HelloStampedOfficial8 CFR 214.2(f)(9)(i) · Last verified
On-campus work: 20 hours, and what actually counts as on campus
An F-1 student may work on campus without asking USCIS for anything. The limit is 20 hours a week while school is in session, full-time on vacation — and "on campus" means something narrower than working in a building on campus.
The hours
On-campus employment must not exceed 20 hours a week while school is in session. When school is not in session, or during the annual vacation, you may work on campus full-time. The 20-hour limit is a weekly ceiling rather than an average, so two 30-hour weeks followed by two 10-hour weeks is not 20 hours a week — it is two weeks over the limit.
Source: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(9)(i) · in effect from 2003-01-01
What counts as on campus, which is narrower than it sounds
The work must be performed on the school's premises, or at an off-campus location that is educationally affiliated with the school. Commercial firms located on campus count only if they provide services to students — the regulation names the bookstore and the cafeteria. A firm on campus that does not provide direct student services does not count, and the regulation's own example is a construction company putting up a school building. Standing on campus is not the test; serving students is.
Source: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(9)(i) · in effect from 2003-01-01
Off-campus locations that still count
An educationally affiliated off-campus location qualifies where the affiliation is associated with the school's established curriculum, or relates to contractually funded research projects at the postgraduate level. In every case the employment must be an integral part of your educational programme. A research post attached to your department at an affiliated institute can qualify; a job at a company that merely recruits from your university does not.
Source: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(9)(i) · in effect from 2003-01-01
What has not changed
On-campus employment is incident to your status: you do not apply to USCIS for permission and there is no employment authorization document for it. It does not use up any of your OPT, and it is not CPT. You will still need a Social Security number to be paid, and your school will normally need to give you a letter for that. None of this is affected by the 2026 changes to how long students are admitted.
Source: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(9)(i) · in effect from 2003-01-01
Before you accept the job
- Ask whether the employer is the school itself, or a firm on campus that serves students. If it is neither, it is probably not on-campus employment however close the building is.
- Count every job together. Two campus jobs at 15 hours each is 30 hours, not two jobs within the limit.
- Confirm with your designated school official when your school treats the term as in session and when the annual vacation begins, because that is the line the full-time allowance turns on.
- Ask your DSO for the letter you need to apply for a Social Security number before your first shift, not after.
Source: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(9)(i) · in effect from 2003-01-01
Where people get caught
Adding a second campus job is the commonest way over the line, because each employer sees only their own hours and nobody is counting the total except you. The second is finishing your programme and carrying on: after completing a course of study an F-1 student may not do on-campus employment at all, except practical training authorized separately — so the job that was lawful in May is unauthorized employment in June. The third is a job in a building on campus for a company that does not serve students, which is not on-campus employment and needs authorization nobody applied for. And on-campus work may not displace a United States resident, which is a condition on the employer that quietly becomes your problem if it was ignored.
Source: 8 CFR 214.2(f)(9)(i) · in effect from 2003-01-01
Official
Frequently asked questions
- Can I work more than 20 hours during exam week or the summer?
- You may work full-time on campus when school is not in session or during the annual vacation. While school is in session the limit is 20 hours a week, and exam week is still in session.
- Do I need permission from USCIS for an on-campus job?
- No. On-campus employment is incident to F-1 status. You still need a Social Security number to be paid, which your school normally supports with a letter.
- Is the coffee shop on campus an on-campus employer?
- If it is an on-location commercial firm providing services to students, yes — the regulation names the bookstore and the cafeteria. A firm on campus that does not provide direct student services, such as a contractor constructing a building, does not count.
- Can I keep my campus job after I graduate?
- No. After completing a course of study an F-1 student may not engage in on-campus employment, except employment for practical training authorized separately.