On-Campus Employment

On Campus Employment for International Students

International Students meeting F-1 or J-1 status can work on campus.

  • Employment is limited to 20 hours per week while school is in session
  • Students may work full-time on campus, if their department allows it, while on their vacation term or during term breaks
  • You are not allowed to work on campus after you complete your program

To search available campus jobs, you will first need to create an account on Handshake.

  1. Visit: www.csub.edu/cece
  2. Click on “Student/Alumni” from the left side menu.
  3. Below the video, click on “Handshake Student Login” on the right side. Login using your NetID credentials.

After you create your Handshake account, you may start searching for student assistant jobs on campus.

On your Handshake homepage, click on Jobs (top left corner) and select the "On-campus" filter.

Social Security Number

Any type of employment in the United States requires you to possess a Social Security Number (SSN). You must complete the following steps in order to receive a social security number.

Step 1: Secure an on-campus job offer in writing to present to our international office.

Step 2: Request a letter of support from our international office. Please give the international office three weeks advance notice or a letter request.

Step 3: Take the following documents to your local Social Security Office:

  • Your job offer letter
  • Letter of Support from the DSO at the International Programs Office
  • Your current I-20
  • Your passport with visa stamp
  • Your I-94 admission record

Step 4: Follow up with your employer and complete any further necessary paperwork required for employment.

Curricular Practical Training (Internships)

F-1 visa holders with a valid I-20 are allowed to participate in an off-campus paid internship. Please see the requirements below to participate.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a type of off-campus work permission for F-1 international students who are currently pursuing study programs in the United States and want to gain experience in their fields of study via an internship. CPT is an academic experience and is not intended to be used for regular off-campus work. CPT is not available after a student completes a degree program. Students should be mindful to keep all records of CPT and the academic work related to CPT, and how that employment is integral to the degree program. Students will need to retain copies of all previous CPT I-20s when later applying for Optional Practical Training (OPT).

It is best to start planning your CPT at least one semester prior to starting. You must obtain CPT authorization BEFORE beginning employment. Authorization can't be backdated.

To participate in CPT, you must meet the following requirement:

  • You must complete one academic year (TWO semesters) at CSUB. Winter and summer terms DO NOT count toward the two-semester completion. The only exception to the two semester requirement is for students enrolled in Master of Health Care Administration (MHA) program. MHA students have to complete an internship in order to earn their degree.

If you participate in 12 months or more of full-time CPT at the same degree level, you automatically forfeit your OPT eligibility. The use of full-time CPT in a prior degree at the same level will be included in the 12 month calculation. It is the student's responsibility to calculate their CPT usage. Accrual of part-time CPT should not negatively affect eligibility for OPT. There are no limitations on part-time CPT, however, high CPT usage can cause U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to subject increased scrutiny to OPT applications (especially STEM OPT), visa applications, H1-B petitions, etc.

Here are the items you need to do before you can participate in CPT:

  1. Have a valid i20 from CSUB and be registered in classes at CSUB for the term you are wishing to participate in CPT
  2. You must be enrolled in an internship class at CSUB during the term you are participating in CPT. Please see the CSUB course catalog to find the internship class for your respective major. The class must say internship in it.
  3. You will have to find a professor in your major to teach you the internship class. Please contact a professor directly about teaching you the internship class. Have your professor contact the International Students and Programs Office (ISP) if they have questions. Unfortunately, ISP can't help you find a professor to teach your internship class.
  4. You need to secure an academically appropriate internship that is directly related to your field of study. Positions such as retail sales, food service, and other unskilled positions will be denied as that is not allowed in the USCIS regulations. Your immediate supervisor for your internship can't be someone that is an F-1 or J-1 visa holder.
  5. You will need your proposed internship site to write a letter on their company letterhead stating the following:
    • This letter is to certify the participation of “student's name” in an F-1 Curricular Practical Training internship work-based learning experience with “company/organization name.” “Company/organization name” agrees to provide the student an educational work-based learning experience directly related the student's major field of study.
      • Student's Legal Name:
      • Company/Organization Name:
      • Company/Organization Address:
      • Student's Job Title:
      • Student's Job Description:
      • Proposed dates of Employment: (must fall within the semester student is participating in CPT)
      • Hours per week:
      • Salary (if none, indicate “unpaid”):
      • Supervisor's Name:
      • Supervisor's Job Title:
      • Supervisor Email:
      • Supervisor Telephone:
  6. Student will then bring items 2 & 5 to the International Students and Programs Office (ISP) or email it to csubis@csub.edu three weeks in advance of their proposed start date.

ISP is happy to talk to employers about CPT if they are confused or have questions. If this is a paid internship and you don't have a social security card, please let ISP know that so a social security letter can be issued. ISP will review and issue your CPT i20.

Find more information on Curricular Practical Training (CPT).

Optional Practical Training

(OPT-Work Authorization After You Graduate)

F-1 visa holders with a valid I-20 are allowed to work up to one year in a job related to their field of study (major). Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors (not minors) are able to apply to work for an additional two years of OPT (please check with the International Office to see if your major qualifies). OPT has complex rules. You can apply for OPT up to 90 days before you graduate and up to 60 days after you graduate-it is the student's responsibility to make an appointment with the international office three months before you plan to apply for OPT so we can review the process and eligibility with you.