International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)

On-Campus Employment

SIUE offers a variety of on-campus employment opportunities for students. Students must interview for such positions in person after arrival. Students have to be enrolled in classes and financially cleared (current on their SIUE bill) in order to apply for on-campus employment.

Government regulations and University policy limit F-1 and J-1 student employment to 20 hours per week in an on-campus position while classes are in session and up to 28 hours per week during breaks. SIUE non-degree students (exchange, visiting, etc.) are not permitted to work on-campus. International students are not eligible to work in full-time permanent positions on campus.

Types of Employment:

• Student work position: Examples: dining services, building services, library, laboratories, residential buildings, administrative offices, or doing research on-campus 
• SIUE graduate assistantships.  
  • Eligibility - Information on eligibility and enrollment requirements 
  • Contract Duration and Responsibilities - Contract length requirements and GA responsibilities 
  • Workload - Work hours required and limitations on total number of hours worked 
  • Categories of Assistantships - Definitions of types of assistantships 
  • International Graduate Assistants- Important information for international students that work as a graduate assistant 

Work Hours 

• New and continuing students may work up to 20 hours/week, inclusive of all employment, while school is in session and up to 28 hours/week during official school breaks as long as they are planning to enroll full-time the next academic term. 
  • Example: While school is in session a student working 10 hours per week as a student worker can only work an additional 10 hours per week in another on campus job. 
• Continuing students may work on campus up to 28 hours/week on campus beginning after the final exam period up until the next semester start date.  
• Students who transfer to SIUE from another in-country SEVP institution, can begin working when SIUE has possession of your SEVIS record. 

Enrollment Requirements 

Student worker policy:  

•  Fall/Spring full-time enrollment 
  • 12 credit hours undergraduate 
  •  9 credit hours graduate, 6 credit hours graduate assistants  
    

• Summer: The student must be either: 1) enrolled in and maintain at minimum half-time status: 3 credit hours for undergraduates and 2 credit hours for graduate/professional; 2) maintained in the prior spring term a minimum of half-time status; or 3) enrolled for the upcoming fall term at a minimum of half-time status. 

 Graduate Assistants:  

• Fall/Spring 
  •  6 credit hours 
• Summer 
  •  3 credit hours 

 Final semester Employment 

Graduating students who are enrolled in their final term are allowed to work until the official last day of university finals. 
If you will be underenrolled, you must complete the following to maintain your employment in your final semester:  

• enroll in final term course(s) 
• apply online for graduation on CougarNet for the semester you are in final courses 
• submit a Reduced Course Load Form. Graduate students must also complete the Graduate School Underload/Overload Approval Form 

J-1 students may not begin a job without written permission from their international advisor.

Find more information about on-campus employment (including wage information) on the Student Employment website.