On-Campus Employment

On-campus employment for F-1 students

Many international students at IU earn an income by working on campus.

On-campus employment refers to any job you perform on campus where you are paid by Indiana University. As an international student, you may be employed in a student hourly position or hold an assistantship. You are not eligible for work-study positions because they are part of a federally funded program.

There are exceptions to the “paid by IU” requirement for businesses in the Indiana Memorial Union, such as Starbucks. Contact the Office of International Services (OIS) before you accept any on-campus employment not paid by IU.

Can I work on campus after graduation?

If you are completing your degree, you may not work on campus past the end of your final semester or the completion of your final degree requirement. You may wish to apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) in order to work in your field of study after graduation.

Learn about OPT

If you want to work on any IU campus other than Bloomington, call 812-855-9086 to make an appointment with an advisor before accepting any employment.

How do I get authorization to work on campus?

As an F-1 student, you do not need authorization from OIS to work on the IU Bloomington campus. However, you must abide by the conditions of your status (outlined on this page) in order to maintain legal immigration status.

What rules do I need to follow to work legally on campus?

As an international student, you must meet certain conditions so that you can maintain your status and be employed legally. You must:

  • Enroll as a full-time student
  • Work no more than 20 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters.
    • If you have an assistantship or fellowship, the number of hours “worked” is determined by what is in your contract, not on the actual number of hours you may work. For example, if your assistantship contract states 20 hours, but you only worked 15 hours, you are still at your maximum number of hours because of what is listed in your contract.
    • The only exception to this rule is during Thanksgiving, winter, spring, or summer breaks (IU breaks that span a week or more) you are allowed to work more than 20 hours per week.

I am transferring to another university. Can I keep my job until I leave?

If you are leaving IU to transfer to another university and are not completing your degree requirements, you may have the option of continuing your on-campus employment for a short time beyond the end the semester. Please set up an appointment with an international student advisor to discuss your options. 

Learn more about transferring

Limitations for hourly employees

IU temporary (hourly) employees are subject to certain limits. If you have multiple jobs on campus, make sure that all of your employers know about all of your jobs. (IU is required to monitor hours worked per week because of regulations related to employee benefits under the Affordable Care Act. This is a federal requirement for all temporary positions, for all employees—not just international students.)

Working more than 20 hours per week

If you wish to work more than 20 hours per week, you will need to call 812-855-9086 to make an appointment with an advisor at OIS to discuss your options before you take on the additional hours. Hours cannot be averaged over a period of time.

The only exception to this rule is during the following official university breaks: Thanksgiving, winter, spring, and summer breaks. During these breaks you may work more than 20 hours per week without previous authorization.

Official university breaks are Thanksgiving, winter, spring and summer breaks. Look at IU's official calendar for the start and end dates of these breaks.

Information for employers

As an employer, you will need to verify that the applicant is a full-time F-1 student (verify in PeopleSoft). Do not offer your international student employee more than 20 hours per week.

The spouses and children of F-1 students (F-2 dependents) are not eligible to work.

If you have questions regarding on-campus employment for international students, contact us.