1. Home
  2. Graduate Education Policies
  3. GSAD Administrative Policies
  4. GSAD-900 Other Graduate Education Policies
  5. GSAD-903 Assistantships and Employment for International Students

GSAD-903 - Assistantships and Employment for International Students

Icon illustration of a graduation cap

Academic Goal

To define additional assistantship and employment requirements specifically for international graduate students (students holding F1 or J1 visas).

Icon illustration of a check list with one box checked

Purpose

To define additional requirements for assistantships and employment for international students.

Icon illustration of a circle with a portion of it cut out as representing scope

Scope

All international graduate students.

Policy Statement

For international students, policies for assistantships or employment are the same as for domestic students (see GSAD-901), with the following distinctions:

  1. I-9 and W-4 forms must be processed through Penn State’s International Student and Scholar Advising (ISSA).
  2. Vacation period employment may be up to forty hours per week.
  3. Because Department of Homeland Security regulations on employment are subject to change, all off-campus employment for international students must be cleared through ISSA.

Further Information

GSAD-501 Credit Loads and Academic Status for Graduate Assistants

Revision History

  • March 25, 2022 - Editorial change to correct reference to GSAD-901 and update name of ISSA.
  • Updated: 4/15/2012
  • Adapted from Graduate Bulletin: June 2018