On-campus employment

According to F-1 regulations, on-campus employment includes

• Employment located on campus, and your employer is NAU
• Student-serving employment located on-campus, but your employer is a contractor at NAU (e.g., Sodexo, NAU bookstore)
• Employment located off-campus at an NAU site

It is important to keep in mind that employment activity that takes place on campus does not necessarily mean that the job can be considered as “on-campus employment.” Some NAU contractors whose primary goal is serving students are considered on-campus employment. (e.g., NAU bookstore, certain positions at Sodexo). An NAU site that is located off-campus may also be considered on-campus employment. On the other hand, some contractors, whose primary goal is not serving students, are not considered on-campus employment even though they are located on campus (e.g., High Country Conference Center). If you are uncertain whether a job is considered on-campus, please make sure to check with ISSS.

On-campus employment is an option for F-1 international students but is limited to a maximum of 20 hours a week (part-time) during the fall and spring semesters. You may work full-time during officially recognized university breaks (including winter, summer, and spring breaks). If the summer semester is your first or final semester, you are limited to 20 hours (part-time) of on-campus work per week.

Please note that working more than 20 hours per week when limited to part-time work will lead to termination of your SEVIS record.

F-1 students do not need work authorization for on-campus employment. Students must apply for a social security number (SSN) prior to beginning employment. Please submit the request for a social security number support letter on iNAU. You will use the letter that the ISSS generates for you to request a social security number from the Social Security Administration. If you already have a social security number, you do not need to apply for another one.

For graduate students: If you are a Graduate Assistant (including GTAs, GRAs, GSAs) on an F-1 visa and would like to work more hours than your contract indicates during the winter or spring break, you’ll need to fill out an additional hour request form as a requirement by the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.

F-1 undergraduate and graduate students may begin on-campus employment at the beginning of their first semester at NAU. If you are a new student, you may start working 30 days prior to class start date in the case that your on-campus employment requires an orientation or early start.

F-1 students are eligible to engage in on-campus employment opportunities as long as they have a valid program at NAU and continue to maintain their F-1 student status. If a student fails to maintain their F-1 status, they are no longer eligible to engage in on-campus employment.

The last date of a student’s final term is the last day they are eligible to engage in on-campus employment. Students who will be continuing at NAU in a new program should contact their ISSS advisor to discuss continued on-campus employment eligibility.