What are my employment options while I’m studying at LaGuardia Community College?

You are eligible to work on-campus for up to 20 hours per week when school is in session. Employment is considered a privilege, not a right, for F-1 students. To accept on-campus employment you must meet the following criteria:

• Be in good academic standing

• Be enrolled for a full course of study

• Hold a valid passport, and have a current I-20 at the time of application for a job as well as during the entire time of employment.

If you are not in good academic standing and have not fulfilled all the requirements of your student status, your employment may be interrupted until you restore your good standing. You can work full-time on campus when school is not in session or when you have legal vacation break. Please be aware that on-campus employment opportunities are limited. You should not expect to support yourself through employment.

Once you have completed our required courses for graduation, you may no longer work on campus unless you are authorized through Optional Practical Training and the work is directly related to the course of study you have completed. You may also work on campus after you have completed a program if you have been issued a new I-20 for a second program that will begin the following semester.

Economic Hardship Work Authorization 

 
Should you experience financial difficulties while studying at LaGuardia Community College and you have already been in lawful F-1 status for one year, you may be eligible to apply for Economic Hardship Work Authorization which will allow you to accept employment off campus while you study at LaGuardia Community College.

Severe Economic Hardship is a type of work authorization for F-1 students who are experiencing severe and unforeseen economic problems. Under this work authorization, F-1 Student Visa Holders are eligible to seek work off-campus.

Please visit our office to discuss your Economic Hardship eligibility.

Curricular Practical Training (CPT): 

 
CPT is a paid internship that is considered to be a graduation requirement for your major. While on CPT you may receive monetary compensation for the prespecified length of the internship. At LaGuardia Community College, you may be eligible for one full-time and one part-time internship. Please visit our office to discuss the possibility of applying for CPT.

How do I apply for an I-20?

Once you have been accepted into LaGuardia Community College, you will need to apply for an I-20 form. Please follow the directions bellow to obtain an I-20 document.

To apply, mail or fax the following items to the International Student Services (ISS) at LaGuardia Community College (original copies will be required by 1st day of class)

Completed I-20 Application

• Official bank letter, sponsor affidavit of support and sponsor salary and income tax information.
• Two passport-sized photos of yourself.
• A photocopy of the page from your passport showing your full legal name, birth date, passport expiration date, and photograph.
• Copy of your I-94 and F-1 Visa stamp.
• Copies of all previous I-20s.
• For F-1 transfer students only: submit official school transfer form.
• If you are on OPT, include copy of your EAD.

Send the above to:

LaGuardia Community College
International Student Services
29-10 Thomson Avenue Room C-249
Long Island City, NY 11101
OR
Fax to: 718-609-2021

The Application and Transfer forms are available for downloading below. For your convenience, the forms are available as a Portable Document Format (PDF) file, which is compact, cross platform and can be viewed by anyone with a free Acrobat Reader by Adobe. You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer in order to download, read and print the forms. If you do not have the reader software, click here. 

International Student Services Staff Members:

Full-Time Enrollment 

 
The most important thing you can do to maintain your F-1 Student Status is to enroll and complete a minimum of twelve (12) equated credits during both the fall and spring semesters. As an F-1 student at LaGuardia Community College, full-time enrollment means enrolling in and completing at least twelve (12) equated credits. Remember. You must enroll and complete twelve credits or equated credits by the end of each semester. Remember the semester consists of two sessions of 12 weeks and one session of 6 weeks.
Note that for spring, If you enroll in the 12 credits in session I, you are permitted to remain in the country for session II, which is you designated vacation period.

Please visit our office for a more information about your registration and credit requirements.

Please Note: If you are having financial difficulties and cannot afford to register for twelve credits during the first session of any semester, please contact our office immediately at 718-482-5145.

 

Always be sure to visit the ISS office one week before traveling with your passport, visa, I-20 and I-94 card.

Carry your passport, I-20, and I-94 when you are traveling within the U.S. These documents provide immediate proof that you are in lawful status. The law requires you to carry evidence of "registration documents" at all times. Be aware that air passengers may be subject to extensive security checks before both domestic and international flights.

Traveling Outside the United States 

Before you travel outside the United States, meet with an advisor to have your I-20, visa and passport reviewed. The advisor will also verify your enrollment. If all is in order, the advisor will sign your I- 20 so you may re-enter the U.S. To ensure re-entry to the U.S., we recommend that you get a travel signature every time you travel outside of the U.S.

To travel outside the U.S., you must have the following:
 

• A passport valid for six months into the future

• An F-1 visa valid for re-entry to the U.S. Your visa must be valid beyond the date you plan to return to the U.S

• A current I-20. Your I-20 must have a program end date beyond the date you plan to return to the U.S

• Your I-20 must be signed by your international student advisor before you leave the U.S

• If you are on Practical Training, you will also need to travel with your valid (unexpired) Employment Authorization Document (EAD card) and a letter from your employer certifying your employment.

Travel signatures are only issued to current full-time students who will be returning to the United States for further study or to students who are on Practical Training and have a valid EAD card and letter of employment.

Note: that if you have not maintained your full-time status or if you have already completed your major or Optional Practical Training, you will not be eligible to receive a travel signature. A travel signature means that you will return as a full-time student.

Examples:
 

• You are on your approved summer vacation period. You have received passing grades for all of your courses. You plan to resume full-time courses in the fall semester. You are eligible to get a travel signature.

• You complete your major at the end of the spring semester. You want to travel to Mexico for a brief vacation of one week during your 60-day grace period after your programs ends, and then return to the U.S. to collect your things and return home. You are not eligible for a travel signature because you will not be returning to the U.S. to be a full-time student. You have completed your major and do not intend to study further.

• If you are going to travel to a country that is not your country of citizenship, contact the consulate of the country you will visit to ask about entry and/or transit visa requirements. See http://www.embassy.org or www.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/fco/  

Travel Regulation for Canada, Mexico, and Caribbean Islands 

If you visit Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean Islands (except Cuba) for less than 30 days, you must have the following:
 

• A valid passport

• An I-94 card in your passport

• I-20 with travel signature from your advisor

• You do not need a valid F-1 visa to travel to these countries if you plan to stay for less than 30 days

• Do not automatically give your I-94 form to authorities when you leave the U.S.

If you plan to visit Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean Islands for more than 30 days, you must have a valid U.S. visa stamp to re-enter the U.S. The governments of Canada and Mexico may require citizens from your country to have a visa before entering their countries. Before traveling to either of these countries check with their respective consulates.