Employment

Anderson University is proud to offer on-campus employment opportunities to the international community on campus. International students who are in legal F-1 status can work legally on campus part-time while school is in session. They can work full-time, on campus, when school is not in session. This means that they can also be employed by third party contractors on our campus. However, you cannot work over 20 hours a week on campus while school is in session. For information on working on campus part-time as a student aide, you can contact Student Employment [email protected]. Employment on campus is not guaranteed, however we do have a wide variety of jobs for international students, but they are based upon your finding an available position on campus.

The Center for Global Engagement does not recommend first semester students to work on campus since it takes time to adjust to college life as well as American culture. Students who are hired to work on campus are required to visit the Center for Global Engagement for employment approval. All employment on campus needs to be approved and monitored by the Center for Global Engagement. In addition, once you do get a job on campus, you can then apply for a social security number.

Social Security Number

Only international students in F-1 status who have been hired and approved for legal employment on campus can receive an approval to apply for a US Social Security number. The Center for Global Engagement assists you with the required documentation and forms to apply. You cannot get a social security number without first applying and being hired for a job on campus. (Unfortunately, there are no exceptions to this policy since it is a federal regulation and not Anderson University policy.)

Off-Campus Employment: Optional Practical Training

As an international student at AU in F-1 status, you cannot work legally off campus without approval. US Homeland Security allows each international student up to one full year of legal work in the US upon graduation. This is called OPT (Optional Practical Training), and the Center for Global Engagement can assist you. You need to meet all requirements to be eligible for OPT like being in continuous legal F-1 status for a full year.  From time to time students request “pre-completion OPT” which allows them to use their OPT before they graduate, however this is not normally recommended because the time you use on pre-completion OPT is deducted from the OPT once you graduate. You cannot apply earlier than 90 days before you graduate. 

The Center for Global Engagement understands all immigration regulations surrounding OPT and can assist you with your OPT application. International students should meet with the Center for Global Engagement to discuss OPT four months before graduating in order to prepare their application for an EAD card (Employment Authorization Document) so that they can work legally in the United States for a year after graduation. We will assist you with the application, required approval, and help answer any questions you have. 

Curricular Practical Training

Some academic programs allow the opportunity for you to work legally off-campus in an approved internship. Normally, for undergraduate international students this is done in your junior or senior year as part of an internship class. Working together with your faculty advisor and the Center for Global Engagement, we can properly assist you with the CPT application, and approval process. F-1 international undergraduate students must be in legal status for at least a year before they can apply for CPT. Graduate students in the MBA program have the opportunity to take part in CPT when their internship has been approved by their academic advisor and must also be registered for the internship course.

The Center for Global Engagement will help you with any questions regarding the CPT internship option. In addition, when working on approved CPT, you cannot work more than 20 hours a week while school is in session. You can also only work during your approved CPT dates. You cannot begin working in any internship (paid or unpaid) without approval and counseling by the Center for Global Engagement. We must review your status, the internship, obtain approval by the faculty member, and review the registration for the affiliated course before we approve the internship (paid or unpaid).  All internships must be approved by both a faculty mentor/advisor together with the final approval of the Center for Global Engagement. On an F1 visa, internships are required, by law, to be academic in nature and affiliated with an internship course. There are no exceptions to this as it is a federal regulation. The Center for Global Engagement can assist you with the CPT application and registration process. We understand that interning is an integral part of your academic career and offer expert immigration counseling on CPT options. It is helpful for you to ask your academic advisor if your program (major) has an internship option available to you. Graduate CPT- Some programs require internships. You should check two make sure your program offers an  internship class if you wish to obtain experiential learning in your field. You need approval from faculty in order to work in an approved internship and authorization from the Center for Global Engagement.  

*Please be advised that if you use up to a year of CPT you can lose your eligibility of the full one year of OPT after graduation. Normally, for undergraduates CPT is approved for one semester so that you do not lose your eligibility for OPT.

Economic Work Necessity

From time to time, an international student’s financial situation might change because of job changes of sponsors back home, a financial crisis in their home country or varying circumstances which are out of their control. For those international students in legal F-1 status for over a year, the Center for Global Engagement can help you apply for legal employment off-campus called Economic Work Necessity. Please note that you will have to show sufficient proof of the hardship as part of your application for economic work necessity. The Center for Global Engagement will assist you apply for the program and review the documents to evaluate if you meet the conditions to apply for the program. The application is sent to US Homeland Security for approval, and it can take anywhere from four to six months for approval. However, if approved for the program, you can work legally off-campus, part-time when school is in session, and full-time when school is not in session (for example during the summer or winter break). The Center for Global Engagement will assist you if you believe you might be eligible for this program. It is designed for students who are in legal status (of over a year) who have demonstrated financial need. If approved for Economic Work Necessity, your approval does not impact your application in the future for the one year of legal work after graduation (OPT).