International Student Job Search FAQs
UNL Career Services mission is to bring talent (students) and opportunity (employers) together. We provide assistance in your job search and have counselors ready to aide you in the job search process.
Many on-campus opportunities provide valuable work experience and generally do not require any special approval. Seek opportunities that relate to your career area or that provide any opportunity to develop skills relevant to your career goals. (For example, perform technical work in computer or research labs, gain business skills through office work in a campus department.) For on campus positions, students apply for a position directly through the campus department. On campus jobs are listed in our free Husker Hire Link, job boards, on campus jobs, or through departments. The list below defines the various types of on campus jobs and assistantships.
What are graduate teaching or research assistantships?
Graduate Assistantships (GAs) are part-time jobs awarded to qualified students to assist them with the financial responsibilities associated with full-time enrollment in graduate school. Graduate assistants are generally awarded a tuition waiver for each semester they are employed. In addition, a monthly stipend is awarded for the duration of their employment as a graduate assistant. Graduate assistantships might be available through your academic department or other campus departments. Please consult the current Graduate Studies Bulletin for a detailed explanation of benefits and requirements. If you have questions, please contact the Fellowship Assistant at (402) 472-8670 or go to the Graduate Studies web site.
What is work-study? Do I qualify?
Federal work-study is a part of the federal financial aid program available only to students who are U.S. citizens. As an International student you will not qualify for work-study.
What about scholarships? Do I qualify?
Most UNL scholarships are available to U.S. citizens only. However, the Office of International Affairs has some scholarships available to international students. For more information, please contact the Office of International Affairs (emails iaffairs@unl.edu or phone 472-5358).
What are some work experience options for international students?
As an international student, you may want to gain work experience during your stay in the United States. While there is no guarantee U.S. employers will hire international students, there are work experience options of which you can take advantage.
Depending upon your visa status, you may or may not be eligible to work off campus. Employers may be identified through resources such as career fairs, job listing sites, and direct contact with employers. UNL offers a service called Husker Hire Link which provides access to employers through campus interviewing, job listings and resume referral.
Volunteer experiences are generally permitted and provide wonderful opportunities to gain knowledge of a career field and specific skills. (For example, gain marketing skills through a charitable organization, tutor to elementary students, or translate for a human services organization.) Short-term volunteer experiences are promoted through UNL Student Involvement. Longer-term volunteer experiences are promoted through UNL Career Services as non-paid internships. Organizations cannot hire an international student as an unpaid intern or volunteer if they generally would pay a U.S. citizen to do the same work.
Internships and cooperative education experiences (Curricular Practical Training) are permitted with some additional documentation. Curricular Practical Training (CPT) permits F-1 students to engage in employment in their major field of study during the course of their academic program. Such training must be an integral part of an established curriculum and must comply with certain requirements of immigration regulations.
As you prepare to graduate, you can look into a couple of options for post-graduation employment. One such option is called Optional Practical Training. Optional Practical Training enables an employer to hire an international student after graduation for work related to their course of study. Authorization is granted by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (CIS), formerly known as Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS).
Another option is the Specialty Occupation Visa. Employers intending to recruit and hire internationals have the option to petition for an H-1B visa (authorizing 1-6 years additional work in the U.S.) for the employee from the INS.
Do U.S. employers hire international students?
Yes and no. Some U.S. employers will hire international students, while other employers will not. Most employers can be classified into four categories:
- Those that want to hire international students because they might have international business dealings.
- Those that will consider hiring international students for positions for which they cannot find qualified U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
- Those that will only recruit and hire U.S. citizens or permanent residents because they do not wish to incur the expenses involved in hiring international students and sponsoring them for H-1B visas.
- Those employers who are unable to hire international students due to their relationship with the federal government (i.e. federal government agencies, government contractors, and defense contractors).
If an employer is open to the idea of hiring an international student, they may:
- Interview and hire the international student for curricular practical training (CPT) internship or an optional practical training (OPT) experience.
- After the student completes the CPT or OPT experience, the employer could decide to not continue their employment. If the employer decided they wanted to continue to employ the international student on a more permanent basis, they could sponsor the student and attempt to obtain a H1-B visa by completing all three of the steps below:
- Petitioning the government for an H-1B visa (authorizing 1-6 years additional work in the U.S.)
- Seeking approval from the United States Department of Labor which include documentation of attempts to hire a U.S. citizen for the position
- Hiring a lawyer and absorbing a variety of fees
Due to the expenses involved in sponsoring an employee for an H-1B visa, some employers will not hire international students into CPT or OPT positions. While UNL Career Services supports all UNL students, including international students, we cannot control an employer’s willingness to interview or hire international students.
Is there a list of employers who hire international students?
There is no comprehensive list of employers willing to hire international students. While one year an organization may hire international students, the next year they may choose not to or there might not be any openings. Instead of keeping an ever changing list, Career Services allows students to search job openings through the web site www.unl.edu./careers/.
How can I explain the options for hiring international students to an employer?
Career Services and International affairs have collaborated to produce an overview of the options. You may download it as a PDF and provide it to employers.
RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION
International Students: Gaining Career Experience in U.S.: Presentation given at Job Search Survival program.
Office of International Affairs: Provides more detailed information on employment, other compensation and reimbursement of foreign students and scholars at UNL.
International Job Listings: Resources for international students, jobs in other countries and ESL jobs in other countries.
Job Web: Provides an excellent overview of employer and student issues, including links to some helpful web sites.
