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Getting Permission to Work in the U.S. on an F1 Visa
F1 students who meet certain criteria can receive benefits

The primary purpose of an international student in F1 visa status is to study. Therefore, restrictions on employment do exist. F1 visa students who meet certain criteria, however, can receive benefits.

The main criterion for all work authorization is that the student is maintaining and has maintained status, which means the student has attended school full-time each semester or term, has not engaged in unauthorized employment, and has valid immigration documents.

Type of employment for F1 visa holders varies and is classified as follows:
  1. incident to status
  2. authorized by the Designated School Official (DSO, most often the foreign student advisor on that campus)
  3. recommended by the DSO and authorized by United States Citizenship and Information Services (USCIS).


F1 students should always seek advice from the DSO (or foreign student advisor) before seeking employment in the United States.
Article by Masume Assaf, NAFSA Editorial Board member and associate director of International Student Services at The Pennsylvania State University.