International Student Employment

Students and scholars in F-1 and J-1 visa status who are legally employed are required to obtain a Social Security Number (SSN) for payroll identification purposes.

Please keep the following in mind:

• You may only obtain an SSN if you have been offered a paid position and have obtained work authorization for that position. If you are not employed, you are not permitted to obtain an SSN.
• An SSN does not give you the legal authority to work. Work authorization is dependent on your visa status, and you should always contact ISSS at [email protected] to obtain work authorization before starting a position.
  • Working without appropriate authorization is a serious violation of your immigration status that can result in loss of status, the need to leave the U.S. and/or the loss of eligibility for future benefits and statuses.
• The earliest you can request an SSN is 30 days before a position starts.  
  • You are only required to apply for an SSN once.
  • New students who have recently arrived in the U.S. must also complete new student arrival reporting before applying for an SSN.
    • Note: There may be up to three to 10 business day waiting period from when your SEVIS record is activated by ISSS to when the Social Security Administration receives your information in their federal system, which allows you to apply for an SSN.
       

How to obtain an SSN

Step 1: Obtain an Employment Verification Letter from your supervisor

You must ask your supervisor for an employment verification letter that contains the following information:

• Your full name
• A description of the employment
• Your anticipated or actual start date  
  • Remember: The earliest you can request an SSN is 30 days before a position starts.
• Number of hours you are expected to work
• Employer identity number (EIN)
• Employer contact information, including a telephone number and the name of your immediate supervisor
• Verification of employment status (such as a statement that you have been hired)

The letter must be on official letterhead and contain an original signature in ink, with the name of the person who signed the document and the date printed below the signature. Digital signatures and printed photocopies will not be accepted.

If you have already started a job, you must also be prepared to show a recent pay stub that includes your name and identifies the employer.

Here is a sample Employment Verification Letter you can use to draft a letter with your employer.

Step 2: Request a Status Letter from ISSS

Please follow these instructions:

1. Log into AccessISSS via the AccessISSS portal or the Sunapsis app (available on the App Store and Google Play).
2. Select “Social Security Status Letter Request” from the EForm menu.
3. Complete the form and upload supporting documents.  

Note: Visit the AccessISSS Instructions page for detailed guidance on using AccessISSS, including how to upload files.

ISSS will send updates on your request to your UAlbany email address. Please allow up to five to seven business days for processing.

Step 3: Apply for an SSN with the Social Security Administration

Once you have a letter from your employer and a letter from ISSS, please complete the Online Social Security Number Application and save your case number at the end.

Next, you must call the national hotline, 1-800-772-1213, to schedule an in-person appointment at the local Social Security Administration (SSA) office:

• Location: O’Brien Federal Building (11A Clinton Avenue, Room 430, Albany, NY 12207)
• Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays

Please gather the following original documents (not photocopies) and bring them to your appointment:

• A valid (unexpired) passport
• A photocopy of your unexpired I-94 record
• An I-20 or DS-2019
• The original, signed employment verification letter from your employer
• The letter from ISSS
• A pay stub, if you have already begun working
• The case number for your submitted Online Social Security Number Application
• Your current Employment Authorization Document (EAD card) if you are completing Optional Practical Training (OPT)

Step 4: Provide your SSN to your Human Resources Office

You will receive your SSN card in the mail about three to six weeks after applying. Upon receipt, bring the SSN card to your employer’s Human Resources office.

Do not share your SSN with others. It should only be shared with individuals who have a legitimate purpose to know it, such as your Human Resources office.
 

How to obtain a letter of ineligibility

There are several reasons why a student or scholar may need to prove ineligibility. One example is to obtain a New York State driver license.

If you need proof that you are ineligible for an SSN because you are not employed, you must call the national hotline, 1-800-772-1213, to schedule an in-person appointment at the local Social Security Administration (SSA) office:

• Location: O’Brien Federal Building (11A Clinton Avenue, Room 430, Albany, NY 12207)
• Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays

Please gather the following original documents (not photocopies) and bring them to your appointment:

• A valid (unexpired) passport
• A valid (unexpired) F-1 or J-1 visa
• A photocopy of your unexpired I-94 record
• An I-20 or DS-2019
• An enrollment verification certificate from the Registrar’s Office

Students must distinguish between a volunteering opportunity and an unpaid experience (such as an internship, practicum or field placement) because unpaid experiences typically require prior authorization.|
 

Volunteering

Volunteering refers to donating time with an organization whose primary purpose is charitable, civic or humanitarian in nature. The activity must also meet all the following criteria:

• There is no expectation of compensation.
• The volunteer does not displace a genuine employee.
• The position would not be paid if the individual had work authorization.
• The volunteer has not been previously paid for the services they provide.
• The volunteer does not expect to be hired and paid in the future for the services they provide.

For example, it would be acceptable to volunteer at a soup kitchen or donate time with the American Red Cross.

You do not need authorization to volunteer your time in a charitable, civic or humanitarian capacity. However, we recommend you get documentation from the organization explaining the nature of your volunteering work and keeping that documentation with your other immigration records.

Visit the U.S. Department of Labor website for additional guidance on what constitutes legitimate volunteer activities.
 

Unpaid Experiences

An internship, practicum or field placement — whether paid or unpaid — is designed to provide you with work experience related to your major or field of study.

An unpaid internship, practicum or field placement must meet all the following criteria must be met for to be considered a legitimate unpaid experience (and not employment below minimum wage, in violation of U.S. Department of Labor laws):

The experience is similar to training that would be given in an educational environment, even though it includes actual operations at the employer’s facilities.

The experience is for the benefit of the intern.

The intern does not displace regular employees but works under close supervision of existing staff.

The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern, and on occasion, its operations may actually be impeded.

The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship.

The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.

Visit the U.S. Department of Labor website for additional guidance on legitimate unpaid experiences.

CPT Authorization for Unpaid Experiences

F-1 students must obtain Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization before participating in an unpaid experience.  

If an unpaid experience changes to a paid one or the organization wants to offer you compensation, but the experience was authorized as CPT, you cannot accept the payment.

Failing to obtain CPT authorization or accepting compensation after a CPT authorization may jeopardize your status. 

J-1 students must obtain an on-campus employment authorization letter from ISSS or their program sponsor before beginning an on-campus job.

If you are sponsored by a third-party, such as Fulbright, please contact your J-1 sponsor to request the authorization letter.

If you are sponsored by UAlbany, please follow these instructions:

1. Log into AccessISSS via the AccessISSS portal or the Sunapsis app (available on the App Store and Google Play).
2. Select “J-1 On Campus Employment Authorization Letter” from the EForm menu.
3. Complete the form and upload supporting documents.  

Note: Visit the AccessISSS Instructions page for detailed guidance on using AccessISSS, including how to upload files.

ISSS will send updates on your request to your UAlbany email address. Please allow up to five to seven business days for processing. 

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is a formal, written agreement between two parties. In this case, it is an agreement between a UAlbany department or office and an external agency that establishes a formal connection or relationship between the two entities.  

Many MOU agreements specify that students employed by the agency are employed under this relationship and considered to be student employees of the University.

If a student is employed in an eligible position under a MOU, the employment may be considered on-campus employment.  

Note: ISSS does not verify or facilitate MOU agreements in any way.

If you are asked to complete an I-9 anywhere other than UAlbany's Human Resources office, you must contact ISSS at [email protected] before beginning any employment. You are responsible for verifying and providing documentation of a MOU agreement.

For detailed information, please review ISSS’s Information regarding MOUs and Other Agreements for F-1 International Students.