J-1 On-Campus Employment
On-Campus Employment for J-1 Students
To be eligible for employment, J-1 students must submit proof of full-time registration and good academic standing. All employment during J-1 status must be authorized before beginning employment. To obtain authorization, you must submit a request in advance to your ISSS Advisor. See below for specific instructions.
If authorized, you may work on campus 20 hours per week while school is in session and work on campus up to 40 hours per week during official school breaks and vacation periods, including summer vacations.
Employment Options for J-1 Students
Overview
Employment is any type of work performed or services provided in exchange for money, tuition, fees, books, supplies, room or for any other benefit or compensation. J-1 students must have authorization to work from the J-1 program sponsor (i.e., Gallaudet University) for all types of employment. If employed without proper authorization, the student will have violated his/her J-1 status which may result in losing benefits of the J-1 program and jeopardize his/her permission to remain in or reenter the U.S.
Obtaining Employment Authorization
ISSS advisors must evaluate the proposed employment in the context of your academic program and your circumstances. If your DS-2019 specifies the program sponsor (item #2) as “Gallaudet University” and the exchange visitor category (item #4) as “student”, you may apply for employment authorization at the ISSS office. You may not begin employment unless you have obtained employment authorization from ISSS and the beginning date is effective.
Types of Employment
As a J-1 student, you may qualify for the following types of employment:
Academic Training in Your Field of Study
Employment and Volunteering
While the issue of volunteering may seem simple (“I’m not getting paid. Therefore I am volunteering”), it is actually a complex area in which immigration regulations and labor laws intersect. If you are interested in volunteering, you must be aware of the relevant regulations so that you and the organization you are volunteering do not inadvertently violate any laws or get penalized for unauthorized employment.
To be eligible for employment, J-1 students must submit proof of full-time registration and good academic standing. All employment during J-1 status must be authorized before beginning employment. To obtain authorization, you must submit a request in advance to your ISSS Advisor. See below for specific instructions.
If authorized, you may work on campus 20 hours per week while school is in session and work on campus up to 40 hours per week during official school breaks and vacation periods, including summer vacations.
Employment Options for J-1 Students
Overview
Employment is any type of work performed or services provided in exchange for money, tuition, fees, books, supplies, room or for any other benefit or compensation. J-1 students must have authorization to work from the J-1 program sponsor (i.e., Gallaudet University) for all types of employment. If employed without proper authorization, the student will have violated his/her J-1 status which may result in losing benefits of the J-1 program and jeopardize his/her permission to remain in or reenter the U.S.
Obtaining Employment Authorization
ISSS advisors must evaluate the proposed employment in the context of your academic program and your circumstances. If your DS-2019 specifies the program sponsor (item #2) as “Gallaudet University” and the exchange visitor category (item #4) as “student”, you may apply for employment authorization at the ISSS office. You may not begin employment unless you have obtained employment authorization from ISSS and the beginning date is effective.
Types of Employment
As a J-1 student, you may qualify for the following types of employment:
On-Campus Employment
- On-campus employment is defined as work done on the premises of the school.
- A J-1 student may be authorized to work up to 20 hours per week during the academic year and full-time during summer and official University holiday breaks for on-campus employment. Students who already have assistantships considered to be equivalent to 20 hours a week are not eligible for additional on-campus employment.
- If Gallaudet University issued your DS-2019, contact your ISSS Advisor to discuss your work authorization.
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Once you complete your academic program, you are no longer eligible for on-campus employment unless you have obtained employment authorization based on academic training.
For more information, refer to On-Campus Employment for F-1/J-1 Students.
Academic Training in Your Field of Study
- Academic training is work, training, or experience related to a student's field of study.
- Although a J-1 student may work part-time or full-time, all academic training is counted as full-time, even if the employment is part-time.
- You must have a job offer in the field of your study and obtain a written recommendation for academic training from your academic advisor to apply for academic training.
- The time you are authorized for academic training before your program completion will be subtracted from the total time of academic training for which you are eligible. The time allotted may not exceed “the period of a full course of study” or 18 months, whichever is shorter. If you received a Ph.D., your post-doctoral training may last as long as 36 months. Completing more than one-degree program does not increase your academic training period.
Off-Campus Employment Due to Unforeseen Economic Circumstances
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A J-1 student may be authorized to work off-campus if “serious, urgent, and unforeseen economic circumstances” have arisen since acquiring J-1 status.
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This type of employment requires ISSS approval and authorization in writing before employment begins.
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As a J-1 student, you may not be employed for more than 20 hours per week for both on-campus and off-campus locations during the academic year. However, you may be employed full-time (more than 20 hours per week) during summer and official University breaks.
Employment and Volunteering
While the issue of volunteering may seem simple (“I’m not getting paid. Therefore I am volunteering”), it is actually a complex area in which immigration regulations and labor laws intersect. If you are interested in volunteering, you must be aware of the relevant regulations so that you and the organization you are volunteering do not inadvertently violate any laws or get penalized for unauthorized employment.