As a university sponsored J-1 student, you’re eligible for employment authorization while in the U.S. but if you’re sponsored by an outside organization (including the U.S. or your home government), you need to confirm your eligibility before applying to work. On-Campus: On-campus employment is work that takes place either at your school or at an [...]

Can I stay and work in the U.S. after I graduate?   (For F-1 students) Again, the answer is yes and the program is called Optional Practical Training (OPT).  The application process is quite a bit more involved than the CPT (Curricular Practical Training) authorization process as it requires submitting an application to the United States [...]

The short answer is YES!  I’m a strong believer in experiential education and always encourage international students to take advantage of the various employment opportunities available to them on and off-campus.   Besides the obvious perk of putting extra dollars in your wallet, there are many other benefits to working outside of the classroom. While [...]

Once your program begins, you’ll have plenty to do and not a lot of time to think about much other than studying so here’s a cheat sheet for how to avoid trouble with the USCIS while you are a student in the United States.   Your eligibility for employment, transfers, program changes and reentry depends on [...]

(NOTE: This is Part 2 of 2. See Part 1 here. And contact Michele Rabin directly if you have any questions.)   The day has finally arrived. Eat a good breakfast, be on time and be prepared to wait.  And wait.  The appointment time on your confirmation is usually the time you are able to [...]