Training/Employment Opportunities

All international students must receive approval prior to beginning any employment or volunteer work whether or not they are being compensated. The University does not have any on-campus employment but in certain situations students may qualify for off-campus employment who have an economic hardship that qualifies them for the Department of Homeland Security's emergent circumstances.

Students without approval for any type of employment would be considered in violation of their F-1 status because it is illegal to work without authorization. A DSO must report to SEVIS if they find that any student is working without approval. A student may face a loss of legal immigration status in the U.S., possible deportation, and/or an impact on their future visa applications. To maintain an active F-1 status, students must receive work authorization in order to work in the U.S.

Employers will require the following documents when starting employment:

Current Form I-20 with any work authorization and dates
Current Passport
Most recent I-94 Information
Social Security Card/Individual Taxpayer Identification Number

Internship Requirement

As required of USU's MBA and DBA programs, students must participate in and complete the professional symposium course, an off-campus internship using Curricular Practical Training (CPT). The Professional Symposium courses provide students with practical learning experience and application for qualified graduate students. The objective of the course is to provide hands-on, practical work experience that integrates the theory and practice with the learning objectives of the MBA and DBA programs, thereby giving students a competitive advantage upon graduation. To successfully pass the course, students must be employed at least part-time; however, they may be employed full-time and still complete any additional academic course assignments, projects, journals, etc.

Students are encouraged to seek out their own opportunities; however, the University's Career Services webpage provides several resources to help you in find sponsored employment opportunities.

To access resources:

Navigate to www.usuniversity.edu.
Hover over or click on the "Students" Tab and select “Career & Alumni Services” from the drop-down menu
Select “Identity Based Resources” from the available buttons and review the related resources for International Students
Additional career resources can be found under the “Career Resources” button

Practical Training

Curricular Practical Training

CPT is authorized for one (1) semester at a time and students must apply for CPT no later than two (2) weeks prior to the session in which they intend to participate. Students must reapply for each semester for which they wish to attend. A student's education is a priority, therefore, if a student fails a course(s) or does not meet Satisfactory Academic Progress may not be allowed to continue with future CPT.

For more information about eligibility for CPT please contact the DSO.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is defined as employment which is an integral part of an established curriculum, including: "alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education or any other type of required internship or practicum which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school" Source: [CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i)]. CPT is available only before a degree program is completed, and a student must have a job offer at the time of application. CPT employment may not delay completion of the academic program. CPT is a work authorization (paid or non-paid) for employment that is either required by a student’s curriculum or for a credit-bearing course. Students are reminded that CPT authorizations are approved for practical training opportunities directly aligned with the student’s major field of study. CPT is not used for sustaining employment in the United States, and those who abuse CPT opportunities face serious consequences, including loss of F-1 visa status.

CPT is authorized for one (1) semester at a time, and students must apply for CPT no later than two (2) weeks prior to the session in which they intend to participate. Students must reapply each semester they wish to attend. A student's education is a priority; therefore, if a student fails a course or does not meet Satisfactory Academic Progress, they may not be allowed to continue with future CPT.

Full-Time versus Part-Time CPT

CPT may be granted on either a full-time or part-time basis. Immigration law defines part-time as 20 or fewer hours per week, while full-time is defined as 21 or more hours per week. If a student qualifies for CPT, they may use up to 12 months of full-time CPT. However, a student should be aware that if they work full-time for more than 12 months under CPT, they may be disqualified for OPT. There have been instances in which USCIS has denied OPT even when a student has not completed more than 12 months of CPT. Part-time CPT will not affect OPT eligibility.

For more information about eligibility for CPT, please contact the DSO.

Optional Practical Training

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a 12-month work authorization available to F-1 students seeking employment opportunities in their fields of study. This training opportunity gives students practical experience in their field of study. This work authorization allows students to work off-campus and can be extended during or after completing their program: i.e., Pre- or Post-Completion OPT.

Pre-Completion OPT: A portion of OPT used before a student completes their program of study. Pre-Completion OPT may be part-time or full-time.

Post-Completion OPT: Must be at least 20 hours per week or full-time. Post-Completion OPT is recommended after a student completes their program of study.

F-1 students at United States University must be in full-time status for at least one academic year to be eligible for OPT. Students must be seeking employment in the major field of study listed on their current Form I-20 and be completing their program of study at United States University. F-1 students must be physically present in the United States at the time of application to USCIS and not have used more than 1 year of full-time CPT during their current degree level (part-time does not count). Because OPT is based on your completion date, you do not have to be employed at the time of application.

A DSO only recommends OPT in SEVIS; it is the student's responsibility to apply for the work permit with USCIS. Only if the OPT is approved by USCIS can a student begin work after receiving their Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Detailed information and instructions can be found in the USU OPT application.

Students on OPT must continue to report any changes to name or address, or interruption of such employment during approved OPT, within 10 days of the change to their DSO, including DHS. A DSO may be required to update the student's SEVIS record to reflect the reported changes for the duration of the authorized training.

NOTE: Currently, USU's MBA and DBA programs do not qualify for a 24-month STEP OPT extension.

SEVP Student Portal

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Portal is an important tool that lets students on post-completion OPT meet their legal reporting obligations. Students are responsible for reporting any changes to their address, phone number, and employment information.

Student may be able to (1) update their physical home address, (2) update their mailing addresses, (3) update their telephone number, (4) update employer's information, (5) monitor their employment authorization, and (6) reset their own password, if they have forgotten their password or been locked out of their portal account because of multiple attempts.

A DSO cannot access the portal, however, we may still be able to assist a student with the following: (1) request that the initial portal account creation email be re-sent, (2) unlock a student's portal account, (3) change the student's email which the portal uses for account management, (4) update the student's address, phone number, and employment information, (5) access a downloadable report to see what data was changed by students using the portal, (6) identify the students with portal accounts, and (7) reset passwords.

Employment

On and Off-Campus Employment

USU currently does not offer on-campus employment opportunities. However, off-campus employment may be available to students who have severe economic hardship, as defined by USCIS, on a part-time basis. A student must have been enrolled under an F-1 status for one (1) full academic year and in good academic standing before a DSO can recommend the off-campus employment.

An eligible F-1 student may request off-campus employment work authorization based on the severe economic hardship caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond the student's control. Examples of such circumstances include substantial fluctuations in currency or exchange rates, inordinate increases in tuition and/or living expenses, unexpected changes in the financial condition of the student's source of support, medical bills, or other substantial and unexpected expenses.

Students will be required to demonstrate that employment is necessary to avoid severe economic hardship due to unforeseen circumstances beyond their control. The applicant will also need to submit the economic hardship application for employment authorization (Form I-765) with the required fee and any other supporting documentation.

United States University does not guarantee employment post-graduation. However, Career Services provides numerous resources, employment opportunities, and recruiter connections, as well as rotating virtual workshops, to all students and alumni for free. You are encouraged to connect with Career Services and use the available resources throughout your program to ensure you feel confident and prepared for the next steps post-graduation.