| Kind of Work | Part-time/ Full-time | Authorization granted by: | Impact on Practical Training | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment by MIT | RA, TA, any work paid by MIT | Part-time (up to 20 hours per week) when school is in session. Full-time during IAP and Summer vacation periods (where students are not required to be enrolled in coursework during that vacation period). | No authorization required, employment incident to status (must be an enrolled full-time student at MIT) | None | Full Research and Teaching Assistantships account for the 20 hours per week maximum of work allowed by USCIS while school is in session. No other on-campus job/position can be held at the same time if a student has a Full RA or TA award. |
| Employment by MIT | UROP (for credit or paid) | Part-time: up to 20 hours per week while school is in session (Fall and Spring terms). Full-time during IAP and Summer vacation periods (where students are not required to be enrolled in coursework during that vacation period). U.S. DHS views all UROP activity/participation, paid or non-paid, as counting towards the limit on hours of on-campus employment. Students must have clear position description that indicates the exact number of hours per week required. Students engaged in UROP activities while school is in session must be careful to count the hours they work/engage in UROP research activity as part of their on-campus work and keep track of hours so as not to exceed the 20 hours per week allowance of all on-campus employment activities combined. * | No authorization required. | None | All UROP activity/participation, paid or non-paid, counts towards the limit on hours of on-campus employment. Students must have clear position description that indicates the exact number of hours per week required. Students engaged in UROP activities while school is in session must be careful to count the hours they work/engage in research activity as part of their on-campus work and keep track of hours so as not to exceed the 20 hours per week allowance. * |
| Employment on MIT premises | Work with stores in the Student Center | Part-time (up to 20 hours per week) when school is in session. Full-time during IAP and Summer vacation period (where students are not required to be enrolled in coursework during that vacation period). | International Student Advisor can provide confirmation letter if needed by employer. | None | Students holding Full RAs or TAs cannot pursue other on-campus positions. |
| On-Campus Employment at Contractually Affiliated Off-campus research location (examples include Broad Institute, Whitehead Institute, Harvard University, other colleges/universties, local hospitals and research centers, etc.) | Work must fulfill all the following three conditions: (1) Location must be a contractually affiliated research location with MIT (affiliation must be through a direct relationships between an MIT department or MIT faculty member, as through as a grant); (2) Work must be part of the graduate program curriculum or related to a student’s graduate research project; (3)The employment must be an integral part of the student’s program of study. | Part-time (maximum 20 hours per week) when school is in session. Full-time during IAP and Summer vacation period (where students are not required to be enrolled in coursework during that vacation period). | Authorization letter from MIT ISO International Student Advisor must be issued before work activity begins. | None | Only Graduate Students are eligible. Students must submit to the ISO International Student Advisor a letter from their academic advisor giving detailed information about the activity, relationship to the student’s academic work, and confirmation of the contractual affiliation. |
*SPECIAL NOTES on MIT Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP):
International students who are interested in pursuing UROP activities must consider the following steps BEFORE they begin a UROP activity.
1. Discuss the UROP project with the hiring department/lab/facility in advance to confirm the following details:
- Is the UROP paid or unpaid?
- How many hours per week during the term and during vacation periods?
- What are the dates the UROP activity will be pursued?
- The name of the hiring lab/facility/department, supervisor’s name, administrative office’s name and contact information.
2. Obtain a UROP offer letter that details the information above for your record. Students must keep this documentation in the future for their record.
3. U.S. Department of Homeland Security (USDHS) currently views both paid and for-credit (non-paid) UROPs as counting towards the 20 hour per week limit of on-campus employment. Therefore, students who are not getting paid must still count the UROP activity hours as on-campus employment and keep track of those hours to make sure they do not exceed the 20 hours per week allowance during terms. This restriction does not apply while on an Institute vacation period (during winter and summer vacations).
Students participating in UROPs should review all other on-campus work engagements to be performed while school is in session. While school is in session, students MUST count their UROP activity hours toward the MAXIMUM 20 hours per week of on-campus employment allowed. Note that students who are not receiving pay for their UROP will not be entering worked hours in the Student Payroll system.
If you have any questions about on-campus employment and UROP, please contact your ISO Advisor directly.
