Janice Lozano
Kaggle is an online platform that hosts data science and machine learning competitions with significant prize money. While international students can participate in competitions to improve their skills and earn rankings, their ability to earn prize money is restricted by federal legislation in certain countries. For example, the America Competes Act bars the US government from awarding federal prize money to non-American citizens or permanent residents. This has caused outrage among international Kaggle members, who make up 60% of the community. As a result, some international members have called for a boycott of competitions with prize restrictions. While the impact of these boycotts is unclear, international students seeking to earn money through Kaggle should be aware of any legal restrictions in their country of residence.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Kaggle's user base | 40% in the US, 60% overseas |
| Kaggle's community | The world's largest community of data scientists and machine learning enthusiasts |
| Kaggle's tiers | Novice, Contributor, Expert, Master, and Grandmaster |
| Number of Kaggle Grandmasters | 241 |
| Number of Kaggle Masters | 1,668 |
| Number of Kaggle Experts | 7,206 |
| Number of Kaggle Contributors | 64,668 |
| Number of Kaggle Novices | 92,747 |
| Prize restrictions | Federal legislation known as the America Competes Act bars the government from awarding federal prize money to non-American citizens or permanent residents |
| International students' on-campus jobs | Working in the university library, dining services, or as a teaching assistant |
| CPT work hours | 20 hours per week |
| OPT work hours | At least 20 hours per week |
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What You'll Learn
International students' eligibility for Kaggle prize money
International students on an F1 visa are typically allowed to engage in "'curricular practical training'" (CPT) or "optional practical training" (OPT) for employment purposes. CPT is usually used for internships and work related to your field of study, while OPT can be used for employment related to your major after completing your program. To participate in paid Kaggle competitions and receive prize money, you may need employment authorization, which is typically granted through OPT. However, it must be directly related to your field of study.
It is important to note that the rules surrounding CPT and OPT employment opportunities can be strict, and participating in Kaggle competitions may not necessarily fall under these categories. If you are on OPT and participate in Kaggle competitions, it is recommended to report your participation and any prize winnings in the SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) portal. This helps maintain accurate records of your activities and ensures that your earnings are properly documented and reported to relevant authorities for tax purposes.
Additionally, some Kaggle competitions may have restrictions based on citizenship or residency requirements. For example, federal legislation in the United States, such as the America Competes Act, bars the government from awarding federal prize money to anyone who is not an American citizen or permanent resident. As a result, certain Kaggle competitions sponsored by the U.S. government may be off-limits to international students, even if they have the necessary employment authorizations.
Before participating in Kaggle competitions and seeking prize money, international students should carefully review the competition information and rules, and consult with an immigration attorney or their DSO (Designated School Official) to ensure compliance with visa regulations and avoid any potential legal issues.
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Kaggle's competition tiers and ranking system
Kaggle is a platform that ranks data scientists according to their expertise and contributions to the platform. The ranking system is designed to encourage participation and recognise a variety of skills and achievements. The Kaggle ranking system consists of a live leaderboard that ranks data scientists based on their overall performance and contributions to the platform. This includes activities such as commenting and participating in Kaggle competitions.
In addition to the main leaderboard, Kaggle has four other types of rankings: "Competition", "Dataset", "Notebook", and "Discussion". Each of these categories recognises specific achievements and contributions. For example, the "Competition" ranking focuses on performance in Kaggle competitions, while the "Dataset" ranking recognises users who have shared valuable datasets with the community.
The Kaggle ranking system also incorporates five major tiers that indicate a data scientist's level of expertise and achievements: "Novice", "Contributor", "Expert", "Master", and "Grandmaster". The tiers are determined by the number of medals earned in the aforementioned categories. These medals represent singular achievements, such as competition results, popular notebooks, useful datasets, or insightful comments.
Medals are obtained through competition ratings and upvotes from other data scientists. The more medals earned, the higher the tier and ranking. As of now, there are only 241 data scientists in the "Grandmaster" tier, the highest level of achievement on Kaggle. This highlights the exclusivity and difficulty of achieving the top tier.
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Kaggle competitions with prize money
Kaggle is an online platform that was acquired by Google in 2019 to gain access to its vast community of data scientists and machine learning enthusiasts. Members of the Kaggle community compete and earn prize money by developing artificial intelligence solutions to data analysis problems.
While Kaggle boasts an international membership of researchers from 194 countries, certain competitions on the platform are restricted to American citizens or permanent residents due to federal legislation. One such example is the $1.5 million competition hosted by the U.S. government, which sparked outrage among international Kagglers who are ineligible for the prize money. The community values open data, international cooperation, and meritocratic competition, making these restrictions particularly controversial.
