In Progress
1) F-1 Student Path (Your Foundation)
Understand employment rules (before you earn a single dollar)
Working illegally—even one shift at a friend's restaurant—can permanently bar you from future visas. On-campus work is your safest option: 20 hours per week during the semester, unlimited during breaks. You can start working up to 30 days before your first day of class. Here's a secret: 'on-campus' includes commercial businesses that provide direct services to students, like the campus bookstore run by Barnes & Noble. Always get written confirmation from your DSO before accepting any job.
The U.S. government wants you in a classroom, not just behind a screen.
- Only one class (or 3 credits) of online or distance learning can count toward your full-time requirement each semester.
- If you are in your final semester and only have one class left, that class cannot be online.
- Hybrid Classes are tricky. A hybrid class only counts as "in-person" if it requires your physical presence for exams or lectures. Get this in writing from your professor to be safe.
Free Resource: Online/Distance Education Course Policy for F-1 Students
Resources
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