Employment for J-1 Students
All employment for J-1 students is authorized by the Responsible Officer (RO) for the sponsoring program. Your sponsor may be Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), in which case the advisors in the Center for International Exchange are your responsible officers. Instead, if you are here under a J-1 program sponsored by the United Nations, the U.S. Agency for International Development, AMIDEAST or some other agency, your RO will be someone at that sponsoring organization. In this case, you will need to contact the RO at your sponsoring agency itself to discover their policies and procedures governing your employment. Many sponsors do not authorize any employment because sponsored students receive funds from governmental sources, and some do not even authorize academic training because of contracts requiring immediate return to your home country.
On- or Off-Campus Employment
On-campus employment is available for up to 20 hours per week or full-time during breaks and vacations. It must, however, be authorized by your Responsible Officer. Students sponsored by SNHU should see staff in the Center for International Exchange.
State Department regulations allow J-1 employment for those who undergo a significant and unforeseeable change in their financial circumstances. If you believe that you qualify, come to the Center for International Exchange and explain your situation to an RO. You will need to present documented proof of the change in your circumstances. Once authorized, you may work up to 20 hours per week while school is in session. This work may be either on or off campus.
Academic Training
Academic training related to your field of study may be granted by your RO for up to eighteen months (thirty-six months for doctoral students), provided that the total training period does not exceed the amount of time in the full course of study. The training must be an integral or critical part of your academic program. It can be done during your program (unpaid only) or beginning no later than 30 days after completion of studies.
J-1 students sponsored by Southern New Hampshire University must provide an RO in CIE with an offer letter or description from the academic training employer detailing the job plus a memo from your academic dean or academic advisor stating that the proposed employment meets the above conditions. There are forms in CIE for this purpose. You must present the offer of employment within 30 days of completing your program.
If you are not sponsored by SNHU, you should contact your RO at your sponsoring organization for details on its procedures.