On Campus Employment:

International Students on F1 visa status issued through Sinclair Community College only may work on campus up to 20 hours per week during Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters as long as they maintain valid F1 status (Up to full time during Summer quarter).  F1 visa status students may NOT work off campus at any time during the first academic year in F1 status.  After that first academic year, you may NOT work off campus without US INS permission.  Student jobs are listed inside the Office of Career Services in building 10 on the third floor.  Apply for any positions for which you believe you are qualified at that office.   Click here to view Student Employment Opportunities. 

Off Campus Employment:

There are two ways to work off campus:  Curricular Optional Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT). Both require advance permission from US INS.
 

Curricular Practical Training (CPT):

At Sinclair, you may engage in CPT for paid internships after one academic year in valid F1 status.  You must be enrolled in a Sinclair internship course.  The internship courses at Sinclair tend to be 270 courses.  The course description for 270 courses is the same as for EBE 270.  See the searchable course descriptions for more information.  For example in computer information systems, the internship is CIS 270.  In Marketing and Management, the internship courses are MAR 270 and MAN 270, respectively.  Other majors have different courses for required off campus work.  In the Hospitality Management/ Culinary Arts program, the internship courses are HMT 291, HMT 292, and HMT 293.

CPT may be approved for part time or for full time work.  However, you may use only up to the equivalent of one year full time CPT or two years part time CPT.  Please note, however, that if you do use the maximum amount of CPT, you will NOT be eligible for OPT.

To be approved for CPT, you must complete the following:
 

1. enroll for the appropriate internship course and pay your fees
2. make an appointment to bring your I-20 to the foreign student advisor for CPT endorsement
3. bring the full name and address of the company with you to the appointment
4. indicate whether you will be working part time (up to 20 hours a week) or full time

The CPT endorsement will indicate the name and address of the company, the quarter in which CPT employment is authorized, and whether the CPT is part time or full time.  Show that endorsement to your employer.

If your major program requires you to work off campus without pay in a clinical setting, you may do so without applying for CPT or OPT.  But, you may not accept payment.  For example, off campus clinical work is required in the Allied Health majors.
 

Optional Practical Training (OPT):

You may engage in OPT for paid internships after one academic year in valid F1 status.  However, if you are in a university parallel or transfer degree program, you are urged strongly to keep the OPT for your baccalaureate degree program at a university.  You have only the equivalent of one year full time or two years part time work under OPT.  You will not be eligible for more OPT unless you leave the US for a minimum of  five (5) months, come back to study under a new F1 visa status and a new degree program.  After you have completed the one full academic year in valid F1 status in the new degree program, then you would be eligible for more OPT.  You may not work before you receive the OPT work permit!

To apply for OPT, complete the application packet as follows::

1. complete form I-765
2. complete form I-538 and have the foreign student advisor endorse the form
3. include a photocopy of the front and back of your form I-20
4. include a photocopy of the front and back of your form I-94
5. include a photocopy of the identification page of your passport
6. include a check or money order for the current application fee
7. include two color passport photos on a white background showing a 3/4 shot of your face.  See the instructions in form I-765

Make a copy of all parts of the application packet for your records.  Send the application packet by US certified mail with a return receipt requested.  For a few weeks, the return receipt will be your only proof that US INS received your application.  You will receive back from US INS a receipt letter.  Keep this receipt letter!  It has an LIN number tracking number in the upper left corner, an estimate of how long it will take INS to process your request, and a telephone number that you may call to find out when your application has been processed.  It may take up to 90 days for US INS to process your request for the OPT work permit.

Change of Address Warning:   When the OPT work permit has been processed, it will be mailed to the address that you indicated on the I-765.  If you think that you may move during that three month period, use the Registration office address at Sinclair as your address:  Foreign Student Advisor, Registration & Student Records, Sinclair Community College, 444 W. Third St., Dayton, OH  45402-1454.

If you do not receive your OPT work permit in a week after INS has indicated that it has been processed (call the telephone number on your receipt letter), contact the Foreign Student Advisor immediately for assistance.

Other Nonimmigrant Visa Status Holders and Internship Work

If you are attending Sinclair on any other nonimmigrant visa status, you may or may not be able to work for pay off campus.  Contact the agency or institution that issued you, your parent, or your spouse the paperwork for your visa for more information.

The following nonimmigrant visa status holders may NOT work in the US under any circumstances.   These visa status holders may participate in unpaid internships only.  However, by US federal labor laws, if the position usually is paid, then you may not work in that job for no payment.
 

These nonimmigrant visa status holders may be able to work in the US and participate in paid internships through Sinclair: