On-Campus Employment

On-campus employment must be performed either:

  • On the school’s premises, (including on-location commercial firms which provide services for students on campus such as the school bookstore or cafeteria), or
  • At an off-campus location that is “educationally affiliated” with the school.

Employment with on-site commercial firms, such as a construction company building a school building, which do not provide direct student services, is not considered on-campus employment.

In the case of off-campus locations, the “educational affiliation” must be:

  • Associated with the school’s established curriculum, or
  • Related to contractually funded research projects at the graduate level.

On-campus jobs are listed under ‘Cuse Works on Handshake. To look for an on-campus job, you must look on Handshake. International students need to realize that some on-campus jobs require a Federal Work Study Award for which international students are not eligible. Be sure to read all the requirements of positions you are applying for.

On-campus employment must not exceed 20 hours a week while school is in session.

You may work more than 20 hours a week during authorized school breaks but as an hourly employee, the University does not allow you to exceed a 40 hour per week on campus limit:

  • Summer 2024:  May 8 – Aug. 25, 2024
  • Fall Break 2024:  Oct. 14-Oct. 15, 2024-does not apply to College of Law students
  • Thanksgiving Break 2024: Nov. 24-December 1, 2024
  • Winter Break 2024-2025: Dec. 18, 2024 – Jan. 12, 2025
  • Spring Break 2025: March 9-16, 2025
  • Summer 2025:  May 7 – approximately Aug. 24, 2025 (to be determined)

See the Syracuse University Academic Calendar for official dates and dates into the future.

A student must be enrolled full-time for the current semester or be registered full-time for the upcoming semester if the semester has not yet begun. You must be registered for classes in order to use on-campus employment authorization to work on Syracuse University’s campus.

A student may not use on-campus employment authorization after completing a course of study. A student authorized for F-1 practical training or J-1 academic training may be able to be hired by Syracuse University in a job directly related to their field of study but it would not be through Student Employment.

The Immigration Reform and Control Act requires all U.S. employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all new employees, citizens and non-citizens alike.

By law, I-9 verification must be completed within the first three days of employment.  Even if you already have a social security number (SSN), you must still complete the I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification process.

You will be provided with instructions to complete an I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form by the Student Employment Office or Human Resources.

You will likely need to provide the following documentation to complete your I-9 for on-campus employment:

  • Original current I-20 or DS-2019
  • Passport
  • Printout of your electronic I-94
  • Your social security card (if you have one).

  • Your I-9 will remain valid until the end date that is indicated on your I-20 or DS-2019 form as long as you are a registered student. If you extend your I-20 or DS-2019, take your new I-20 or DS-2019 to the Student Employment Office, 210 Steele Hall, to update your I-9. If you complete your program of study before the program end date on your I-20, your on-campus employment authorization ends and you must stop working on campus unless you have other authorization to work (OPT).
  • If your employment changes from one Syracuse University department to another, it’s not necessary to complete an additional I-9 as long as Syracuse University remains your employer.
  • If you are an SU Athlete: Complete the Student-Athlete Employment Clearance Process at the Manley Field House Compliance Office and obtain a copy of your Student-Athlete Employment Clearance Form. You must submit a photocopy of your completed Student-Athlete Compliance Form to Student Employment when you complete your I-9.
  • If you are a J-1 student not sponsored by Syracuse University: Obtain a letter from your J Sponsor (e.g. IIE, AMIDEAST, IREX, Fulbright, LASPAU) approving your on-campus employment. You must submit a copy of this letter to Student Employment when completing your I-9.

You must complete the Foreign National Information System Form so that the University can properly withhold estimated taxes from your income or apply a tax treaty to your earnings. Payroll will send you a link to the Foreign National Information System Form shorty after you are hired. The data collected allows Syracuse University to determine your tax withholding status.

Any questions you may have regarding the form should be directed to Payroll at nratax@syr.edu.

The Center for International Services will not be able to answer questions related to this form.

If you do not have a social security number (SSN), you will have to apply for one since U.S. federal law requires all individuals employed in the U.S. to have an SSN. SSNs are used to track income so that it can be taxed properly. An SSN is not required to begin employment but must be obtained after being hired. See our information on applying for a social security number for more details.