Under limited and prescribed circumstances, USCIS/DHS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services/Department of Homeland Security) regulations provide for “practical training,” which is an opportunity for international students in F-1 visa status to work in the United States for up to 12 months per level of study, full-time (more than 20 hours per week). The intention of practical training is to enable students to have a hands-on, “real world” experience in an actual work situation to enhance their academic study.

Only degree-seeking (i.e., Bachelor’s or Master’s) students are eligible, thus students in English language programs (e.g., IELI) are not eligible for Practical Training. Authorization for work is called an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), which is only issued by the USCIS/DHS. The EAD must be granted prior to actually beginning employment. Failure to obtain the proper work authorization will subject the student to severe consequences.