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On-Campus Employment

F-1 students with a valid I-20 issued by GW are eligible for on-campus employment without any additional work authorization while lawfully maintaining their visa status. On-campus employment includes work done as a teaching or research assistant as well as jobs in the school library, cafeteria, bookstore, and administrative offices providing direct student services. 

If you are not sure whether a job is considered on-campus employment, please contact the International Services Office or your International Student Advisor for more information.  

 

Regulations for On-Campus Employment 

  • Employment is limited to 20 hours per week while school is in session, inclusive of any work undertaken under a scholarship, fellowship, or assistantship.
  • Hours may not be averaged e.g. if 15 hours are performed in one week, 25 are not permitted the following week in order to average 20 hours in a two-week period. Working even 20.25 hours in one week is a violation of F-1 status.
  • Students are responsible for keeping tracking of their own hours to ensure they do not exceed the limit and will be held accountable for any hours overworked.
  • All on-campus employment must cease the day after you complete all program requirements. For most students, the completion date is the last day of your final exams or the date of the dean’s approval of your thesis/dissertation.
  • Commercial firms or offices located on campus that are not operated by GW and which do not directly provide services to students are not considered on-campus employers; e.g. CVS, Whole Foods, a construction company building a school building, companies that rent GW office space.
  • Full-time on-campus employment is permitted during summer breaks for students registered for the subsequent academic term. Eligible students may also work full-time during winter and spring break.
  • GW Policy: Students participating in a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) or Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) may participate in on-campus employment other than their GTA or GRA, as long as total work hours do not exceed 20 hours per week.
  • GW Policy: Graduate students receiving tuition and stipend from GW must receive permission from the Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships before working on-campus.
  • If summer is your first or final term, you are not eligible for full-time employment during that term.
  • Students concurrently attending two institutions may work only on the campus of the institution that issued their Form I-20 and has authority over the student's SEVIS record.

Find an On-Campus Job 

Please visit the Student Employment Talent Management System to check on-campus job at GW.

Questions? 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding on-campus employment and how to maintain your legal status, please contact the International Services Office or make an appointment with your ISO advisor.