On-Campus Employment
On-campus employment is defined as employment (1) located on the University premises or (2) at an off-campus location which is educationally affiliated with the school. J-1 students with a UMCP DS-2019 may accept employment on the College Park campus after receiving approval from IES, provided that the student is enrolled in a full course of study. On-campus employment is limited to 20 hours per week during the semester and 40 hours during vacation breaks.
On-campus employment primarily refers to positions paid by UMCP. Unless the on-campus employment is funded by an assistantship, fellowship or scholarship, you must receive written authorization from IES before beginning work. Employment with outside organizations which are physically located on this campus may be considered on-campus employment only if they provide direct services to students (such as the bookstore or dining services). Employment with an outside contractor which does not provide services to students is considered off-campus employment (such as a construction company building a new structure on campus).
Bring in the following documents to receive authorization:
- Job offer letter
- Specific start and end dates
- Number of hours per week
- Address of the workplace
- Amount of compensation
- Job description
- The name of your supervisor
- J-1 Student Employment Approval
Exchange students must receive permission from their academic advisor before working on campus.
To determine whether an off-campus location is educationally affiliated with the institution, USCIS looks to see whether the affiliation is associated with the University's established curriculum or related to contractually funded research projects at the post-graduate level. In this case, the employment must be directly related to the student's educational program. Students interested in this employment will need clearance from IES to establish and document the contractual relationship between the employer and the University. Contact IES for more information.