Employment for International Students
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On Campus Employment
To be eligible students must have a minimum College of Western Idaho GPA of 2.0 or above
- An eligible student cannot work more than 20 hours per week while school is in session.
- Students can be employed full-time on campus only during holidays and summer vacation, provided they are eligible and are registered for the next semester.
- Students cannot be employed on campus after they have completed a program of study unless they have applied for and have been granted written permission to engage in a type of employment that CIS called Optional Practical Training (OPT).
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
CPT allows a student to work off-campus for a specified amount of time in a position related to his/her field of study.
- Student must be in F1 status
- Student must have completed at least 2 semesters in the college
- Internship must be directly related to student’s academic program
- Student must receive college credit for the internship
- Student must have CIS authorization through ISS prior to employment
- CPT must be part-time (20 hours or less) while school is in session. During summer and winter breaks, CPT may be full-time.
Steps to Complete
- Find an internship opportunity through your academic department.
- Obtain a signed job offer letter from the employer on official letterhead with a detailed internship/job description.
- Complete the CWI Internship form and receive approval from your department.
- Have your academic advisor complete the Advisor Verification Form.
- Bring the completed Advisor Verification Form, a copy of the approved CWI Internship Application Form, and the offer letter from your internship employer to ISS.
- Wait for a confirmation e-mail from ISS before you begin your employment.
ISS cannot approve the CPT until the internship credit is added to your class schedule.
Economic Hardship
A student who has been enrolled for an academic year and is maintaining F-1 status may apply to CIS for “off-campus employment based on severe economic hardship.” The student is required to show that his/her severe financial hardship has been caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond his/her control. The student must also provide documentation showing that employment opportunities on campus are insufficient to ease the hardship. Keep in mind that the student must show specifically how the financial data submitted to the school for creation of the I-20 has changed. Support documentation is necessary.
Common reasons for seeking economic hardship employment
- Unexpected loss of a scholarship
- Decrease in funding from home country due to serious currency devaluation or family illness or death
- Tuition and fee increase
- Medical bills, loss through robbery/burglary (documented with police report) or natural disaster loss of sponsor support
If you think you might qualify for Severe Economic Hardship Employment, please make an appointment with the International Student Advisor for assistance.