Employment
Social Security, Taxes, and General Information
International students may encounter various requirements related to identification, employment, and taxes while studying in the U.S. It’s important to stay informed about these processes to ensure a smooth experience.
Support and resources are available to help you navigate these responsibilities with confidence.
Social Security
A Social Security Number (SSN) is needed to accurately record your earnings in the United States. Most employees are required to pay a certain percentage of their earnings to the Social Security System through the Federal Insurance Compensation Act (FICA tax). (Some F-1 and J-1 employees are exempt from the FICA tax.)
You must have an SSN in order to work in the United States. However, having a Social Security Number/Card does NOT give you authorization to work off-campus.
You only need to apply for an SSN if:
- you are applying for permission for on-campus employment, OR
- you are working with F-1/J-1 Practical Training (OPT, CPT, AT) authorization
SSNs are NOT legally needed for:
- class registration,
- opening a bank account or cashing a check,
- applying for a driver’s license, or
- renting an apartment.
NOTE: some apartment owners may require an SSN at their discretion as part of their housing application, even if it is not legally required.
Step 1 – Get a Job
The Social Security Administration requires that all F-1 and J-1 students must show proof of employment before they can be issued a Social Security Number. You must be starting an on-campus job, or an CPT/OPT/AT related job, in the near future.
Step 2 – Obtain a letter from International Programs to take to Social Security Administration (SSA) office (for on-campus job)
Go to iValpo and submit the “Social Security Number (SSN) Letter Request” e-form (under the F-1 Student Services tab) to request a SSN letter from International Programs.
Once you submit this e-form, your employer/supervisor will receive a link to verify your employment, and you can expect the letter to be ready for pickup within 3 business days of when your supervisor completes this verification.
NOTE: if you are on CPT or OPT, you do not need the letter from International Programs; your job offer letter will be enough.
Step 3 – Start the application & go to the SSA office
Start your application online by going to ssa.gov/number-card. Once you complete the online portion, you will need to go into the Valparaiso city Social Security Administration office to show your documents & complete the application. Please take the letter issued to you by the International Programs office (or your job offer letter if you are on CPT or OPT), your I-20 or DS-2019, Passport, and I-94 card to the office. The Valpo branch is located at:
3810 Calumet Ave.
Valparaiso, IN 46383
Phone Number – 888.472.6120
Hours: 9AM-4PM, Mon-Fri (try not to arrive later than 3PM so that your appointment can be completed before closing time)
Step 4 – Your Card
It takes approximately two weeks to process the card. Once you receive your card, you are responsible for completing your Valpo Human Resources paperwork online (the HR office will send you an email with a link to complete it).
If you are on CPT/OPT, you are responsible for filling out any paperwork required by your employer.
For more information on Social Security Administration, click here.
Taxes
The following information is a brief summary of the U.S. tax requirements for international students. Please remember that many exceptions apply depending on particular tax treaties between the U.S. and other countries.
Important: All F and J visa status holders (F-1, F-2, J-1, and J-2 including spouse and children) are required by U.S. law to file an annual income tax statement with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), even if they have not earned any income in the U.S. or are not required to pay any taxes. The tax year is from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, but the filing deadline is April 15 of the subsequent year. For example, the 2016 tax return is due April 15, 2017. International Programs facilitates tax workshops around this time that will help you understand and fill out the necessary forms.
If you have income from a U.S. source (including on- or off-campus employment, assistantships, fellowships, and/or scholarships), you must file a tax return by April 15.
If you are employed in the U.S., your employer is required to withhold (deduct) taxes from your paycheck, unless you are exempt from income tax because of a tax treaty the U.S. has signed with your home country. If you are in F-1 or J-1 status, however, you may be exempt from Social Security taxes (FICA). Each January, you employer(s) will send you (or our office) a tax statement (Form W-2), which is an official report of your income earned and taxes withheld. You will be required to submit a copy of this form to the IRS with your annual tax return. If you have any questions regarding any of this information, please contact International Programs.
If you are from a country that has a tax treaty with the U.S., you may be exempt from paying U.S. taxes on part or all of your income. Also, while employed here, you are exempt from Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you have questions, contact International Programs or the Payroll Office in the basement of Kretzmann Hall.
General Employment Information
If you, as an F-1/J-1 visa holder, are doing any form of employment which does not fit into the allowed categories (on-campus, CPT/OPT/AT), you are employed illegally, your SEVIS record could be terminated, and you may face deportation.
