Employment Information
Employment, Internships, and Career Services
Students with an F-1 Student Visa generally do not work while they are going to school. Legal work permission is very limited. However, at MC we want to prepare you for your career and work and give you good chances for useful experience. Service learning and some on-campus jobs helping other students may be available.
Through Montgomery College, you can intern* at the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex; the National Institute of Standards and Technology; Marriott International, a multinational diversified hospitality company; Holy Cross Hospital on our Germantown Campus; or at a company along the biotechnology corridor, where the human genome is being sequenced. Some major programs require an internship class and most allow you to take an internship class as part of your degree.
* Internships that Accept International Undergraduate Students (F-1 Visa)new window
* An intern is a student or trainee who works, sometimes without pay, at a trade or occupation in order to gain work experience. Interns should not "make money" for the business.
Career Services provide a range of services to students and alumni to support the career planning process. This includes access to career exploration information, opportunities for hands-on experience, and support for the job search process.
Students in legal F-1 status have opportunities to work on campus and off campus. The Student Employment Services Office, on each campus, provides assistance in preparing for and searching for jobs. They also provide an online employment site with on and off-campus job listings, and will work with you to update your resume, prepare for interviews, and help you find the internship or job opportunity you are seeking.
To apply for on-campus jobs:
- Most on-campus jobs are listed on the College Central Networknew window (CCN). Get started by creating your CCN accountnew window.
- You (the student) must speak directly with the supervisor of the job to be hired.
- Look for positions called "Student Assistant". These are the ones F-1 students can apply for (not "work study").
- Some jobs open up during the semester as student schedules change.
*Supervisors may contact prior applicants or other interested students directly about those, even before they are posted on CCN. - Many on-campus jobs require you to have been a full time, credit-level student for at least one semester before applying.
Before your interview:
- Please complete and sign On-Campus F-1 Work Authorization Form (PDF,
) . Ask your International Coordinator to sign it to verify your F-1 status is valid. - If you do not have a Social Security Number or Card, you will need the supervisor
who hires you to complete Social Security On-Campus Authorization for F-1 Students Form (PDF, ) and forward it to your International Coordinator, who must sign and return it to
you so you can apply for a Card.
- More information about the College hiring process, tax forms (W4, MD 507) and form
I-9 can be found in Letter to F-1 Students about On Campus Work Authorization (PDF, ) .
MOST off-campus employment authorization requires that the student be enrolled full time for at least two consecutive regular academic semesters BEFORE authorization can be granted. (An exception is for internships directly with a recognized International Organization which you can read about herenew window, or view the list new windowof these organizations).
ALL Off-Campus work requires the specific authorization of USCIS and may take up to
4 months to process. PLAN AHEAD! There are Instruction Sheets for the two most utilized types of Off-Campus
work authorization Curricular Practical Training and Optional Practical Training.
If there has been an extreme and unexpected change in a student's financial support
they may be able to apply for employment authorization for Severe Economic Hardship.
See the International Coordinator IMMEDIATELY if you feel you may qualify to apply for this.
To complete the paperwork to apply for any off-campus employment an appointment will be required with one of the Coordinators.
) for internships, co-op programs, and work experience for credit- Specific start and end dates of the internship/co-op
- Number of hours per week
- Address of the workplace
- Amount of compensation
- Job description
- The name of the supervisor during the internship/co-op
- Documentation from the Academic Department
- Statement that the work noted by the employer is appropriate for the awarding of academic credit for the course in which the student has enrolled
- Specific dates the student will be allowed to work to receive credit
- The name of the supervising faculty member
Authorizing Agent: Montgomery College Office of International Students
Processing Time: 2 business days maximum