| On-Campus Employment | Curricular Practical Training (CPT) | Optional Practical Training (OPT) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligibility Requirements | Must maintain legal F-1 status | 1. Must be a full-time student in the US in a valid non-immigrant status for at least one full academic year at the time of application 2. Must be in F-1 status for at least one full academic semester at the time of application 3. Must be in degree status for at least one academic year (INTO Mason Pathway program is considered as non-degree, and therefore, time as an INTO Mason Pathway student does not count toward the one academic year requirement) 4. Training opportunity must be tied to course enrollment | 1. Must be a full-time student in the US in a valid non-immigrant status for at least one academic year at the time of application 2. Must be in F-1 status at time of application 3. Must be in degree status for at least one academic year (INTO Mason Pathway program is considered as non-degree, and therefore, time as an INTO Mason Pathway student does not count toward the one academic year requirement) |
| Timeline | Before completion of program only | Before completion of program only | Before completion of program (pre-completion OPT) After completion of program (post-completion OPT) |
| Maximum Length | Max. 20 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters. Full-time work allowed during school breaks in winter, spring and summer. Important Note: If you are taking classes in the summer, it is best not work ful-time while your class is in session. Even though summer is typically a vacation term for the university, if you are enrolled in classes, a strict interpretation of on campus employment regulations indicates that you should limit your work to 20 hours while class is in session. This is particularly important if you are graduating at the end of summer since the U.S. government likely considers your graduation term an academic, not vacation term. You must also stop working once your program is complete. | Max. 20 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters. Full-time work allowed during summer only | Max. 12 months (If STEM eligible, student may apply for an additional 24 months if they have an e-verify employer and are working 20 or more hours per week) Pre-completion OPT: full-time during summer break and part-time during fall and spring semesters Post-completion OPT: full-time or part-time |
| Permission | No permission required (INTO Mason students need to request permission from their academic advisor before they begin work) | Permission from OIPS required | Permission from USCIS required |
| Other Requirements | Work does not have to be related to the field of study Employment must be located at Fairfax, SciTech or Arlington campuses | Work should be related to the field of study AND integral to the established curriculum Job offer required Student must be enrolled in internship/practicum course or in Thesis/Dissertation credits | Work should be related to the field of study No job offer required |
| Application Processing Time | N.A. | Application approval takes 3-4 weeks | Application approval can take 3-5 months |
| Important | N.A. | Full-time CPT for 12 months or more disqualifies the student from OPT | Time used before completion of study (pre-completion OPT) will be deducted from the maximum 12-month limit |