INTERNATIONAL
STUDENT
EMPLOYMENT AND
INTERNSHIP
WORKSHOP
On-Campus Employment
• Cannot be a “Federal Work Study” position
• DSO/ARO must authorize employment
• Eligibility
• Must be in good academic standing
• Total employment is no more than 20 hours per week
• Cannot begin under 30 days start date on I-20/DS-2019
On-Campus Employment
• Where to find
employment???
• Nadine Garrett,
Student Employment
Manager
• Sign up on
CareerConnect and
research job
openings
Finding Internships
• Meet with Academic Advisor
• Meet with an Advisor in the Academic and Career
Advising Center and/or research their website.
• Advisor can help with researching options
• Local Employers Showcase
• Sign up on CareerConnect
• Internship and on-campus work opportunities will be
listed on this website
What is CPT?
• CPT or Curricular Practical Training is an off-campus
employment option for F-1 students. This can be for
paid, and in some cases, unpaid internships.
• The internship (training experience) must be
considered an integral part of the curriculum and
directly related to the student’s major area of study.
• For Example, An OFF-CAMPUS internship being
used to satisfy general education goal 15
(Internship, Field Exp. or Directed Research)
qualifies as CPT!
CPT Eligibility
To be eligible for CPT, you must:
1. Have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis
for at least one full academic year
2. Have a declared major
3. Have a job/internship offer directly related to
your major area of study
4. Have the internship approved by your internship
advisor.
5. Return a completed CPT Authorization Form to
the Office of International Affairs with Offer Letter
from Employer
Your Offer Letter for CPT
The employer must provide you with a written offer of
employment on official letterhead. The
following information must be included in the letter:
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Employer name
Employer address – and location where student will
work
Employment start and end dates
Number of hours you are expected to work per week
(full-time or part-time employment)
Position title
Position description
Name of immediate supervisor (if known)
Changes to CPT
 CPT is approved for a specific employer, place of
employment and time period.
 You may not change employers or extend
training employment dates without prior
consultation with the Office of International
Affairs.
 You must submit a new, completed CPT
Authorization Form and offer letter to request any
change to your CPT permission before you switch
employers.
OPT (Optional Practical Training)
What is OPT?
• Optional Practical Training (OPT) is an
employment option available to F-1 students
for employment directly related to the
major area of study.
• 12-month period of OPT per higher degree level
• 17-month STEM Extension OPT may be possible
for some students.
• Post-Completion OPT is used after degree
completion.
Am I eligible to apply for OPT?
To be eligible for Standard OPT you must:
• HAVE maintained legal F-1 status and be within 90
days of your expected program end date.
• NOT have used full-time CPT for 12 months or
more.
Standard OPT Hours & Limitations
• Employment must be directly related to your academic major
and be commensurate with your educational level (not
clerical work)
• Standard OPT time per degree level is 12 months
• Post-Completion OPT
• used after degree program completion
• start date must fall within 60 days of program completion (this is
not the same date as the graduation ceremony if you are
completing in December)
• Unemployment limit of 90 days in the aggregate
starting from OPT start date!
Unemployment Restriction
• For Standard Post-Completion OPT: the
employment does NOT have to be paid
employment as long as there is no violation of
labor laws, but must be at least 20 hours a
week.
• interning or volunteering in a position directly related to
the academic field for 20 hours per week will meet
eligibility requirements.
EAD CARD
What does this mean? This means that you can not
use just the card for re entering the US – you must also have a
valid I-20 form, EAD card and a letter from an employer.
OPT and Travel
• RECOMMENDED Travel
• Before the expiration of your I-20 with I20 travel signature
• With EAD, signed I-20 for travel, valid
visa, passport, letter from employer
stating you will still be employed upon
return.
• Travel NOT RECOMMENDED
• The period after your I-20 has expired
and before you receive the approved
EAD.
• If your F-1 visa has expired and you will
need to apply for a new one.
