Employment Resources
Please consult the resources before contacting OISS with OPT/CPT related questions. If you cannot find an answer to your questions in any of the resources below, please contact OISS to set up an appointment with one of our advisors.
Social Security Number
A Social Security Number (SSN) is generally assigned to an individual who is authorized to work in the United States. Social Security numbers are used to report your wages to the government and to determine eligibility for Social Security benefits. You must have a valid offer of employment to be eligible for a US Social Security number. Visit our Social Security Number page for more information.
On-Campus Employment
F-1 or J-1 students must make an appointment with OISS before accepting any job offer. Failure to do so may jeopardize one's visa status.
Students may work 20 hours per week on campus with OISS approval. Students must complete a Permission for On-Campus Employment form in MyStatus and submit it to OISS before accepting on-campus employment.
Off-Campus Employment & F-1 Curricular Practical Training
Eligibility
- Students must be in full-time status for nine months to be eligible for Curricular Practical Training (CPT).
- The internship must be an "integral" part of the curriculum for one's major course of study.
- The internship must have been offered prior to CPT being authorized.
- Students may only apply for CPT before completion of their study.
Application Process
- Proof of enrollment in an internship course
- Internship offer letter from employer stating:
- The direct pertinence of the internship to the student's major course of study
- Start and end date of the internship
- Full-time or part-time
- Employer name and address
Approval Process
Upon review of your application, OISS will issue a new SEVIS I-20 with the CPT Authorization
Things to Consider
Please note that use of full-time CPT for one year or more eliminates eligibility for 12 months Optional Practical Training (OPT). Use of part-time CPT does not affect the eligibility for Optional Practical Training.
International Student Taxes
REMINDER: All F-1 and J-1 students must file federal tax forms every year regardless if they have or have not earned income in the U.S. If you have earned any income at all in the U.S., you must file taxes.
All international students must complete and file Tax Form 8843 whether or not they have earned income in the U.S. All F-1 and J-1 students must file their taxes, even if they do not earn any income. Submitting your taxes on time can have a strong influence on your odds to obtain a Green Card or other non-student visas following your graduation.
Please refer to Sprintax for their Nonresident Tax Webinars for support in learning about this process.
For more information on federal tax and tax treaty, please visit the Internal Revenue Service. For information on state tax, please visit the Franchise Tax Board.
Tax Deadlines
- April 15: if you have earned income in the U.S. (including scholarships and aid),
- June 15: if you have not earned income in the U.S.
File Your Taxes Online Using Glacier
All students who work on campus and/or receive scholarships or assistantships must be entered into the Glacier Online Tax Compliance System. International students and scholars will receive an e-mail from support@online-tax.net containing a password and instructions on how to access the GLACIER Online Tax Compliance System. GLACIER is accessible via the Internet from any web-accessed computer from anywhere in the world. Once you receive your password and instructions, you must complete the information in GLACIER immediately. Upon completion of GLACIER registration, all international students, including law students, must submit the Tax Summary Report and W-4 to:
Amy Winger
Loyola Marymount University
1 LMU Drive, Suite 2200
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Telephone: (310) 338-5911
Email: amy.winger@lmu.edu
By registering with Glacier, you will enjoy the benefit of filing federal tax returns online.
Glacier tax assistance is only available to students registered with Glacier. Therefore, students who are not registered with Glacier but work on/off-campus may have to secure assistance for filing taxes. OISS provides general tax information and tax forms, but the OISS staff are not tax specialists. Therefore, we do not advise on taxes.