Remember, though staying within the employment rules may seem difficult at present, breaking the rules will not benefit you in the future. In fact, breaking them will harm you greatly. See this page for details on how to maintain your F-1/J-1 status.
For on-campus positions, you may refer to the job list section of the Career Center web page, also known as Handshake. Contact the supervisor listed.
Note: Since new openings are listed as they come in and are often filled quickly, you may wish to check these listings often.
You may initiate contact with any department to find possible openings.
Limit on-campus employment to 20 hours during the semester, all jobs combined (part-time CPT work hours must be included in the limit of 20hrs/week).
On-campus employment includes working in assistantship roles, for Valpo departments, and for the bookstore & cafeteria (managed by Follett & Parkhurst Dining, although work for these companies must ONLY be performed on the grounds of the Valpo campus), etc.
On-campus employment means your employer is Valparaiso University (except in the case of work performed at the Valpo bookstore for Follett or at the cafeterias for Parkhurst Dining), and your paycheck should be issued by Valpo. F-1 students do not need any special authorization to work on campus.
J-1 students, you must receive authorization from the International Programs office before beginning any on-campus employment.
Please see this page for information about hiring international students. Remember, international students must have CPT, OPT, or AT authorization before starting any off-campus employment. As an employer, please do not hesitate to contact our office if you have any further questions.
Future Ready
HR Paperwork
If you need explanation of your HR paperwork, please stop by the International Programs front desk at one of the following times:
Monday – Friday, 9-10am or 3-4pm
If you are not able to come at one of those times, please ask the front desk staff to help you make an appointment with an advisor for a time that convenient for you.
OPT, STEM OPT and CPT
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is designed to provide students in F-1 status with an opportunity to gain actual employment experience in the student’s field of study, as listed on the I-20.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a type of off-campus work authorization for F-1 international students in the U.S. It allows students to gain practical experience directly related to their field of study while still enrolled in their academic program.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) & STEM OPT
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is designed to provide students in F-1 status with an opportunity to gain actual employment experience in the student’s field of study, as listed on the I-20. OPT is different from CPT in the following ways:
- OPT is for students who have graduated from their degree program, except in rare situations. (See International Programs advisor for details)
- A job offer is not needed before applying for OPT.
- USCIS, not International Programs, authorizes the training. You will apply to USCIS for final OPT authorization after receiving materials from International Programs.
- It takes one to three months to receive authorization.
- Student may work for one or more employers, change jobs, or look for work (up to 90 days) during OPT.
- OPT is limited to 12 months per degree level (exception for some STEM majors); it does NOT mean 12 months after each undergraduate degree or each master’s degree, if you do multiple undergraduate degrees or multiple master’s degrees. (see International Programs advisor for details)
- Students on post-completion OPT must update their employment information and residential address within 10 days of any change. This reporting is done through iValpo or the SEVP OPT Portal (see the Study in the States website for more details on the SEVP OPT Portal).
NOTE for EMPLOYERS: no work-visa sponsorship is required for the duration of post-completion OPT and/or STEM OPT authorizations. A student with post-completion OPT or STEM OPT authorizations is still on F-1 student immigration status through the end date of their authorization (unless the student decides to give up their OPT authorization, does not maintain their OPT status, or otherwise changes their status). For employer responsibilities while a student is on STEM OPT, see this official government webpage.
For a detailed explanation and FAQ on employing international students, please see this document.
For Complete Information…
- OPT Instructions (PDF)
- Form I-765 (PDF) (Instructions, pg 20-25) (Tips on Frequently Asked Questions)
- This is the government form needed for applying to USCIS for OPT.
Please follow these instructions (24 month STEM extension).
For information on applying for STEM OPT, see the Study in the States website.
For instructions on filling out the I-983 from, click here.
Reporting on employment updates while on STEM OPT is done through an iValpo e-form (STEM OPT Reporting), not the SEVP Portal. Students on STEM OPT may still use the Portal for biographical information updates.
You must attend an OPT workshop put on by the Office of International Programs (OIP) before you apply.
Notifications for workshop times will be sent out to the student body from the OIP. There are generally 2 or 3 workshops each semester.
If you are not able to attend a workshop due to a class or work obligation…
You may take an online quiz after reading through the OPT information listed above.
You can find the OPT quiz here.
Log on to iValpo using your regular Valpo login information (the blue button under “Full Client Services”) and find the OPT e-form under the Practical Training tab.
Complete the form, attaching the necessary documents.
For initial OPT, fill in your academic advisor’s name and email. The form will be routed to him/her for approval. (Advisor approval is not necessary for STEM OPT application.)
