Office of International Programs and Services

On-Campus Employment for F-1 Students

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IMPORTANT: Students must have an offer of employment before applying for a Social Security Number. The employment offer letter MUST have a handwritten signature in ink from your employer.

F-1 students may work on any of Mason's three US campuses (Fairfax, Arlington and SciTech) up to 20 hours per week during spring and fall semesters, and full-time during vacation periods (summer, winter, and spring breaks).  The employment may either come from a GMU income source or the third party business that serves Mason students on-campus, such as the bookstore, bank, or food services.

Code of Federal Regulations (CFR): 8 CFR 214.2 (f)(9)(i)

Student Eligibility Requirements

1. Must be maintaining F-1 status;
2. Must have a valid and accurate I-20 from George Mason University.

Permitted Hours

Fall and Spring: max. twenty hours per week
School breaks in winter, spring and summer: full-time employment is allowed.

IMPORTANT: F-1 students who have an assistantship of 20 hours per week cannot accept additional employment during the semesters.

Got a Job Offer?

You may NOT begin work at George Mason University until you follow the requirements indicated below.

If you are a student, please review OIPS On-Campus Employment requirements. Then, follow the steps below to start the process of applying for a Social Security Number (SSN).

See the Fiscal Services Hiring Guidance for Step by Step instructions on the steps you need to follow with OIPS, the Social Security office, and International Tax to finalize your on-campus work authorization.

IF YOU HAVE AN SSN, SKIP STEPS 3,4,5

Step 1: Complete Check-In

F-1 and J-1 STUDENTS ONLY: COMPLETE CHECK-IN IF YOU ARE NEW TO MASON or STARTING A NEW EDUCATION LEVEL (otherwise, skip step 1) 

  • Make sure you have a valid Passport and other immigration documents. 
  • Check-in with OIPS if you are a new student or changing your education level: F-1 Check-In  J-1 Check-In 
  • Wait for 5 days after completing check-in for your SEVIS record to become ACTIVE. The SSA Office requires a SEVIS ACTIVE record before issuing an SSN. Waiting for this period helps avoid delays in obtaining your SSN due to possible processing delays between SEVIS and the SSA SAVE system.  

Step 2: Your Hiring Department

STEP 2: YOUR HIRING DEPARTMENT SENDS TO YOU: 

Students hired by George Mason (Eagle Bank, Mason Recreation, GA positions, etc):  

  • An email with the job offer/welcome letter. We highly recommend that the offer letter includes an original signature from your employer. 
  • MasonOnBoard email with your login credentials to complete your hiring paperwork online. 
  • Your supervisor will complete Section II of the OCEC form (F-1/J-1 students) 

Students hired by a vendor (Chartwells, Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, etc): 

  • Job offer letter. We highly recommend that the offer letter includes an original signature from your employer. 
  • Your supervisor will complete Section II of the OCEC form (F-1/J-1 students) 

Step 3: OCEC Form Submission

STEP 3: F-1 and J-1 Students ONLY: SUBMIT YOUR OCEC FORM TO OIPS: 

  • Submit the On Campus Employment Certification form (OCEC) completed by you and your employer to OIPS by following the steps below. 
  • Go to https://oips.gmu.edu/f-1-and-j1-forms/  
  • Scroll down to the On-Campus Employment Certification section 
  • Click on OCEC Submission Form (step 6). OIPS will provide an original signature on the OCEC form as required by the Social Security Administration, and notify you when it is ready for you to pick up the form from our office.   

Step 4: Obtain an Enrollment Certification

STEP 4: F-1 and J-1 STUDENTS ONLY: OBTAIN AN ENROLLMENT CERTIFICATION 

  • The Enrollment Certification must reflect your full-time status for the current semester from the Office of the University Registrar. 
  • Go to PatriotWeb. After logging in, select Student Services > Student Records > Order Enrollment Verification. 

Step 5: SSN Application

STEP 5: APPLY FOR A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER 

Review the information here on how to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN).  

  • Make sure you have all the required documents before you go to the SSA office 
  • Social Security Application 
  • Valid Continued Attendance I-20 or DS-2019 (STUDENTS ONLY). If you need a copy of your continued attendance I-20,  Complete the online I-20 Reprint request form 
  • Passport, Visa stamp in passport, I-94  
  • On Campus Employment Certification form signed by OIPS (STUDENTS ONLY) 
  • Job Offer letter with original signature from employer 
  • Enrollment Certification from Patriotweb (STUDENTS ONLY) 
  • Mason non-student J-1 visa holders: obtain a letter of authorization from OIPS to apply for an SSN 
  • The Social Security officer will provide you a receipt stating that you will receive your SSN within 2 weeks. It will serve as proof that you attended the appointment. 

- Please note that the International Tax office is unable to complete the I-9 form without the receipt or other proof that the application for SSN has been accepted during the SSA appointment. 

 

Step 6: Complete Employment Documentation

STEP 6: COMPLETE EMPLOYMENT DOCUMENTATION 

Students hired by a vendor (Chartwells, Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, etc), contact your employer to complete your required employment documentation.
Students hired by George Masonr (Eagle Bank, Mason Recreation, GA Positions, etc: Contact the international Tax Office at International Tax Office – Fiscal Services or [email protected] for additional steps to complete your required employment documentation.  

Tips for completing steps with the International Tax Office: 

  • Pay attention to email from Sprint Tax about setting up a profile​ 
  • Review the SprintTax Cheat Sheet Sprintax-Calculus-Instruction-Manual.pdf​
  • Attend an appointment with the International Tax Office after successfully applying for SSN. ​ 

​ ! Important: Do NOT make multiple appointments. They will be cancelled. 

 

 

Looking for an on-campus job?

Most of the on-campus jobs are listed on Handshake, brought to you by University Career Services. Each year, University Career Services staff help thousands of Mason students discover careers. They offer career counseling, industry-focused advising, resume critique, many events, online resources, and more.

If you are interested in applying for jobs and internships on Handshake you will need to upload a copy of your resume.

TIP: To expedite the Handshake resume approval process you are encouraged to utilize the University Career Services walk-in hours to get feedback on your resume BEFORE you upload it to Handshake.