Student Employment

The International Education Office offers a variety of support services for students and scholars. If you need assistance at anytime, please contact the International Education Office at 480-461-7756 or email at ie@mcmail.maricopa.edu.

On-Campus Employment Guidelines for F-1 Students

Eligibility

If your I-20 was issued by MCC and you are currently maintaining your F-1 status, you are eligible to work part-time (20 hours per week or less) during semesters, and full-time (20 hours per week or more) when school is not in session or during the annual vacation only on the MCC campus.
Contact the Academic offices/departments and ask if they have “TAX-BUDGET JOBS” available.  You do not qualify for “Work Study.” The list is to provide you with the potential employment locations on campus.   Note that personal visits seem to work more effectively than a phone inquiry.

Ask the following questions:

• Type of work and qualifications needed
• Work hours
• Application process
• Fill out an application form if any.
• Ask if any additional information is required.
• Apply for a Social Security Number if you do not have one yet.

You must have an on-campus job secured in order to apply for a Social Security Number.

• Bring your I-20 and passport to International Education Office.
• Pick up a letter of On-Campus Employment Verification; ask the supervisor of your employment location to sign it, and bring it back to IE.
• Visit the Social Security Administration Office with the following documents:
  • Two forms of photo ID such as your driver’s license and passport
  • The letter from International Education
  • The letter from your employment location
  • Off-Campus Employment Guidelines: Optional Practical Training (OPT)

All F-1 students are eligible for 12 months of OPT if you have maintained lawful status.

This is an opportunity granted to eligible applicants by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for work experience in the U.S. in the field you are studying. You must apply for OPT before completing your course of study. You can apply up to 90 days before program completion. You CANNOT travel outside the U.S. until you have been approved for employment authorization by the USCIS. The new rules also maintain that all OPT must be completed with 14 months following completion of program of study. For example, if you graduate on May 15, 2011 the last day you can indicate on your application for OPT is July 15, 2011 if you want 12 months (1 year) of employment, but you can begin sooner (right after graduation, if you'd like). Click here to read the USCIS information regarding the Application for Employment Authorization.

You must submit the following documents along with the "Optional Practical Training I-20 Request Form" for OPT at least 90 days before your program completion date:

• I-20(s) issued to you since you arrived in the U.S.
• Copy of your current passport-it must be valid for at least six (6) months in the future.
• Copy of your current I-94 card-if you have more than one I-94 card, please copy or bring the I-94 card issued on your last entry to the U.S.
• Complete the I-765 form - please fill out but do not sign until the OPT I-20 is issued.
• Two (2) passport photos taken within 60 days before request date.
• Copy of prior work permit card, if any.
• $380 fee payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-personal check preferred.

International Student Career Work Experience (ISCWE)

MCC has a special program to allow F-1 students to work on campus in various departments and IE will pay them for their work. Through our program, in order to maximize the number of students that we have in our program, we will pay for up to 15 hours of work during the fall and spring semesters, and 35 hours of work during the breaks. If you would like to apply for our program, then please visit the International Education Department in Building NU6 and fill out an application. All applicants must have completed one semester at MCC, and have a GPA of 3.0.