• While STEM Extension is pending.
CPT vs. OPT
STEM Extension OPT Eligibility
• Completed a Bachelor’s, or Master’s in a STEM
field.
• Science Technology Engineering Mathematics
• You can find a listing of STEM majors at
http://www.ice.gov/sevis/stemlist.htm
• Currently engaged in the Standard PostCompletion OPT
• Have a job or job offer from an E-Verify
Employer
• An employer currently registered and in good standing
with the USCIS E-Verify Program
• There is no public listing of E-Verify Employers
STEM Extension OPT: Hours and Limitations
• For the 17-month STEM extension, employment
must be traditional paid employment.
• Students granted a 17-month OPT extension may
not accrue an aggregate of more than 120 days of
unemployment during the total 29-month OPT
period.
• The employment authorization period for the 17month OPT extension begins on the day after the
expiration of the initial post-completion OPT
employment authorization, and ends 17 months
later, regardless of the date the actual extension is
approved.
Applying for STEM Extension
• Application process is the same as the
Standard Post-Completion OPT with some
additions.
• Official transcript or copy of diploma
• Employer’s name as listed in E-Verify and valid E-Verify
identification number.
• Letter of Employment
• Apply within 90 to 120 days prior to the
Standard OPT expiration date.
While on OPT
(Standard and STEM Extension)
While you are on OPT you are still considered an F-1
student sponsored by Longwood University.
Therefore you must:
• Notify the Office of International Affairs of any
address change via email
(swansonhr@longwood.edu)
• Have your I-20 signed for travel by our office
• Report employment information (name, address,
interruption of employment) and changes to
employment to the Office of International Affairs
within 7 days of a change.
• Be unemployed for no more than 90 days and
maintain good status.
Job Search for International Students
• The basic components of the job search include:
• Employer research/exploring resources
• Informational interviewing/networking
• Cover letters, resumes, and other correspondences
• Interviewing
• Understand the application process for positions to
which you are applying.
• Network with friends, families, professors, neighbors,
and alumni who have gained employment successfully
to learn how they conducted their searches.
• Conduct informational interviews with individuals in the
field(s) you are considering.
Resume Differences
U.S. Resume
International Resume
Concise, attractive marketing tool summarizes jobs, skills,
accomplishments, and academic
background relevant to employment
objective
Chronologically details academic and
formal work experience
One-to-two pages maximum
Chronologically details academic and
formal work experience
Does not include age, marital status,
race, or religion.
Chronologically details academic and
formal work experience
May or may not include completion of
military service, depending upon
whether it is relevant or makes the
person a stronger candidate
Chronologically details academic and
formal work experience
Resume Tips
• A well-prepared resume and cover letter is
an essential component to getting an
interview.
• Do not list English as a language skill on a
resume written in English for an English
speaking country.
• Do not include personal information such
as age, marital status, race, or religion.
• Avoid listing an international permanent
address, especially if an employer cannot
reach you at that address.
Resume Tips
• Provide employers a frame of reference when
referring to foreign companies and schools.
• For example, “One of the top five universities in the United
Kingdom.”
• Make sure the resume is free from grammatical and
spelling errors, as well as awkward use of language.
• Maintain up-to-date copies of the resume in the
format and language of native countries to serve as
back-up for employment in home countries or to pass
on to contacts.
Interviewing for International Students
U.S. Interview
Be punctual. Arrive five to fifteen minutes
prior to appointment.
International Interview
Personal relationships may be more important
than time. Being late may not be a problem.
Eye contact is expected and shows
confidence.
Eye contact, especially with persons of higher
status, may be disrespectful.
Interviewer styles vary. May begin with
direct questions or minimal small talk.
Interviewers commonly start with small talk and
look for information regarding character or
personality.
Interviewer may do most of the talking or
may expect the candidate to do most of the
talking.
Interviewer may talk for the majority of the
interview.
