F-1 and J-1 students follow different rules to work in the U.S. Please check the section below that applies to your situation.
If you are an international student who doesn’t have F-1 or J-1 status, then you do NOT need permission from ISSS to work. However, you may need to apply for authorization from the U.S. government to work.
If you are an international student who doesn’t have F-1 or J-1 status, then you do NOT need permission from ISSS to work. However, you may need to apply for authorization from the U.S. government to work.
The following videos were created prior to the launch of the ISSS Portal, so they still mention our past software Terra Dotta. Please note that all application processes with ISSS are now done through the new ISSS Portal and not through Terra Dotta.
F-1 Employment Overview Video
J-1 Employment Overview Video
F-1 Employment
On-Campus Work: F-1 students can start working on-campus after ISSS has processed your check-in and activated your F-1 status.
Off-Campus Work: If you need to work off-campus, you must get work authorization first.
- CPT: Used for internships, co-ops, and other off-campus work performed during your studies.
- OPT: Mainly used for work after graduation. Thesis and dissertation students may be eligible to start their post-grad work a early.
J-1 Employment Information
J-1 students are required to get work authorization before doing ANY employment in the U.S. If you work without authorization, you will violate your status.
Note: If your DS-2019 was issued by Fulbright or another non-TAMU sponsor, then you need to talk to your J-1 program sponsor to get work authorization. ISSS cannot authorize anything for you if we did not issue your DS-2019.
Social Security Number
All workers in the U.S. need a Social Security Number (SSN). This is a number assigned by the Social Security Administration (an office within the U.S. federal government). You will only receive one SSN and it’s valid for life. If you don’t have an SSN yet, then you can apply for one after you arrive in the U.S. and after your ISSS Check-In is complete. You will not have access to the SSN request in the ISSS Portal until after your New F-1/J-1 Student Check-In has been fully processed by ISSS.
- F-1 students: Must have completed ISSS Check-In and must have a job offer to apply for an SSN.
- J-1 students: Must have completed ISSS Check-In but do not have to have a job offer to apply for an SSN.
- If you have applied for F-1 CPT or J-1 Academic Training, you do not need to submit a separate application for an ISSS SSN letter. ISSS can give you the endorsement letter with your request for work authorization.
Steps to Apply for an SSN
- Complete required ISSS Check-In
- Get a Job Offer Letter (if required). If you require a job offer letter, the start date listed must be within 30 days of the SSN application.
- Apply for ISSS SSN Endorsement Letter: You can submit an SSN request in the Internships & Employment section of the ISSS Portal. New students will not have access to this category of the ISSS Portal until after their Check-In has been processed by ISSS.
- If you need an SSN for an off-campus internship, you can request one as part of your CPT (F-1) or Academic Training (J-1) request with ISSS. You do not need to submit a separate request for an SSN endorsement letter.
- If you need an SSN for an off-campus internship, you can request one as part of your CPT (F-1) or Academic Training (J-1) request with ISSS. You do not need to submit a separate request for an SSN endorsement letter.
- Within 30 days of receiving the letter from ISSS, you need to submit an SSN application to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and schedule an SSN appointment. Visit the Bryan SSA Office section below for further details. Learn more about applying to the SSA here.
After you submit your application to the Social Security Administration (SSA), they will review your request. You should receive a receipt through the mail within a few days, but it could take up to a week. Then, you should receive your SSN card in the mail within two weeks. You are allowed to start working while you wait for your SSN to be processed. You can submit the SSN receipt to your employer as proof of the application.
FINDING A JOB
The Career Center has specific pages (linked below) to help international students find jobs: