You can work after your first quarter at Highline if you meet these requirements:

1. Your GPA must be 2.5 or higher
2. You must be in status with a valid Highline I-20
3. You must have completed all required orientation workshops
   • International students who began their Highline program in Winter 2017 or earlier are required to have earned credit in College Survival (SSER 100), First Step Program, or equivalent.
   • International students who began their Highline program in Spring 2017 or later must have completed all required Orientation Workshops.
4. You must be enrolled in 6 or more credits during any quarter in which you plan to work. You are permitted to work during summer quarter if you are enrolled in 6 or more credits for the following fall quarter.

Many on-campus job opportunities are advertised through the Highline College Thunder Bulletin; please check there for current openings. International students are elgible for any on-campus job that is listed as “general fund.“

Many campus departments also list information about open jobs on their websites. If there is a department or office you are interested in working or, just ask them if they’re hiring!

Each department has their own job application and their own interview/hiring process.

1. Ask your supervisor to create an offer letter for you.  They can download a sample employer letter to use as a template. This letter must be printed on paper and signed by the supervisor in ink.
2. Provide the letter to the ISP office, either by bringing it to the ISP Front desk or by emailing an electronic copy of it to int@highline.edu.
3. Go to the ISP Forms page and click on the “SEVIS Page Request Form” to request a Social Security letter and other supporting documents. If you meet the eligibility requirements for on-campus employment, an ISP advisor will prepare your letter, typically within 3 business days. This letter also will be printed and signed in ink, and you will be contacted when it is ready to pick up in our office.
4. Follow the instructions in the Get a Social Security Card section to get a Social Security Card.
5. While you are waiting to receive your Social Security card in the mail, you should start preparing your New Hire Paperwork. This includes: New Hire Packet, COVID-19 Education Course and Quiz, New Student Employee Orientation (NSEO) and FERPA training. Be sure to print out or save the confirmation page with your scores. Contact Career and Transfer Services if you have questions about these materials.
6. Once you have received your Social Security Card, send the New Hire Packet, your NSEO & FERPA Score Confirmation page, class schedule, and job description to case@highline.edu. In the body of your email, please request to schedule an appointment for the I-9 and documentation process. Staff will reply within 2 business days to schedule that appointment.
7. Bring the following items with you to your appointment:
   • Social Security Card
   • Completed New Hire Paperwork
   • I-94, Arrival/Departure Record
   • Passport
   • Confirmation scores of NSEO and FERPA Training
   • Class schedule
   • Job description
   • Any other items required by Career and Transfer Services.
8. Submit your Social Security Number to Highline College Student Records. This must be done in order to begin work and get paid.
9. Contact your supervisor to set up your work schedule.

Important: Student employees cannot begin work until their ctcLink account shows the “HCM” tab. This can take up to 5 business days after Career and Transfer Services has received all of your paperwork. Contact case@highline.edu if you have any questions.

F-1 students who have authorization to work in the United States may apply for a Social Security Number (SSN). A Social Security Number is required in order to get paid. F-1 students may NOT apply for an SSN unless they have authorization to work.

Follow these instructions to get a Social Security Card:

1. Get a job on campus. You cannot get a social security number until you have been offered a job.
2. Follow the instructions in the What do I do after I get hired? section to request a Social Security Support Letter from ISP.
3. Prepare the following original documents: 
   1. Completed Social Security Application form (typed is preferred)
   2. Employer Letter (must be signed by supervisor)
   3. Social Security Support Letter from the ISP Office
   4. SEVIS page printout (issued by ISP staff)
   5. I-94, Arrival/Departure Record
   6. I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status
   7. Passport
4. Look up your closest Social Security Administration (SSA) Office and visit during their open hours. We recommend arriving at least one hour before closing time, and be prepared to wait! Bring all of the documents listed above with you.   

Please note: Students who work and get paid in the US, including any on-campus employment, must file taxes by April 15 each year. Please see the File U.S. taxes section for further instructions.

International students must file taxes with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) every year, whether they earn money or not.

The tax year is the calendar year from January 1 to December 31. The deadline for each tax year is always April 15 of the following year.

It is very important to file the forms each year. If you apply for benefits later, such as permanent residency, the government may ask for proof that you filed your taxes.

For detailed information about Filing Requirements and Resources, please visit the Tuition & Taxes section of our Online Advisor.

F-1 students are NOT permitted to work off campus, with the following exceptions:

Optional Practical Training (OPT): Students may receive permission from the US Government to work for up to one year, anywhere in the US, in a field related to your major, upon completing a level of education (such as an Associate’s degree). Students should apply for the OPT benefit during their final quarter of study or within their 60-day grace period. For more information, see the Optional Practical Training (OPT) section.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT): Students whose academic program requires an internship or other off-campus work activity may be eligible for off-campus employment for academic credit. This must be authorized by ISP and the student’s faculty advisor. For more information, see the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) section.

Economic Hardship: Students who are experiencing severe economic hardship may be eligible to obtain a special work authorization from the US government. If you have a severe and unexpected economic hardship situation and would like to pursue this, please schedule an appointment with an ISP advisor.

