International Programs

It is very important NOT to participate in any type of off-campus employment unless authorized by International Student and Faculty Services (ISFS) and/or the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. As an F-1 or J-1 student, you may be eligible to engage in a temporary internship or off-campus employment to gain practical experience in your field of study, before or after the completion of your studies. If you are interested in off-campus employment, you should plan to attend an employment information session or make an appointment with an international student advisor before accepting an employment offer. To make an appointment with an advisor or to attend an information session, please call the International Program's receptionist at 541-737-3006.

The following links provide detailed instructions and application forms to request authorization.

• F-1 Visa Practical Training - An Overview (pdf)
• Curricular Practical Training - CPT (pdf)
• Optional Practical Training - OPT (pdf)
• Academic Training (J-1 student visas only) (pdf)

Social Security
F-1 and J-1 students must have a job offer (or an employment authorization document) and a letter of support from International Student and Faculty Services in order to apply for a social security number. International students and scholars applying for an original, replacement, or corrected social security card must apply in person at the Social Security office. The closest Social Security office is in Albany, Oregon, a city located 12 miles east of Corvallis.

The application for a social security number (Form SS-5) is available on the web or at the Social Security office. Upon submitting the application, be sure to request a receipt as it can take 4-8 weeks to receive your social security card by mail. The receipt will be helpful as you sign up with OSU payroll.

Social Security Number(Application Instructions - pdf)