Part Time Jobs and International Students in F1 Visa

International students can work in US and earn some money, but how much can they earn? Avinash has heard wrong information

Question

How much does a part time job in the U.S pay? What are the number of hours that a student can work for? Is the earning from a part time job enough to cover either tuition or living expenses?

Part Time Jobs F1 Students

International students can work 20 hours per week. But, that work can be only within the college campus. Recently Avinash wrote a comment  “Students are not supposed to work off campus.. and they need to stay in the campus during their course“

Students are not supposed to work of campus?

Avinash you are misinformed for sure. When students hear some information, they just believe everything. But, most of the information when gets passed around, everyone add their own bit of story. So, when Obama passed new H1B rules for companies receiving stimulus bailout money hiring H1B workers difficult, news was passed around many and one student comments – Obama is sending all H1B workers back their home country.

Same thing happened to information that was passed to you. Students are actually allowed to work only within campus. Only under extreme financial hardship they can get permission to work off campus, but they have to go through an approval process. That might affect your OPT period. You will have to get that information from International Office.

Part Time Job – Hourly Pay

Students can work upto 20 hours per week in part time job. Job includes working in Campus library, book store, Cafe, Computer Lab, .. It will pay around $6 to $10 per hour. Sometimes upto $15 per hour. So, part time job will help you pay for living expenses. If you study in schools like USC, New York,.. cost of living will be around $600 to $800 per month. Apartment rent would runt o $1800 per month ( shared by 3 or 4 students)

Part Time Job to Pay Fees?

With part time income, if you study in Texas or other low cost places, you can save maybe $200 per month. So, part time job will not pay for college fees. You will have to find RA or TA to pay for college tuition fees. Sometimes even RA and TA will not pay in-state fees. UNC at Charlotte not all RA position is considered for In state fees.  In University of Alabama at Birmingham, students used to get In-state fees for even part time jobs, but not sure if they still do the same.RA and TA will pay $400 to $1500 per month plus In-State fees.

Related posts:

1. Shortlisting Universities – 2 (Part Time jobs)
2. 20 Universities With Largest Number of International Students
3. Q&A: Does U.S. Citizens Pay InState College Tuition Fee?
4. Education Loan for International Students without Co-Signer
5. How to find a part time job