International Students: Part-Time Study Options And Opportunities

International students in the United States on an F1 visa are generally required to maintain full-time enrollment at an accredited academic institution. However, there are provisions for reduced course loads (RCL) in certain circumstances, such as medical conditions or difficulties with English language requirements. International students with F1 visas are typically allowed to work part-time on-campus (up to 20 hours per week) and full-time during school breaks. Off-campus employment is more restricted and often requires prior authorization. Two programs, Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT), allow international students to gain experience in their field of study, with CPT being restricted to part-time while school is in session and OPT providing up to 12 months of full-time employment authorization.

Can an international student be a part-time student?

Part-time work on a US student visa

International students in the US on F1 visas are allowed to work, but only under certain conditions and in accordance with complex guidelines and restrictions issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). Generally, all employment is contingent on remaining within the terms and restrictions of your F1 visa.

F1 students can work on the campus of their university for up to 20 hours a week when school is in session and full-time during school break periods (up to 40 hours per week). On-campus employment is defined as work that takes place either at your school or at an educationally affiliated off-campus location that is associated with the school's established curriculum or part of contractually funded research projects at the postgraduate level.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is an off-campus employment option for F1 students when the practical training is an integral part of the established curriculum or academic program. CPT employment can include work/study, internships, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum that is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school. To qualify, the work experience must be required for your degree, or academic credit must be awarded. Prior authorization by your school's International Student Office and notification to the USCIS is required. You must have been enrolled in school full-time for one year on valid F1 status (except for graduate students where the program requires immediate CPT) and CPT employment must be an integral part of your degree program or a requirement for a course for which you receive academic credit. While in school, you can only be approved for part-time CPT (20 hours per week or less).

Off-campus employment authorization is generally only granted in cases of severe economic hardship occurring after a student's enrollment in an academic program and after the student has been in F1 status for at least one full academic year, or in emergent circumstances as defined by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Emergent circumstances include world events that affect a specific group of F1 students and cause them to suffer severe economic hardship, including natural disasters, wars and military conflicts, and national or international financial crises.

Part-time work on a Canadian student visa

International students in Canada can work part-time, but there are several conditions that must be met. Firstly, students must be enrolled in a full-time study programme at a designated learning institution (DLI). This includes taking a full course load, as defined by the institution, and being in good academic standing. International students can work up to 24 hours per week off-campus without a work permit, an increase from the previous limit of 20 hours. This rule applies to both part-time and full-time students, provided they are in their final semester and do not need a full course load to complete their programme. Students must also have a valid study permit or have applied to extend their study permit before it expired.

It is important to note that international students cannot work off-campus if they are only enrolled in an English or French as a Second Language (ESL/FSL) programme. Additionally, students who are on authorised leave from their studies or are switching schools and not currently studying are not permitted to work off-campus. Students can only return to work once they resume their studies.

To work on-campus, international students must meet the necessary eligibility criteria, which may include having a valid study permit and complying with the conditions outlined by the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Students with a study permit for prerequisite courses, such as ESL or FSL, who are later accepted into a full-time study programme, can apply to have the condition of not being allowed to work on or off-campus removed from their study permit. However, there is a fee for making this change, and students must apply for a new study permit from within Canada.

Students must also be aware of the rules regarding working hours. While there is no limit to the number of hours students can work during scheduled breaks, such as summer or winter holidays, working more than 24 hours per week during the academic term is a violation of their study permit conditions. This includes any time spent earning wages, even if the student is on call and not actually working. Students who work more hours than permitted risk losing their student status and may face consequences such as being denied future study or work permits or even having to leave the country.

F-1 visa status and part-time study

To study as a full-time student in the United States, you will generally need a student visa. There are two nonimmigrant visa categories for persons wishing to study in the United States: F-1 and M-1. F-1 students enrol in more traditional academic programs, while M-1 students enrol in vocational programs.

To enter the United States in F-1 visa status, you must meet the following criteria:

• Enrolment in a traditional academic program, a language-training program, or a vocational program
• Your school must be approved by the Student and Exchange Visitors Program, Immigration & Customs Enforcement
• Enrolment as a full-time student at the institution
• Proficiency in English or enrolment in courses leading to English proficiency
• Sufficient funds available for self-support during the entire proposed course of study
• Maintenance of a residence abroad with no intention of giving it up

F-1 students may not work off-campus during the first academic year but may accept on-campus employment subject to certain conditions and restrictions. F-1 students may work up to 20 hours per week (part-time) or full-time during holidays and vacation periods. To work on-campus, you must adhere to several rules and regulations, including maintaining valid F-1 status and not displacing a US student.

