J-1 On-Campus Employment
Eligibility and Limits
J-1 students may be eligible to work on-campus while maintaining valid status. However, specific permission and additional documents are required.
Your program sponsor must update your SEVIS record to authorize the employment before you start working. If you are sponsored by the University of Rochester, please use the J-1 On-Campus Employment Authorization form (PDF) to provide your employment details to the International Services Office (ISO) for approval. If you are not sponsored by the University, please contact your J-1 program (Fulbright or others) directly to ask about eligibility and authorization procedures.
To determine if a particular activity or award (fellowship, stipend, etc.) is considered employment, please contact your department. Each campus job or employment activity must be authorized separately.
On-campus employment is limited to 20 hours per week during academic terms, but is permitted full-time during annual vacation periods. Authorization is required for all academic service-based scholarships, fellowship, and assistantships, along with any other campus jobs you may be offered through the University. The 20-hour limit applies to all on-campus employment collectively. You should manage your total work hours each week during the academic year to make sure that you do not exceed this limit.
You are eligible to apply for on-campus employment authorization immediately after arrival, even if your academic program has not yet officially begun. However, you must complete your Immigration Check-In first and submit the request for authorization before you start working. If you are a graduate student who has arrived early and would like to start working in your department prior to orientation or the start of classes, please meet with an ISO advisor once you arrive on campus.
Since this type of employment authorization depends on maintaining valid status and an active academic program, your on-campus work permission ends when you are no longer pursuing your studies or maintaining J-1 status through the University of Rochester. Specifically, this occurs when:
- You complete all degree requirements
- The completion date on the DS-2019 passes
- The SEVIS record is transferred to another school
- Your student status is violated and/or the SEVIS record is terminated
Taxes on Your Earnings
All earnings, either through the University or authorized as On/Off employment, are subject to taxation.
Learn more about US Taxes and your eligibility for a Social Security Number.