<p>I'm an international student holding an F-1 visa.
I was recently offered a summer paid position in a science research lab which I would very much like to take. As an international student, I am allowed to take one (or several for that matter) on-campus job(s).
However, the position isn't at my school, but at a nearby institution which has some sort of cross-registration and joint programs with my own school. No one at my school does any research pertaining to the particular sub-field I am interested in. I could not afford to pay rent and food throughout the summer without being paid. If it matters at all, I am also not majoring in that particular subject (too specialized to be an actual undergraduate concentration). In fact you could see my major as unrelated.</p>
<p>Is it OK for me to get paid for a job that I would do on a campus but not on my campus? What is the definition of off-campus employment?</p>
<p>You need to find out whether this position qualifies as one where you can use your OPT. Make an appointment with the International Student office at your university, and get their help in sorting out the money issue.</p>
<p>Arrow if you are still in school you’d be using your CPT not OPT. (you’ll want to make sure you preserve your full 12 months OPT for when you graduate. Many firms don’t participate in the STEM program that would give you the additional 17 months, so you’ll want to keep the full 12 months OPT for use.)</p>
<p>With respect to your query, my understanding is the internships done under a CPT need to be related to your field of study, hence the name CPT-Curricular Practical Training. The firm offering you the research internship would also need to be part of SEVIS. I’d say the best place to start is your international department at your school. You’ll need to get aquainted with them anyway as they are the ones that process the paperwork for your CPT/OPT. Hope that helps.</p>
<p>Thanks all for your answers! I’m still in school (sophomore). I did not apply for the job which is why I’m unsure about whether or not I can accept it. The PI mentioned that if I’m free this summer I’m welcome to work with him. It’s not a firm, just a lab which is part of a university science dept. </p>
<p>The reason I felt uncomfortable just going to the International Students office is that it’s unrelated to my major and the people working there have some sort of academic counseling role (part of the committee who approves overloads, requests of leave, early graduations, puts people on probation, ect…) and I didn’t want to seem “unfocused”. In case of any type of academic problem related to my dept or my concentration, these would be the people that I would need to “vouch” for me. I also did not disclose to my adviser that I was taking part in this type of very time-consuming research and I’m afraid it might be frowned upon. Maybe I’m just over-thinking and I should go ask. Anyway, thanks a lot!</p>
<p>“affiliated”. This is where I’m confused. What does affiliated really mean?
Is it X college is affiliated to X medical school so a student at the former can work at the later?
Is it X university has a joint graduate program with Y university so a student at the former can work at the later, even thought they are not part of the program and are undergraduate?
Is it X university is affiliated to Z health care facility so a student at the former can do research at the later?</p>
<p>I’m in situation 2. Undergraduate from my school can also take classes at the other school and vice versa.</p>
<p>I suppose I should just go and ask them indeed. I just feel weird about it. If I am allowed to, what paperwork will I need to fill out? Will I have to pay taxes on that income?
Thanks</p>
<p>It’s the responsibility of your designated school official to decide whether your particular situation falls under the definition of on-campus employment, so you should talk to them in any event. </p>
<p>
Standard payroll paperwork. If you have had a job at your own university, you know what that entails. </p>
<p>Oh, I see. Thanks a lot for all your answers.
I am exempted by a tax treaty, but I strongly doubt that I will be allowed to do that job as I would not myself consider it “on-campus” employment. Anyway, I should go ask in any case since it sounds much nicer than a regular summer job in my own country, slowly dying of heat picking fruits, or of boredom over a cash register.</p>
<p>I don’t know how closely this resembles your situation, but I just wanted to give you an example of an educational affiliation that qualifies. Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges have a cross-registration program that allows students to complete a major on the other campus. I have had international friends at Bryn Mawr who majored at Haverford and were supported by research grants of Haverford professors in their major department.</p>
<p>I see! Thanks! I have another question. I went to thank my PI for the position I had throughout the semester, their help and interest, ect… and gave them a gift. This when they offered me the summer position. </p>
<p>However, I’m not always the clearest person when it comes to talking so I’m not sure whether or not they realized that I will not be continuing for the spring semester (too much schoolwork) , since I just basically said “thanks for this semester”. I guess I just thought that if I wanted to continue I would actually have asked out loud, and maybe not saying out loud “I quit for next semester” was the polite thing to do. The conversation did not really include anything about next semester, nor any “see you soon” type of thing so I thought unnecessary to specify that. Now, I realize that it was just unclear and I wonder if I should have been more specific. Or was I clear enough? I was hired for an undetermined period of time. What should I do? Do you feel like it was clear?</p>
<p>When DS (US Citizen) went to Oregon for his summer internship at a large multinational two summers ago, his roommate was an international PhD student with no green card, who was also interning there. This is very large company with a multi-year history of internships whose HR surely would have verified that this could be done. So I suspect you would be able to do this job, but perhaps some paperwork needs to be filed.</p>
<p>It surely can be done. The real question is whether the OP has to use his OPT or if this job counts as on-campus employment. OPT is a time-limited off-campus employment permisson that’s part of a student visa; many students choose to save it for post-graduation employment because of likely complications in the work visa application process.</p>
<p>Arrow03, regarding your last question: talk to your professor again and make sure that you are both on the same page. A misunderstanding here could cost you a summer job and an ardent supporter.</p>
<p>Thanks. I will e-mail them to clarify. This promises to be one awkward e-mail… I also hate to bother them with such trivial matters. Hopefully they will still want me for the summer.</p>
<p>Does it sounds like a good idea to wait until the international office opens again in early January to get the info and e-mail them with my answer and a short apology for the misunderstanding?</p>
<p>^^ sometimes awkward things are better said in person because if the person misunderstands and assumes something worse than it really is, you can set it right immediately rather than have him fuming over his keyboard. Also it’s a good people skill to acquire - talking awkward things to employers.</p>
<p>I just e-mailed them. It’ll be a while before school starts again and I’d rather not leave things like that hanging. Thanks a lot all of you for helping me.</p>