Severe Economic Hardship
If you have experienced an unexpected change in your
financial support and you cannot earn enough income from
on-campus employment sources to meet your financial needs,
then you may apply to the U.S. Government for permission
to work off-campus. You must be able to prove that off-campus
employment is necessary due to the severe economic hardship
caused by this change in your financial support.
To apply, you will need to work with the International
Student Advisor. Before scheduling an appointment to meet
with the Advisor, please prepare the following items:
- USCIS
form I-765
- $340.00 filing fee
-
2 passport sized photos of yourself taken at a full
frontal view, with the subject looking straight at
the camera. For
more detailed guidelines
-
A letter addressed to “BCIS Officer” that
explains your need for off-campus employment. You
should include as much supporting information with
this application as possible.
-
Passport, visa and I-94 card: Bring these to your
advising appointment so that copies can be made to
submit with your application.
Currcicular Practical Training
If you are required to complete a paid
internship or cooperative education experience as part
of a class that you are taking, or as part of your program
of study, then you can be authorized for this using
Curricular Practical Training, also known as CPT. Eligibility
requirements are the same, with the exception of graduate
students whose programs require immediate participation
in an internship/practical training, who may apply at
any time.
To apply for CPT, please make an appointment to visit
with the International Student Advisor.
Optional Practical Training
F-1
students in bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral
programs may apply for Optional Practical Training,
or OPT. This is a period of 12 months during which students
can gain work experience in their fields of study upon
completing a degree or while still completing that degree.
OPT can be done on a part-time basis or full-time basis,
but most students prefer to wait until completion of
an academic program and use the 12 moth period at once.
For more information, please read this list of
frequently
asked questions.
To apply, you will need to work with the International Student
Advisor. Before scheduling an appointment to meet with the
Advisor, please prepare the following items:
- USCIS
form I-765
- $340.00
filing fee
-
2 passport sized photos of yourself taken at a full
frontal view, with the subject looking straight at the
camera. For more detailed guidelines
-
Passport, visa and I-94 card: Bring these to your
advising appointment so that copies can be made
to submit with your application.
OPT Processing
Time Normally, OPT applications take
approximately 90 days to be processed. For the most
current processing times at the Nebraska Service Center,
where your OPT application will be processed, more
info.. click here
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