Once your academic advisor approves the e-form, it will be routed to the International Programs advisor. When the International Programs advisor approves the OPT request, you will receive an email notification with instructions on how to access your “OPT Requested” I-20 and how to then apply for OPT to USCIS.
Apply to USCIS once you have compiled everything on the checklist (follow the instructions in the e-form approval email you received). Remember, the “OPT Requested” I-20 DOES NOT give you approved OPT work authorization! You must still actually apply to USCIS for OPT/STEM OPT authorization.
To request an EAD error correction, please return the original EAD containing the error along with supporting documentation (copies of visa, passport, I-94, I-20) and a letter explaining the error to the following address:
Potomac Service Center
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
2200 Potomac Center Drive
STOP 2425
Arlington, VA 20598-2425
If the error is confirmed to be a USCIS error, the correction will be made at no additional cost to the applicant and thePSC will issue a corrected EAD within 30 days. However, if the card issued contains incorrect information that is not attributed to USCIS error, the PSC will return the EAD card. In this case, please follow the process detailed at www.uscis.gov in the Replacement EAD section of the Employment Authorization Document page in order to have the card corrected.
USCIS allows for expedited processing of your OPT or STEM OPT application if you pay a fee to request premium processing. See this page on the USCIS website for information on how to file the I-907 “Request for Premium Processing” form. The current fee amount for students on F-1 OPT status is also listed there.
The easiest way to submit the I-907 form is through your online USCIS account. Once your OPT or STEM OPT application is in “pending” status, you can easily file the I-907 form to request premium processing for that application, which guarantees a result within 30 days.
Once your regular 12 month OPT or 24 month STEM OPT period is complete, if you have fully maintained your F-1 status throughout, you have a 60 day grace period during which you can stay in the U.S. You will not have any F-1 work authorization during that time, but you are free to:
- Travel around the U.S.
- Request transfer of your SEVIS record to a new school to start another degree program
- Request change of education level to start a new program at Valpo
- Or otherwise change from F-1 status to another status.
If you have not changed your status, transferred to a new school, or changed your education level at Valpo, you must leave the U.S. by the end of the 60 days. Your F-1 status will end at that time, even if your F-1 visa has not expired yet.
Also, please note that your SEVP Portal access will become read-only 16 days after the end of your last OPT period.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
F-1 students who wish to participate in an off-campus training program that is “an integral part of an established curriculum” must first obtain work authorization for CPT.
Curricular Practical Training may be full-time or part-time. Employment for more than 20 hours per week is considered full-time. Students participating in full-time CPT are not required to enroll in a full course of study. You must register for and complete an internship, practicum, or co-op course during the semester you are on CPT.
Employment for 20 hours or less per week is considered part-time. Students registered for part-time CPT during fall or spring semester must also be registered for a full course of study to maintain their F-1 status. Students in part-time CPT during summer vacation do not need to register full time. You must register for and complete an internship, practicum, or co-op course during the semester you are on CPT. Also, note that you must not work more than 20hrs/week all jobs combined, including on-campus jobs and part-time CPT jobs.
CPT authorization consists of two parts: receiving approval from your academic advisor to register for a connected course and receiving immigration approval from an OIP advisor along with a new I-20 which contains the CPT information.
NOTE for EMPLOYERS: no work-visa sponsorship is required for the duration of a student’s CPT authorizations. A student with CPT authorization is still on F-1 student immigration status, and has not yet completed their academic program. The student can work full-time or part-time (see above for full/part-time requirements) for only the employer listed under the CPT authorization, and only during the approved dates.
For a detailed explanation and FAQ on employing international students, please see this document.
For additional detailed information… Click here (PDF)
Log on to iValpo using your regular Valpo login information (the blue button under “Full Client Services”) and find the CPT form under the Practical Training tab.
Complete the form, attaching the necessary documents.
Fill in your academic advisor’s name and email. The form will be routed to him/her for approval.
Once your academic advisor approves the e-form, it will be routed to the International Programs advisor. When the International Programs advisor approves the CPT request, you will receive an email notification, and your I-20 will be ready to pick up in the International Programs office the next day.
NOTE 1: You may receive an email from the International Programs advisor requesting more information or documents. Please respond to that message immediately, as no further action will be taken on your CPT request until you respond.
NOTE 2: Please allow at least seven business days from submission of your e-form to final approval.
Academic Year 2025-2026
Resident Assistant Selection
Make an Impact as an RA or SSA
Do you want to shape the residence hall experience for others? If yes, you should apply to be a Resident Assistant (RA) and/or Student Support Assistant (SSA). These positions help their fellow students and create a welcoming community where students feel like they belong.