F-1 students may engage in three types of off-campus employment after the first academic year:

• Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
• Optional Practical Training (OPT)
• Off-campus employment due to severe economic hardship

CPT is a type of off-campus employment that is an integral part of an established curriculum or academic program. To qualify for CPT, practical training must be a required part of your degree, or you must receive academic credit. CPT employment must be directly related to your major area of study. Your CPT authorization will stipulate whether you may work part-time or full-time, and you may only be authorized for part-time CPT employment while you are in school.

OPT is a form of temporary employment that directly relates to your program of study. OPT is permitted for up to 12 months full-time in total, and part-time OPT reduces available full-time OPT by half. For example, if you work part-time for 6 months, you can work full-time for up to 9 months.

In the case of severe economic hardship, F-1 students may be eligible to work off-campus part-time while school is in session and full-time during holidays and vacations. To be eligible, the economic hardship must be caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond your control, such as medical bills, loss of financial aid, or loss of on-campus employment through no fault of your own.

Reduced Course Load (RCL) authorisation

International students in F-1 and J-1 status are required to maintain full-time enrolment during the school year. However, there are exceptions to this rule, and students can request a Reduced Course Load (RCL) in certain circumstances. An RCL allows F-1 and M-1 students to attend classes part-time.

Students who are in their final semester of study and only have a few units remaining to meet their academic program requirements are exempt from the full course load requirement. For example, if you only have 4 units remaining, you are still considered to be in status despite only being enrolled in 4 units. Students in their final semester taking less than a full course load must submit the F-1 SEVIS Final Semester Check eForm or the J-1 SEVIS Final Semester Check eForm.

Students who are experiencing academic difficulties, temporary illness, or a medical condition may also be granted an RCL. A reduced course load for a medical condition can be granted for a period not exceeding 12 months while the student is pursuing a course of study at a particular program level. The student must provide current medical documentation, and the DSO must authorise the drop below full time for each new term. Graduate students who register for a thesis, dissertation, or qualifying exams are considered to be enrolled full time, even if the number of units enrolled is below the normal full-time course load. An RCL form is not required for students at these stages.

Students wishing to drop below full-time enrolment must obtain approval from a DSO in advance, regardless of the reason. Students who drop below full-time enrolment without proper authorization will be considered out of status and may lose their F-1 or J-1 status.

Practical training programs

Curricular Practical Training (CPT)

CPT is an off-campus employment option for F1 students when the practical training is an integral part of the established curriculum or academic program. CPT can be defined as "alternative work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum that is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school". CPT is only available for F-1 students when it is a required part of their curriculum. CPT can be part-time or full-time and is not restricted by a weekly 20-hour work limit. CPT employment must be authorized by the school's International Student Office and notified to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). Prior authorization from the Designated School Official (DSO) is also required. CPT is only authorized when the training takes place in the United States.

Optional Practical Training (OPT)

OPT is a form of training that directly relates to an F-1 student's major area of study. OPT can take place during (pre-completion) or after (post-completion) the completion of an F-1 student's program of study. OPT must be directly related to the student's major area of study and must be authorized by both USCIS and the school's International Student Office. OPT is available for up to 12 months for each higher level of study. For example, a student may have 12 months of OPT for a bachelor's degree and another 12 months for a master's degree. Pre-completion OPT can be part-time or full-time but may not exceed 20 hours per week while school is in session. The total time of full-time OPT available is reduced by 50% of the previously authorized period of part-time OPT. Post-completion OPT begins on the date USCIS adjudicates the employment authorization request or the date requested by the DSO, whichever is later.

STEM OPT Extension

Students who have earned a degree in certain Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields may apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion OPT employment authorization. To be eligible, students must have received a STEM degree at the undergraduate level or higher and seek a training opportunity related to this degree. The degree must have been received from a currently accredited SEVP-certified college or university. The employer must also use the E-Verify program, and the student and employer must complete and sign Form I-983, "Training Plan for STEM OPT Students".

Frequently asked questions