How to find a part time job
Doing part time jobs would definitely make student life easier. It offers many benefits, but the most practical is that it will help augment your monthly living expenses. However, you must be aware of the fact that it must be among the least of priorities in your list of options for finding ways to meet your financial ends. The order of importance should be as follows:
1) Research Assistantship
2) Teaching Assistantship
3) Scholarship
4) Part Time job
In this article, I’m going to talk about part time jobs. As an International Student, you are allowed to work 20 hours per week within the University campus. Any work outside the campus — like in gas stations, restaurants, hotels, motels, etc. — is considered as illegal. It may even lead to your deportation from the U.S.
I once had a friend who was working in an restaurant near his university. Once day, an International Student Advisor went to that restaurant for lunch, and he chanced upon my friend who waited the advisor’s table. A couple of days later, he went to IO for some paper works, and the same International Officer happened to meet him. He advised him to quit working at that restaurant immediately, so as not to suffer any adverse consequence. This happened a few years back.
Simply put, there is very good chance of getting deported back to India if you will be found working outside your campus. But do student tend to take such risk? Yes, of course. However, weighing its advantages and disadvantages, I really feel it is not worth the risk to take on off-campus jobs.
Requirements for Part-Time job:
If you don’t have an RA/TA, start looking for part time jobs on-campus from Day 1 you reach the U.S. This is because it will help you in many ways, like:
1) Part Time jobs will get you an SSN.
2) That will indirectly, help to get credit cards, driver’s license and build credit and driving history.
3) And above all, it will help pay for your monthly expenses.
To apply for part-time jobs, you would need:
- A concise one-page Resume.
- Know where to look for jobs.
- Know who is the right contact person for that job.
- Know a few seniors who have part time jobs, who are willing to give helpful pointers.
- Be proactive during job search.
In some schools, getting part time jobs is very difficult. This is the case especially when the number of International Students are high in a particular University. Also, not everyone will get an RA/TA. Likewise, the number of part-time jobs available tend to be very few. In situations where part-time jobs are scarce, you need to exert additional efforts in searching for all possible opportunities to find a job.
Some jobs will pay you like $10 per hour, whereas some offers a $6 per hour rate. You must look at all possible areas of part-time employment: Look for jobs in the University’s library, multimedia labs, computer labs, department offices, college cafe, football stadium, basketball grounds, administrative departments, registrar’s office, etc. I have heard that at Texas A&M @ College Station there is an RA position for feeding and observing research animals like pigs. Although this seems to be a dirty job, its salary is quite high: RAs are paid around $1,200 per month!
If you attend big schools in terms of students strength (> 35,000), you will have higher chances to find the part time job that you need. If there is a medical school in your campus, also try looking for jobs there, too.
I will be discussing more about the One Page Resume that I’ve mentioned in future posts. If you like this post, I would really appreciate if you could share some comments and suggestions. Thanks!
Hi, I am freshman in mountain view college, I heard that it is difficult to get on campus job in community college. Please if possible help me to find on campus job. Thank you.
it is difficult to take part time job only in university campus..we cant do out of it?
Outside jobs are not allowed.
Can anybody elaborate if scholarship web services like Fastweb are of any use or effectiveness for International students
Hi HSB !
Can i take up a web developement job in my home country when im in F1 visa? Im doin MS in CS already have good web dev experience. They will pay im my home country
As per F1 Visa rules, you can’t.
Sharath,
I am also in the same situation.I have a job to work remotely and they will pay to my indian account,Can i work like this on F1?
thanx a lot
what is t/a and r/a?
how can we get them?
please someone let me know about it
Really helpful post. Keep going!
Hey HSB, I’d like to thank you for this informative blog… I’ve a question, I got admission in Lamar University, Texas with a scholarship of $1000/- am I eligible for RA/TA or part time jobs…?
Yes, you are. Did you get instate fee?
yes.. they mentioned that.. “The scholarship package also entitles youÂ
to a waiver of out?of?state tuition.  The resulting estimate of savings to you by being able to pay in?state fees is over $5,000 per year”. And also they asked that “You are required to take LLIA 1301 ESL Composition I and BRDG 0363 Bridge Reading” what does that mean…?
don’t u think that on campus job will be difficult as most of the international students will go for job.
