Economic Hardship

To be eligible for off-campus employment due to unforeseen economic hardship, you must have been in lawful F-1 status for at least one academic year and be able to demonstrate each of the following:

• That employment is necessary to avoid severe economic hardship

• That your economic hardship is due to unforeseen circumstances beyond your control

• That you have made a good faith effort to find a job on campus

• That on-campus jobs were either unavailable or insufficient to meet your need

Examples of unforeseen economic hardship would include:

• Loss of financial aid without fault on your part

• Unexpected changes in your chief means of financial support

• Unexpected medical bills (this must be well documented)

You are not eligible for Economic Hardship Work Permission until you have completed at least one academic year in F-1 status, as you have demonstrated that you have funding to support at least the first year of your program of study.

Application Procedure

If you feel that you meet the above criteria for Economic Hardship, please contact the ISSO to make an appointment to discuss your case with an International Student Advisor.

Please be aware that approval of Request for Off-Campus Employment due to Economic Hardship can take two to three months. You will not be able to work off-campus while your application is pending.

Any unauthorized employment is a violation of your student visa status.