Severe Economic Hardship Employment for F-1 Students


Overview

If other employment opportunities are not available or are otherwise insufficient, an eligible F-1 student may request employment authorization based on severe economic hardship caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond the student’s control. Examples of of unforeseen economic hardship may include

  • Loss of financial aid or on-campus employment without fault on the part of the student
  • Unexpected changes  in your chief means of financial support
  • Unexpected medical bills (this must be well documented)

Eligibility Criteria

You are eligible to apply for employment based on severe economic hardship if:

  • You have been in F-1 status for one full academic year
  • You are in good academic standing and are taking a full course load
  • Employment will not interfere with your studies
  • You can demonstrate that the employment is necessary to avoid severe economic hardship due to unforeseen economic circumstances beyond your control

If you feel that you meet the above criteria for severe economic hardship, please contact the PDSO in the Center for Global Education to make an appointment to discuss your case. Approval for severe economic hardship employment authorization is through the USCIS. You will not be able to work off-campus while your application is pending.

Application Considerations

Applying for severe economic hardship work authorization is a long process and may not make sense for every student, even if you do meet the eligibility criteria.

  • Processing Time. It may take several months to hear back from USCIS about your application. You can view current USCIS processing times for the Form I-765 on the USCIS website.
  • Application Fee: There is a $410 application fee for severe economic hardship work authorization. It is possible to submit your application with a fee waiver instead of the filing fee, but historically the fee waiver has generally not been accepted.
  • Employment Limitations: Severe economic hardship work authorization is limited to 20 hours per week while school is in session. Students may work more than 20 hours per week during official school breaks.
  • Adequate Documentation of Economic Situation: You should collect as much documentation about your current financial situation as possible in order to make a compelling case that you qualify for the authorization. The more documentation, the better.

Documentation Needed to Apply

  •  A personal statement describing the unforeseen hardship situation and, if possible, attach backup documentation; for example, news articles, a letter from home telling of a change in family circumstances or proof of a currency devaluation in your country, etc.
  • Completed Form I-765, using the code (C)(3)(iii) at item 16. Do not date the form until you are ready to send the application to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
  • Copies of your current and previous I-20s
  •  Copy of paper or print-out of electronic Form I-94 
  • Copy of your F-1 visa page (except Canadians) or I-797 (approval of change of status to F-1), if applicable
  • Copy of your unofficial transcript available from Garnet Gateway

How to Apply for Severe Economic Hardship Employment

  1. Schedule an appointment with the DSO in the Center for Global Education and bring the documents listed above to your appointment.
  2. The DSO will review your documents.
  3. The DSO will send your request to SEVIS electronically, and generate a new SEVIS I-20. The recommendation will be written on page 2 of the new I-20.
  4. Sign your name on the I-20 immediately.
  5. Send your request to USCIS. See below

Submitting Your Severe Economic Hardship Application to USCIS

Once you have requested a Severe Economic Hardship employment recommendation and received your new I-20 from the Center for Global Education, you will need to prepare and submit the following list of items to USCIS:

  • A copy of the new I-20 with employment recommendation
  • Copies of your previous I-20(s)
  • Copy of paper or print-out of electronic Form I-94
  • Copy of your passport page showing your biographical information and the expiration date
  • Copy of your F-1 visa page (except Canadians) or I-797 (approval of change of status to F-1), if applicable
  • Form I-765 and the filing fee
  • Two full-face passport style photos. The photos must be identical and in color with a plain background. They must be no more than 30 days old when the I-765 is filed to USCIS. Put photos in an envelope. You should attach the fee and the photo envelope on top of the entire application (on the upper left-hand corner). Please do not staple the fee and the photos.
  • The personal statement along with any other supporting documents, if available.

Mailing to USCIS
USCIS Chicago Lockbox

FedEx, UPS, and DHL deliveries:
USCIS
Attn: I-765 C03
131 South Dearborn – 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60603-5517

Employment Authorization Card (EAD)

If the application is approved, USCIS will issue an EAD (Employment Authorization Document) to you. If the application is denied, you will be notified by USCIS in writing.

IMPORTANT: Any unauthorized employment is a violation of your student visa status. You may not begin employment until you have received the EAD and the dates are valid. Authorization is granted in one-year intervals up to the expected date of completion of studies. You may work part time while school is in session and full time during official college holidays.