Employment
Social Security Number
All students lawfully employed in the U.S. are required to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN). Instructions on how to obtain an SSN card can be found here.
Individual Tax Identification Number
International students who will receive a Fellowship/Scholarship payment, but have not secured employment in the U.S. can apply for an Individual Tax Identification Number(ITIN) in order to receive payment. Current ITIN applications take approximately 6 weeks to process. UCSC cannot pay the individual until an ITIN number is received. More information on ITIN and ITIN applications can be found on the IRS website.
Note that you do need to apply for an ITIN if you are eligible for an SSN or already have an SSN.
On-Campus
F-1 International students can work on-campus up to 20 hours/week during the academic terms and full-time during the vacation or break periods. Written authorization from ISSS or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is not required to work on-campus as long as you are in valid F-1 student status and pursuing a full course of study. Once you complete your study program you are no longer eligible to be employed on-campus without special authorization -- i.e., Optional Practical Training (see below). On-campus employment is employment engaged in at UCSC such as a teaching or research assistantship, employment in the University Center, library aide, etc. Generally speaking, this means that you will be receiving a paycheck from this university.
Off-Campus
A summary of the options for off-campus employment for F-1 students is provided below. No matter which off-campus employment option you pursue, the following items apply for all applicants.
- Off-campus employment requires work authorization issued by the International Student Advisor and/or the USCIS.
- You must be currently in legal status and have been enrolled as an F-1 student in the US for a minimum of one academic year (9 months).
- In most cases, prior to the completion of your program, employment is limited to 20 hours per week or less while school is in session and can be full-time during the vacation or break periods.