Students

Note: 

• You are NOT PERMITTED TO WORK OFF CAMPUS without special permission from the United States Citizen and Immigration Service (USCIS). Contact the Center for International Programs for information about working off campus.
• You must enroll as a full time student (12 credit hours undergraduate, 8 hours graduate) for your first semester of attendance at BGSU.

1.    Immigration law allows international students to work ON CAMPUS for BGSU up to 20 hours (maximum) per week when classes are in session. Any work or service you perform as part of your assistantship counts toward the 20 hours per week limit. For example, if your assistantship requires 10 hours of service, you may work an additional 10 hours per week at another job on campus.

2.    You are permitted to work up to 20 hours per week. See the chart below for exceptions.

3.    You may apply for any on-campus job listed as “Regular Employment.” Campus jobs are listed as Regular and Federal Work Study (FWS). FWS is a need-based financial aid program: only US citizens and permanent residents may apply for jobs listed as “FWS only.”  

4.   Jobs are posted weekly on WorkNet  which can be accessed through your MyBGSU account.

5.   Read the job listings, contact employers, and set up interviews. Once you are offered a job, go to the International Student Services (Formerly Center for International Programs), located in 219 University Hall.

• Take your Hire Form (or a computer print out of the electronic hire form) from your new employer indicating where you will be working on campus and the number of hours you will be working per week.
• Request a letter authorizing you to apply for a Social Security number.
• Take the letter and all other required documents listed on the letter to the Social Security Administration (SSA) office.
• Complete the application for a Social Security Number.
• Request a receipt from the SSA office.

Note: When you apply for a Social Security card you must request a receipt from the SSA office to show that you have applied for a Social Security card. You will not be given a receipt unless you request one.

6.    Take the following items to 318C Math Sciences Building (Student Employment Services):

• your Hire Form,
• your passport,
• I-20 Form or Form DS-2019 (the immigration document you received from the Center for International Programs),
• the receipt from SSA office,
• and a bank deposit slip from your checking account for direct deposit.

In our office you will complete:

• Federal and State tax withholding forms,
• a Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) exemption form,
• a tax treaty form,
• an I-9 form, which is required in order for you to work on campus,
• and a direct deposit form to deposit your paychecks directly into your local bank account.

7.    When you complete your paperwork, you will be given a payday schedule and a Workers’ Compensation card.

8.   If you have questions about the interviewing, hiring, or general employment practices on campus, please contact either Student Employment Services or International Student Services (Formerly Center for International Programs).

Note: Once you receive your Social Security card, please take your card to the Payroll Office in Room 322 of the Administration Building so your number can be added to your payroll record.