In order to obtain an F-1 student visa for academic study in the United States, you will need to show that you can support yourself financially in the U.S. for at least your first year of study. You will be allowed to take on-campus jobs, but must maintain a full course of study. The student visa is not meant to provide an avenue for foreign nationals to work in the United States.
Work-study, meanwhile, is a federally subsidized hourly wage job program that is specifically meant for students who are receiving financial aid based on need. (Here's how the subsidy works: If a campus employer pays you $12 per hour, it costs it only $6 per hour, because the federal government pays the rest.)
So if you're still in the process of applying to schools, and are hoping to find one that offers a good-paying work-study program, you are probably out of luck. Your very financial need will disqualify you for the F-1 visa. However, if your financial situation worsens while you are in school, and you are able to qualify for financial aid, you may additionally qualify for a work-study program.
Also, if your financial situation changes once you are in school in the U.S., it may be possible for you to obtain a work permit from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) based on financial need. This would allow you to accept work off campus, which may pay better than an on-campus job. For more on this, see "When F-1 Students Qualify for a Work Permit Based on Severe Economic Hardship."
Types of Work Allowed on an F-1 Visa Without USCIS Permission
An F-1 student can do the following types of work without violating the terms of his or her visa:
- Work at an on-campus job part-time (up to 20 hours per week) or full-time during school vacation or holidays. The work may also be part of a scholarship or fellowship you received as part of your academic program, in which case the work may be done off campus (for example, at a professor's research facility).
- After nine months in school at college level or above, or even after graduation, you may do "curricular practical training." That means work at a job that has been set up by your school as part of your course of study. Such positions may or may not be paid.
Because work-study jobs are always on-campus, you could accept this work without applying to USCIS for a special work permit.
Getting Help
Most educational programs have designed student advisers who offer F-1 students assistance in complying with U.S. immigration laws and completing the necessary paperwork and applications for study and for work. If you are in the U.S. as a student and are encountering unforeseen economic difficulty, talk to your foreign student adviser first. If that doesn't help, consult an immigration attorney for guidance in getting permission to work. And be cautious: An F-1 student who works without following the proper procedures risks removal from the educational program and from the United States, and will face difficulties obtaining any U.S. visa in the future.