Ya it is a nice blog…….
your post is very helpful in understanding the various job opportunities and where to look for them.thank you soo much…
well hsb, i've been following your posts..and it's been of grt help to me.. Thank you very much.. however i'd like to know as how can one come to know of the RA/TA that are available in the university. I'll be happy if you can elaborate on this to me..
Thnks for the help in advance.
Hey I want to pursue my under graduation, would I be permitted to work on-campus simultaneously by studying? If so, how much would I be paid?
i am a final year student of mca(master of computer applications),i wan to do my MS in us, i have really poor back ground.tell me all fee details of ms,is there really part time jobs help full to me?i have average academic carriers
10(75),10+2(82),BSC(65),MCA(67),
So please advice me that am i eligible for grtting admitions in to ms?and is part time jobs are really help full to my carrier.
hi iam srinu…i have completed my B.Tech in IT…..i want to do MS in US….i did't wrote gre or toefl….i have written ielts…can i do MS in US in universities…please tell me
You need to taek GRE and TOEFL.
ucan go for toefl based universities…
or take gre if u need to opt for gud univ’s..
cant i work outside the campus, i am really poor @_@
this was very informative… plz tell me what are these RA/TA. SSN
RA – Research Assistant
TA – Teaching Assistant
SSN – Social Security No.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_numb…
good one..helped me a lot …i got d one which i exactly want..
Really nice one blog…
thanks a lot i really help everyone who goes to US ………………
Sir,
I am student doing my engg , planning to do my MS in US , as i am merit student want to now tht is it possible to study thr without my parents help? becoz i will be working in INDIA fr yr.
it is really helpfull………..thank u very much.
continue your work in this way.
Your blog is really very informative for international students,,,thnx for such a good work..
so helpful stuff…keep going.. i feel it is one of the best blogs on the internet to guide us aspirants.. i find every answer to my question in this blog… i need not search anywhere else.. thanks a lot..
thankyou … so helpful stuff…keep going.. i feel it is one of the best blogs on the internet to guide us aspirants.. i find every answer to my question in this blog… i need not search anywhere else.. thanks a lot..
Hai! guys.
Iam planning to do MS.I've applied for 3 universities.
1.University of Texas,Arlington
2.University of North Texas,Denton
3.FDU,Newjersey.
Guys.Please advice me which university to choose among above 3 univ's based on tution fee,quality of education,availability of scholarships and part-time jobs.
Really helpful… pls continue doing ur work… its gud.. all the best
Thanx a lot sir!..you are really doing a fabulous job. The inspiring students are getting a lot a valuable information from your this amazing blog.
great one…looking forward for the resume tips…speed it up man
Thanks your article really helped with a start point, see I have a freind from Bie Jing &… It's actually a long story… But thank you so much 🙂
If you want to know the rest of the story just email me.
Zai Jian
thanx a lot dude….
thank you,
for all the info u are giving everyone whose interested in studying in the US!all this matter is of grt help and is not found so easily on the net.actually this is the kind of stuff we are all lookin for.
keep up the good work.god bless!
higrt work and its very useful and i am also waiting for ur "job in India vs US.
Sure guys, will post about job in India vs Masters in U.S.
Hi Can u post about the job opportunities after MS(CS,other fields also).Is it worth the effort of resigning a current job and pursuing higher studies in US.
Pointing, good to see your post. I will post a sample 1 page resume. Infact its on my to-do list.
i really praise u r work, its really just awesome for the students who are aspiring to study in US
if u can post u r one page resume or samples of that kind it would be a gr8 thing for us to find a part time easily.
man o man all ur post r awesome….its really helpin…..can u tell me howto u post in blogspot the format,i knw content is ur exp but really cool style of formattin ns stuff…
good post man really helped me a lot waiting for ur another post
thanks a lot for ur post, it will really help me to get a part timejob in campus, and also u have cleared all my doubts about the of campus working.