Questions regarding age, race, sexual
orientation, disabilities, national origin and
marital status are illegal.
Age, race, sex, or marital status may be issues
in the interview. Males may be expected to
dominate interactions with females. Younger
people may be expected to show deference to
older people.
Interviewing for International Students
U.S. Interview
Show clear self-knowledge, career goals,
and long-term plans. NOTE: It may be
important to be flexible, however, to obtain
employment initially.
Interviewer may expect immediate
competence and look at each new employee
for a two-to-five-year commitment.
Self-disclosure of strengths, weaknesses,
personality, leadership style, problem solving
abilities, etc. may be appropriate.
Researching the organization and
demonstrating that knowledge during the
interview is expected and shows initiative
and interest.
Interviewing Tips
• After the interview, you should send employers a thank you letter.
This type of correspondence is expected and is not over-zealous.
• You can enhance your communication skills by:
• Talking and speaking up in class
• Making friends and talking with Americans
• Attending workshops at the Academic Advising and Career
Center
• Watching television
• Reading newspapers and academic publications
• Study commonly asked interview questions, write answers to
those questions, and practice your responses in front of a mirror
as well as with friends.
Benefits of Hiring an International Student
• Diverse cultural background and the ability to speak more
languages are especially appealing to companies that are
planning to globalize their business.
• Living and studying abroad enables international students
to demonstrate a number of skills such as tenacity,
responsible risk taking, decision-making, and
resourcefulness.
• Be able to communicate how you have overcome some of
the challenges you faced, as these types of skills can be
directly linked to the skills desired for the position you are
seeking.
When to Discuss Visa Status
with an Employer
• Often an employer will ask verbally or on an application if
you are eligible to work in the U.S. If the employer
requests the information, you should inform them of your
visa status. For Example, “My visa allows 12 months of
work.”
• If they do not ask you, and you are seeking long-term
employment, you should bring it up before an offer of
employment is made. Be sure the employer is aware so
that they can make a decision about whether or not to
sponsor your visa petition.
Congrats! You Have an Offer! Now What??
• Social Security
Administration (SSA)
• You must have a Social
Security Number (SSN)
BEFORE you can start
working.
• To receive your SSN,
you must have a written
copy of the job offer, an
approval letter from your
DSO/ARO and all of your
immigration documents
(Passport, I-20/DS-2019,
I-94, Visa)
Congrats! You Have an Offer! Now
What??
• What if I need to drive to work?
Can I get a Driver’s License?
• Yes! You can get a Virginia
Driver’s License.
• Handouts on how this process
works are available in the Office of
International Affairs and online at
http://www.longwood.edu/internati
onalaffairs/39406.htm
Graduate School- Visa Information
• Starting a new degree
program in the USA is
easier than you think!
• If you are accepted a
graduate school, you must
provide your DSO at the
transfer-out school:
• Proof of your acceptance
• The contact information of
the DSO at the transfer-in
school
• SEVIS school code
• Once you do this, your visa
record can be transferred.
Timeline- Graduate School
• Start researching early! Junior year is best.
• Find out what graduate program you are
interested in.
• Research universities that have your program.
• Look into the about the application process,
deadlines, costs, housing options, assistantship
opportunities, admission criteria, rankings etc. for
each school
• Narrow down your choices to about 4-6 schools
you want to apply to.
• You should apply to some “reach” schools, but some
that you also have a good chance at being admitted
to.
Timeline-Graduate School
• Choose the schools you
want to apply to about
1 year in advance.
Then begin working
on:
• Test Prep (GRE,
GMAT, etc)
• Updating your CV or
resume
• Creating a Personal
Statement
• Find good references
Need Further Assistance?
Personal one-on-one consultation is
available from:
• Office of International Affairs
• International Student Advisor – Hunter Swanson
• swansonhr@longwood.edu or x2627
• Academic and Career Advising Center
• career@longwood.edu or x2063