact International Student Services.

OPT Reporting Forms

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