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On-Campus Employment

On-campus employment  

Where to find a job on campus?

  • You can use the self-service system CORSAIR Jobs to locate a position; 
  • Or contact your graduate program department about possibility of working as a graduate assistant.

Student Employment Office is responsible for administering the on-campus work programs. Please visit the Student Employment Office for further information about how to find a job on campus.

Note: International students (F-1, J-1, etc.) are not eligible for on-campus Federal Work-Study employment, which is sponsored by the U.S. Federal Government.  

How many hours you can work?

On-campus employment is limited to no more than 8 hours per day and 20 hours per week while school is in session but may be full time (40 hours) during vacations, semester break, and summer.

Employment requirements

F-1 visa students

On-campus employment is allowed with F-1 status and does not require special permission. You may work on campus as  long as you remain in valid F-1 status and meet the following requirements:

J-1 visa students

If your J-1 visa is sponsored by an outside agency such as Fulbright, contact the Responsible Officer (RO) at your sponsoring agency for the required work permissions.  You do not need to demonstrate unforeseen economic necessity to receive this permission.

On-campus employment is allowed during J-1 status and requires permission of the Responsible Officer (RO) or Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) for the University J-1 program. You may work on campus as  long as you remain in valid F-1 status and meet the following requirements: 

  • must be in good academic standing and remain full-time in your program of study. 
  • have a Hiring Form from the department where you have been offered work.
  • complete the J-1 student employment authorization letter (bring to the ISSC for a signature along with the Hiring Form)
  • J-1 Social Security letter with a signature by the ISSC  
  • apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) if you don't already have one 

Dependents

Dependents of F-1 visa holders, who hold the F-2 visa, may not work.

Dependents of J-1 visa holders, who hold the J-2 visa, may work in some circumstances, by application through the ISSC and approval from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  Please consult the ISSC for help.  (See also J-1 Family Information.) If the employment approval is granted,  the J-2 family member will need to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN).  

Important information

  • You will need to apply for and receive a Social Security Number from the U.S. Social Security Administration before working on campus. 
  • You may not work after your F-1 or J-1 program is complete (for example, upon graduation, at the end of an authorized employment period such as post completion OPT or Academic Training, or completion of an exchange program).

Mass.gov: Avoiding Immigration Scams

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