In response to the backlash, Anthony Goldbloom, Kaggle's chief executive, acknowledged the unfairness of a "two-speed competition" where international members can only compete for ranking points while U.S. participants can compete for both points and monetary prizes. Despite this, Kaggle has continued to host competitions with prize restrictions, such as the $1.2 million Zillow Prize, which initially prohibited Chinese Kagglers from participating in the second round due to intellectual property concerns.
While Kaggle offers lucrative opportunities for those eligible, international students seeking to earn money through the platform may face limitations due to their citizenship or residency status. These restrictions have been a point of contention within the Kaggle community, with calls for boycotts and criticisms of practices that deviate from the community's core values.
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On-campus jobs for international students
International students in the US often take on part-time employment to support themselves financially and gain work experience. On-campus jobs are a great option for international students as they are relatively easy to acquire and come with several advantages.
Firstly, international students on F-1 visas can work on-campus without additional work authorization, unlike off-campus work. Secondly, there is no waiting period to start working on-campus; students can begin in their first year and even up to 30 days before the start date on their Form I-20. Thirdly, there is no limit on the number of months you can work on campus as long as you are an enrolled student. Fourthly, on-campus jobs can provide a decent income, with some assistantships offering a stipend or even covering tuition fees. Finally, international students can gain valuable work experience and references for their resumes, enhancing their future career prospects.
There are various on-campus job options available for international students, and they can usually apply for the same jobs as domestic students. These include jobs in different departments such as the library, cafeteria, campus box office, bookstore, Department of Public Safety, Hospitality services, and Transportation services. Students can also look for jobs posted on their college's online job board or physical job board on campus. Additionally, international students can apply for positions funded by scholarships, fellowships, or assistantships in their academic departments.
It is important to note that international students must be enrolled in an academic program full-time to qualify for on-campus jobs and can work up to 20 hours per week while school is in session. During summer vacations or breaks, they may be able to work more than 20 hours or full-time.
Overall, on-campus jobs offer international students in the US a convenient and beneficial way to earn money while studying, providing financial support, work experience, and enhanced social connections.
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Freelancing as an international student
International students often face restrictions on working during their studies, especially in their first year, so it is important to understand the rules around working in the country where you are studying. For example, in the US, F-1 students are typically not allowed to work off-campus in their first year. However, there are some ways that international students can earn money through freelancing, both on- and off-campus.
On-campus jobs are a common way for international students to earn money, and these can include working in the university library, dining services, or as a teaching assistant. However, freelancing is also an option for students with the right skills. With the rise of digital platforms, freelancing has become a popular way to earn money remotely. Websites like Fiverr and Freelancer offer opportunities for students to find freelance work that suits their skills and schedule. Students can use their skills in areas like graphic design, writing, web development, or digital marketing to generate income.
Freelancing allows international students to work remotely and make money without leaving their accommodation. It can also provide a more flexible schedule than a traditional job, which can be beneficial for students who need to balance their work and studies. Additionally, freelancing can be a way for international students to build their professional network and gain valuable experience in their field.
However, it is important to note that there may be restrictions on the number of hours international students can work, and their employment may need to be related to their major. For example, in the US, F1 students can participate in Curricular Practical Training (CPT), which allows them to work up to 20 hours in a job directly related to their field of study. There is also the option of Severe Economic Hardship Employment, which allows F1 students to work off-campus part-time if they are experiencing financial difficulties due to unforeseen circumstances beyond their control.
Overall, freelancing can be a viable option for international students to earn money while studying, as long as they are mindful of any restrictions and ensure their work is related to their field of study.
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Frequently asked questions
It depends on the competition. Some competitions on Kaggle are restricted to American citizens or permanent residents due to federal legislation. However, Kaggle is an international community with members from 194 countries, and some competitions offer prize money to international participants.
Competitions on Kaggle are classified into five tiers: "Novice", "Contributor", "Expert", "Master", and "Grandmaster". Research-themed competitions, for example, offer little to no prize money, while "Playground" competitions offer Kaggle merchandise as prizes.
Yes, international students should be aware of the restrictions set by the Department of Homeland Security. For instance, F-1 students are typically not allowed to work off-campus in their first year of studies.
Yes, international students can explore on-campus jobs, internships, freelancing, and more. F-1 students can also invest in stocks in the U.S. as there are no legal restrictions on investing in the stock market as long as it doesn't count as generating active income.
