On-Campus Employment

As an international student in F-1 or J-1 status, you are eligible to work on campus if you are currently enrolled in classes and maintaining your student status.

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

Information on obtaining on-campus employment at Middlebury College will be covered during the ISSS Pre-orientation program. Job postings will be available on-line beginning the first day of classes, with additional opportunities posted as they become available. Student hourly wage amounts vary, depending on the position and your experience. You can familiarize yourself with the Student Employment Office by visiting their website.

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. It is also important to know that on-campus employment once you complete your program is not authorized. The exception to this limitation is if the position is directly related to your field of study, and you have applied and been approved for the proper post graduation work authorization.

Students in F-1 and J-1 status are limited to working on campus no more than 20 hours per week while school is in session. More than one job may be held but the total number of hours authorized to work does not change; it remains 20 hours per week while school is in session. Students may be full time in their campus jobs during vacation periods (i.e. work weeks when no classes are held). It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they are staying within this guidance. Working more than 20 hours per week when school is in session is a violation of status, 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. 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

Currently available on-campus job postings are managed by the Center for Academic Advising and Career Services (CACS), and can be found on Handshake.

Guidelines

New international students who are in “initial status” 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 the International Student Advisor 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.
Students can only engage in on-campus work at the schools that issue their Form I-20 or Form DS-2019. If you are enrolled in more than one school, this means you can only work on the campus that issued your current Form I-20 or Form DS-2019.

Updated on 1/13/2022