F-1 Status

Students classified in F1 status are governed by regulations of the USCIS, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security. For purposes of immigration law, your passport must be valid for 6 months beyond the period of your approved stay in the US. Check your passport expiration date and get an extension if you need one. ISSS has a directory of foreign embassies and consulates in the US if you need to locate your embassy/consulate to renew your passport.

Visa
The F1 visa stamp in your passport, along with your I-20, gives you permission to apply for entry into the US. The visa itself has nothing to do with how long you can stay in the US. Do not confuse the validity of your visa stamp as being an indication of your approved period of stay here. The visa must be valid at the time of any entry to the US; it does not have to be valid for you to remain in the US.

Permission to Stay in the US
Permission to stay in the US is indicated on your I-94 departure card, the small white card which is usually stapled inside your passport. It indicates the date and port of entry to the US, your immigration classification (F1, J1), and the date until which you are allowed to remain in the US. This date is important! If you wish to remain in the US beyond this date, you must apply for an extension of stay.

For most students, this date will be "D/S" (Duration of Status). This means that you can remain in the US as long as you are a full-time student, with a valid I-20. Beyond that, you can have up to 12 months of authorized Optional Practical Training, plus 60 days in which to depart the US or apply for a change of status.

Your I-20
You should keep the stamped I-20 that will be returned to you at the port of entry to the US. This is a permanent record of your F1 nonimmigrant status, and you will need it for any necessary endorsements and certifications by our office. We will also use it to record transfers, and employment recommendations. This is also used for re-entering the US after a brief visit outside.

Maintaining Your Student Status
Your eligibility for opportunities for employment, school transfers, and program changes depends on your maintaining lawful status. When you enter the US, an immigration inspector asks you to read and sign a statement on your Form I-20. Your signature signifies your agreement to abide by the conditions of F1 status while in the US.

To maintain your status, you must:

• remain enrolled full-time at the institution you are authorized to attend (12 credit hours for undergraduates, 5 credit hours for graduate students)
• hold a valid, current I-20 ID
• maintain a passport that is valid for at least 6 months into the future
• have appropriate authorization for any work and not be employed for more than 20 hours per week while classes are in session

• Change of Nonimmigrant Status
• Change of Educational Program or Degree
• Extension of Program of Study
• Transfer of Schools
• Reinstatement to F-1 Status

Employment for F-1 Students
F-1 students also have some limited employment opportunities available to them. These include on-campus employment, Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Optional Practical Training (OPT), and employment due to Economic Hardship.  Students have to be in status and be maintaining at least a 2.0 gpa for undergraduates and a 3.0 gpa for graduate students.

On-Campus Work
Students maintaining status with the required minimum GPA can work on campus a maximum of 20 hours/week during school and full time during the breaks (e.g. summer) if they are returning to classes the following term.

Students are responsible for making sure on-campus employment meets the requirements of the government for on-campus work authorization. Students working without authorization are subject to termination of their F-1 status, which can negatively affect future admission to the U.S. They should see an international student adviser with any questions about these requirements before accepting employment.

On-campus employment refers to employment where a student is hired by a unit or department of the University of Colorado at Boulder campus and paid by CU-Boulder.  If the employer is a private company which is physically located on the Boulder campus but provides direct services for students (e.g. Subway in the UMC), such employment would qualify as on-campus employment as well.  In some circumstances, on-campus employment can be located at an off-campus location when there is a very close affiliation with CU-Boulder; but this would usually be a research position (e.g. Research Assistantship) that is supervised by a CU professor.

Students can find listings of on-campus jobs at the Student Employment Office.  Beware, however, that sometimes positions listed as on-campus jobs do NOT qualify as on-campus employment under the F-1 regulations.  Following are some examples of organizations that are NOT on-campus employers:  the Graduate School of Banking, CU Foundation, National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).   Students should check with ISSS before agreeing to work at any position located on or off campus.

Please see the following pages for information about these additional opportunities for employment:

Curricular Practical Training
Optional Practical Training
Employment due to Severe Economic Hardship
Special Student Relief