On-Campus Employment

Students in J-1 status need to inform ISSS prior to beginning employment so that on-campus work authorization can be authorized in SEVIS.

For Middlebury College Students

On-campus job postings are available on Workable. Be sure to choose “United States, Vermont, Middlebury” for the location and “Student” for the department. Student hourly wage amounts vary, depending on the position and your experience. You can familiarize yourself with the Human Resources Student Employment information by visiting their website.

As a student in F-1 or J-1 status, you must adhere to both the U.S. Homeland Security and institutional guidelines indicated below. 

Guidelines

• If you are a new international student who is in “initial status,” you cannot begin work until the start of the semester in which you begin your studies. This is an institutional policy.
• For F-1 students: You may begin on-campus positions without ISSS approval if your I-94 arrival record reflects being in F-1 status. For J-1 students: In addition to confirming F-1 status, you must receive approval from ISSS prior to beginning your on-campus job.
• All international students who obtain on-campus work-study positions must fill out the required human resources paperwork. 
• You can participate in on-campus work throughout your studies as long as you are maintaining your student status.
• You may not engage in on-campus positions when located outside of the U.S. From within the U.S., students may be able to engage in their positions remotely with prior approval from Human Resources. This is an institutional policy.
• You are limited to 20 hours per week during the academic session.
• International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) recommends that new students plan to work only 5-10 hours per week (or less, depending on course load) during the first term. That way, students can determine the amount of time they need to complete their academic responsibilities and whether they can manage more hours in a campus job.
• You may hold more than one position on campus, but the hours per week are still limited to 20 in total.
• You can work full-time (20 hours or more) during official school breaks (i.e., summer vacation and winter and spring break). Be especially diligent to understand when these breaks are; official break period is based upon the college calendar, not your individual class/exam schedule.
• You cannot engage in on-campus employment once you complete your program, unless it is in your field of study and you have the proper off-campus work authorization.
• You can continue to work on campus between programs if you are changing levels at the college, e.g., if you are moving from the undergraduate level to graduate level.
• Students are responsible for ensuring they remain within this guidance. Working more than 20 hours per week when school is in session may be perceived as a violation of status by U.S. Homeland Security and would result in a termination of the SEVIS record and the student’s F-1 status.
• Once you have obtained on-campus employment, you must obtain a Social Security Number (SSN) from the Social Security Administration. The SSN is a tax identification number, and once you hold employment in the U.S., you must have a SSN to file your State and Federal taxes.
  • You may begin your on-campus position before obtaining the SSN.
  • You must obtain the SSN before the end of the first semester/term you begin employment. This is an institutional policy.
  • For more information about this process, please see the Living in the U.S. website and click on “Social Security Information.”

For Middlebury Institute Students

On-campus job postings are available on Workable. Be sure to choose “United States, California, Monterey” for the location and “Student” for the department.

Guidelines

• If you are a new international student who is in “initial status,” you cannot begin work until the start of the semester in which you begin your studies. This is an institutional policy.
• All international students who obtain on-campus work-study positions must fill out the required human resources paperwork. For J-1 students: In addition to completing the human resources paperwork, you must also receive approval from ISSS prior to beginning your on-campus job.
• You can participate in on-campus work throughout your studies as long as you are maintaining your student status.
• You are limited to 20 hours per week during the academic session.
• You can work full-time (20 hours or more) during official school breaks (i.e., summer vacation and winter and spring break).
• You cannot engage in on-campus employment once you complete your program, unless it is in your field of study and you have the proper work authorization.
• You can continue to work on campus between programs if you are changing levels at the Institute; e.g., if you are moving from a language training program to a degree program or from the undergraduate level to graduate level.

Once you have obtained on-campus employment, you must obtain a Social Security Number (SSN) from the Social Security Administration. The SSN is a tax identification number, and once you hold employment in the U.S., you must have an SSN to file your state and federal taxes. For more information about this process, please read our Social Security Information.

Updated on 09/11/2025