On-Campus Employment:
Steps to Complete Before the First Day of Work
New Global Gopher Required Tasks (New Students)
All new international students must complete their New Global Gopher Required Tasks in MyISSS AND receive confirmation of ISSS approval/processing before beginning on-campus employment.
ISSS makes updates to the PeopleSoft records upon processing of the Required Tasks that are necessary for I-9 entry.
I-9
Students must present documentation to complete their Form I-9 on or before their first day of employment. ISSS has basic instructions for fulfilling the I-9 requirements, including the documents required. However, ISSS staff are not I-9 experts, and questions about the I-9 for international students should be referred to an HR representative.
Note on Tentative Non-Confirmation notices (TNCs): A DHS TNC may result when a new student’s SEVIS record has not yet been activated. ISSS advises incoming students about the SEVIS activation requirements through the New Global Gopher Required Tasks, and our staff routinely checks the SEVIS activation eligibility of students who report their on-campus employment to us. Questions about SEVIS record activation can be sent to [email protected].
J-1 Students
J-1 students are required to report all on-campus work to ISSS.
Social Security Number
Detailed instructions for the SSN application process can be found on the ISSS website.
ISSS has scheduled the 2025 On-Campus Social Security Number Application Appointments event for August 28th, 2025. The Social Security Administration will come to campus on this date to accept SSN applications from students with employment. Appointments are required, and ISSS will provide sign-up information directly to eligible students.
English Language Proficiency for Teaching Assistants
University of Minnesota policy states that to be employed as a teaching assistant or instructor, students whose home language growing up was not English are required to demonstrate spoken English Language Proficiency (ELP). ELP can be demonstrated through TOEFL or IELTS speaking subscores, taking the University of Minnesota Spoken English Test for Teaching Assistants, or successful completion of an ITA course. Teaching assistant duties should be assigned according to language proficiency requirements. For further questions, contact Alyssa Bonnac at [email protected].
Off-Campus Work
International students need authorization from ISSS before they are allowed to work off campus. This is a visa regulation and it is imperative that students seek out authorization before any type of employment off-campus for any amount of time. In addition, the work that students complete off-campus must be related to their major/area of study.
F-1 Students
There are two main types of off-campus work authorization for F-1 students.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
This type of work authorization is for students while they are working on their degree. Students seeking CPT authorization:
- Must have been a full-time student in the U.S. for at least two consecutive semesters
- Must have verification from their academic department (often an advisor)
- Must have a job offer directly related to their UMN field of study
- Must be enrolled in a course related to the work
- Must have ISSS approval for CPT on a new I-20 before they may begin working off campus
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
This type of work authorization is typically for students after they complete their degree. Students seeking OPT authorization:
- Must have been a full-time student in the U.S. for at least two consecutive semesters
- Must have verification from their academic department (often an advisor)
- Do not need a job offer in order to apply for OPT
- Must find employment related to the degree that they received
- Must have ISSS recommendation for OPT on a new I-20 before submitting their application to USCIS
- Must have USCIS-issued work authorization in order to work in the U.S. for 12 months
J-1 Students
There is one type of work authorization for J-1 students, for both during and after degree completion.
Academic Training (AT)
This type of work authorization is requested by students both during studies and after they complete their degree. Students seeking AT authorization:
- Must present a specific job offer in writing
- Must have the training position evaluated and recommended by the student’s academic advisor as “critical and integral to the academic program” and supervised by someone qualified to facilitate the training
- Must be authorized by ISSS and documented in SEVIS before work can begin
- Must begin their training within 30 days of degree completion