Students who work illegally are considered out of status. Their I-20s are terminated and they risk deportation. Furthermore, students who lose their F-1 status for illegal employment are ineligible for reinstatement of student status within the United States.

Optional Practical Training is a U.S. government benefit for international students holding F-1 status. The benefit is available to students who have maintained F-1 immigration status for the past three quarters (9 months) and have completed an education level (such as a one-year certificate, an Associate’s degree, or a Bachelor’s degree). A student is eligible for a maximum of 12 months of full-time OPT per academic level. (Upon completing a Bachelor’s degree, students in STEM fields may be eligible for an extension.)

To learn more about OPT, attend our OPT Information Session or review the presentation materials on your own. Follow the checklist when you are ready to apply.

OPT application process:

1. Apply to graduate. See Graduation for instructions.
2. Fill out ISP’s OPT I-20 Request Form.
3. Schedule an I-765 Review Meeting with an ISP advisor during the application period (see presentation materials). If your meeting will be in Zoom, be prepared to screenshare. If your meeting will be in-person, bring a laptop.
4. Prepare your OPT application materials (see checklist). Create a USCIS.gov account and begin responding to the questions, but do not submit.
5. Attend your I-765 Review Meeting. We’ll issue a new I-20 with the OPT endorsement. Regardless of your appointment type, this document will be provided to you electronically via email, soon after the appointment.
6. File the application online within 30 days of the I-20 issuance date. (IMPORTANT: Do not submit your application without including your OPT I-20, or your application will be denied.)
7. Start looking for jobs.
8. Check your final quarter grades. If you have not successfully completed your degree, you will be required to complete the remaining credits as soon as possible while working part-time on OPT. For more information, contact an ISP advisor.
9. Receive your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and begin working (on or after the start date printed on the EAD). If you requested a Social Security Card, you will receive it in a separate envelope within 2 weeks after getting the EAD.
10. You must report all job changes and changes to your personal information to the online SEVP Portal within 10 days of the change. Please see the section below, SEVP Portal, for more information on accessing the SEVP Portal.  You must also report any address changes to ISP using the Change of Address Form on the ISP Forms page.

Need more information? Please review the materials above first. If you still have questions, pleas contact an ISP advisor.

Required SEVP Web Portal for OPT Participants

All students approved for OPT are required to report their personal address and employer information on the SEVP Portal.  The process is as follows:

1. You will receive an email on your OPT start date prompting you to activate your SEVP Portal account. This email will be sent from Do-Not-Reply.SEVP@ice.dhs.gov with the subject line “Optional Practical Training Approval.” The email will be sent to the email address that SEVIS has on file for you.  Please check your junk/spam folder if you don’t see it.
2. After you receive the email, please create your SEVP Portal account immediately. The link is unique to you and it will only be available for 14 days.
3. Log in to the SEVP Portal to check that the information there is accurate. Make any changes that may be needed.
4. You must log into the portal every 90 days or your account will be locked. Furthermore, you must change your password at least every 90 days.

You are responsible for reporting any changes to your employer and/or your contact information within 10 days of the change. Failure to report changes in a timely manner is a violation of F-1 status. ISP has discontinued the use of our OPT reporting form soon, so the only way to report these changes is through the Portal. However, please continue to use ISP forms for ISP services, including transferring your SEVIS record after OPT.

Please note, students will ONLY receive emails from the do-not-reply account listed above, and there will NEVER be any costs associated with the SEVP Portal. Please forward any suspicious emails to ISP (especially if they came from a different email address).

View SEVP Portal for additional information and detailed step-by-step instructions.

If you have any questions about the portal or if you need any technical support, call the SEVP Response Center at (703) 603-3400.

CPT is approval from the U.S. government to participate in employment in an internship or temporary job which counts for credit toward your major or completion of a certificate or degree. It can be part time or full time; paid or unpaid. You must be registered in a course at Highline College that will give you academic credit for this internship.

In order to do CPT, students must first complete three quarters in their program at Highline and attend one of the quarterly internship workshops. Business and Hospitality students must also complete HOST/BUSN 139.

CPT Application Process

1. Student works with faculty advisor to find employment/internship. It must count towards credit in a Cooperative Education course (usually numbered 140, 240, 480, or 490) or another course (such as independent study) which is directly related to their area of study.
2. Student receives letter of employment from employer. The letter must be typed on company letterhead and contain the following information:
   1. Employer/company/org. name
   2. Employer/site full address
   3. Description of work duties/responsibilities
   4. Specific start date (no earlier than first day of term enrolled for the credits)
   5. Specific end date
   6. Number of hours per week
3. Student completes the CPT request form, available on the ISP Forms Page.  Student will upload the letter of employment as part of the submission process.
4. ISP advisor approves or denies request. If approved, student receives updated I-20, showing CPT authorization, and may begin working on the approved start date noted on the new I-20.

You may not begin working until you have completed all paperwork and received a new I-20 showing CPT approval.

Please note: CPT is a privilege which is not available to every F1 international student. If your major does not have a Cooperative Education course, or your faculty advisor does not feel that an internship will contribute toward your degree, you may not be able to receive approval to engage in an internship off-campus.