J-1 ON-CAMPUS EMPLOYMENT

You must obtain authorization from ISPO for:

• Any on-campus paid positions, such as assistantships (TA, GSR) and fellowships, and other paid positions not related to your course of study.
• Any on-campus unpaid internships.

You do not need any authorization for:

• Volunteering positions, defined as donating time with an organization whose primary purpose is charitable or humanitarian in nature, without remuneration or any other type of compensation.

You must meet all of these conditions to be eligible:

• You are in good academic standing.
• You continue to engage in a full course of study, except for official school breaks and the student's annual vacation.
  • Note that employment extending past the program end date of your current DS-2019 cannot be considered on-campus employment and requires post-completion Academic Training (AT) employment authorization.
• Your on-campus employment is limited to maximum of 20 hours per week (or 50% time) while school is in session. It can be full-time during official school breaks and the student's annual vacation.
• You have received authorization from ISPO for the specific employment in advance and in writing. 

On-campus Assistantships or Fellowships:

• If your employment is pursuant to the terms of a scholarship, fellowship or assistantship, you are required to obtain prior work authorization from ISPO. Please follow the application guidelines outlined below.

J-1 students who are offered on-campus employment must request authorization from ISPO. Our processing time is five business days from the receipt of your request. Authorization cannot be given retroactively, so plan accordingly and submit your request at least 5 business days prior to beginning employment.

How to Request: 

• Log in to  iportal.ucsd.edu .
• Go to "Services" tab.
• Select "J-1 On Campus Employment Authorization Request".
• Fill out your request.
• Choose your "Document Delivery Preference".
• Upload a PDF copy of your Job Offer Letter from your on-campus employer.
• "Submit" your request.

• Your On-Campus Employment Authorization letter will be issued within 5 business days.
  • If you also need to get an Social Security Number (SSN), an SSA Application Support Letter will be prepared as a part of this request.
• You can check the status of your request anytime by logging in to iPortal and clicking on "My Requests" tab. 
• A notification email will be sent to you when your document is ready.

• Authorization can be given for up to 12 months at a time maximum, but only for the specified dates on your job offer letter.
• If you need to extend beyond the end date of your current authorization, then submit a new On Campus Employment Authorization Request on iPortal at least 5 business days before your current authorization letter expires.
• Before your current on-campus work authorization expires, allow yourself enough time to:
  • Obtain an updated job offer letter from your employer.
  • Obtain updated On-Campus Employment Authorization through iPortal.
• On-campus work authorization cannot be backdated, and starting employment without receiving appropriate authorization could have a negative impact on your J-1 status.

• If you got an eligible paid on-campus job, and do not have a Social Security Number (SSN), then you will need to apply for one. See our Social Security Number page for more information on how to get an SSN.
• Contact ISPO if you have more questions about campus employment.
• See our Employment and Career Resources page for a list of employment resources available to our international students.