The residence hall experience is a crucial aspect of college life, especially for incoming students. RAs and SSAs help build community within the residence halls by planning social activities and events, fostering relationships with residents, and encouraging campus involvement.
Resident Assistant Position Overview 2025-2026
German House Resident Assistant Position Overview 2025-2026
Available Applications:
- New Resident Assistant (application due Monday, January 20, 2025 at 5 pm)
- Returning Resident Assistant (application due Monday, January 6, 2025 at 5 pm)
The SSA program was launched in the fall of 2024. SSAs at Valparaiso University play a crucial role in providing support and assistance to first-year students in their transition and acclimation to college. There is one SSA per floor in the first-year residence halls. SSAs engage in one-on-one conversations with students, host programs, serve as leaders and mentors in the community, and provide outreach and assistance to students experiencing challenges. SSAs work to connect first-year students with the programs and resources the University has to offer.
Student Support Assistant (SSA) Position Description
If you are interested in applying to be an RA and SSA, please fill out the general application and note your interest for both. If you indicate interest in both, you would continue through the RA Selections Process as any other candidate would, but would have the opportunity to meet with a representative of the Dean of Students Office during your interview.
Thank you for your interest in the Resident Assistant position in the Office of Residential Life. Below you will find the timeline of events related to the application process and selection process.
| Monday, Dec 2, 2024 | RA Application Open |
| Thursday, Jan 9, 2025 | Information Session: 6PM in Memorial’s 1st Floor Lounge |
| Sunday, Jan 12, 2025 | Information Session: 6PM in Wehrenberg’s Lobby |
| Monday, Jan 13, 2025 | Information Session: 7PM in Beacon’s 1st Floor Lounge |
| Tuesday, Jan 14, 2025 | Information Session: 8PM in Alumni’s 1st Floor TV Lounge |
| Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025 | Information Session: 7PM in Brandt’s 1st Floor TV Lounge |
| Monday, Jan 20, 2025 | New RA Application Due at 5PM, Housing Self Service Online Application and Google Application |
| Wednesday, Jan 29, 2025 | Interview Workshop: 7PM in Alumni’s 1st Floor TV Lounge |
| Tuesday, February 4, 2025 | Interview Workshop: 7PM in Brandt’s 1st Floor TV Lounge |
| Thursday, Feb 6 and Friday, Feb 7, 2025 | Resident Assistant Interviews with Residential Life Staff |
| Friday, Feb 21, 2025 | Group Process |
| Friday, Feb 28, 2025 | Notification letters sent via email |
| Monday, March 17, 2025 | Employment Agreements to accept RA offers due by 5PM |
Individual Interview
After a review of candidate applications and discussion question responses, applicants who we feel will be successful RA candidates will be offered the opportunity to interview with members of the Residential Life team. Should a candidate be invited to participate in the individual interview, candidates are interviewed on an individual basis by a panel of current Residential Learning Staff Members. During this interview, candidates will be asked a variety of questions assessing their knowledge of the Resident Assistant position and the skills and abilities each candidate possesses. There will be anywhere from one to three Residential Life Staff Members present, please be prepared to speak with a small group of current professional staff members during the interview.
If offered an interview, you will be emailed with instructions to provide your availability for a 30-minute individual interview. Individual interviews will take place from Thursday, February 6 and Friday, February 7, 2025.
Group Process
RA group process is a 1-2 hour session where you participate in activities with groups of other students. Group process is another formal part of the selection process and is mandatory for you to attend if you wish to be considered for the RA position. Group process is a time where we are able to observe you interacting with other candidates. This portion of the process gives insight into teamwork, leadership, and critical thinking as current Residential Life staff members observe the small groups.
Please save the Group Process date in your calendar (Friday, February 21, 2025). Every candidate will provide their availability with their individual interview availability. Those selected to move onto Group Process will receive an email on Friday, February 14 specifying their time and details.
We encourage all RA candidates to utilize resources available through the Career and Alumni Network, including application review and mock interviews. Candidates are invited to Interview Workshops on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 from 7-8PM in Alumni Hall and Tuesday, February 4, 2025 from 7-8PM in Brandt Hall.
Summer Resident Assistant 2025 Position Description
If you are interested, please indicate your interest during the application for the 2025-2026 academic year Resident Assistant position. That application and interview process would be considered for the summer position, and you would receive your offer within the same timeline. SSA Only applicants will not be considered for the Summer RA role.