International Student Employment

• Limited to 20 hours per week while class is in session; 40 hours during official school breaks
• Must work On-Campus
• Can find a job through Student Employment Website
• Cannot work at jobs near campus: McDonald's, Rite Aid, etc. these are not considered on-campus
• After offered a job you can apply for a Social Security Number

Curricular Practical Training is authorized off-campus work that fulfills a curricular requirement for a class or program such as an internship course, clerkship, clinical rotation for academic credit. Practical training opportunities are great for your professional future, but they require formal authorization in SEVIS through the Office of International Education. To qualify for CPT, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must have been a student in the U.S. for at least 1 academic year.
• The off-campus work or practical training must meet requirements for academic credit and be approved by your academic program. 
• Click here to download the CPT Packet
• After reviewing and completing the CPT packet, make an appointment in the OIE to process your CPT authorization.  
• Apply before semester begins.  You cannot begin work or practical training without formal authorization in SEVIS.
• OIE will have CPT workshops during the semester.

Students have the ability to apply to USCIS to receive off-campus work authorization to participate in Optional Practical Training.  For each degree level, students eligible to apply for up to 12 months of OPT work authorization.  Most students use OPT work authorization immediately after graduation to remain in the US and gain practical work experience in their field.  Student can use the OPT before graduation to gain work experience beyond required internships or when internships or clinical experiences for credit are not required or not an available option in their program.  Students who graduate with a STEM designated degree are eligible to apply for a 2-year STEM OPT extension.  Click HERE for a list of STEM designated degrees.   

Pre-Completion OPT:

• Work before graduating
• Can be full time or part time
• Requires authorization from your program, OIE, and USCIS
• Does not require a job offer before application
• Costs $410 to apply to USCIS
• Plan ahead & apply early. Make an appointment with an advisor in OIE
• Click HERE to download the Pre-Completion OPT Packet

Post-Completion:

• Work authorization after graduation
• Apply up to 90 days before you graduate
• Full time work authorization   
• Must complete your degree
• Requires authorization from your program, OIE, and USCIS
• Does not require a job offer before application
• Costs $410 to apply to USCIS
• Workshops throughout semester
• Plan ahead & apply early. Make an appointment with an advisor in OIE.
• Download the Post-Completion OPT Packet

STEM OPT Extension 

• Available to students who have completed a STEM designated bachelor master, or doctoral degree.
• Requires a job offer before application in your field of study with an organization or company that participates in E-verify and agrees to complete a form I-983 training plan prior to application
• Click HERE for a list of STEM designated degrees.   
• Apply up to 90 days before the expiration of post-completion OPT
• Requires authorization from OIE, and USCIS
• Costs $410 to apply to USCIS
• Contact the Office of International Education at [email protected] or (231) 591-2450 for guidance with the application process. 

• Off-campus employment that USCIS authorizes
• Must prove to USCIS that employment is necessary due to severe economic hardship caused by circumstances beyond student's control that have occurred after your enrollment in the US
• $410 fee to apply – students are eligible to apply for a fee waiver 
• Must have been in U.S. for 1 full year before eligibility
• Approval is often difficult to obtain – should only be used in extenuating circumstances