Economic Hardship

Economic Hardship
Prior to admission to the university and receiving your F-1 visa, you had to verify the ability to pay for your education and living expenses. Things can change, making it hard to meet expenses. This category of employment authorization recognizes that "unforeseen circumstances beyond the student's control" provide legitimate reasons to request off-campus work permission.

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Eligibility
If you can answer 'yes' to all of these questions, you may be eligible to apply for off-campus work authorization due to economic hardship:

What are "unforeseen circumstances beyond the student's control?" According to federal regulations, these include any of the following:

• If the university reduces or eliminates your financial aid through no fault of yours; that is, if budgets change, or a professor leaves and takes the research grant that paid you. This category could include the elimination of your on-campus job. It does not include losing your job through poor performance.
• If the university drastically raises its costs, or if living expenses suddenly increase. How much? The regulations do not define the size of the increase, but the bigger the increase, the better your claim.
• Unexpected and necessary expenses. The regulations discuss "other substantial or unexpected expenses" without defining them. These would need to be necessary expenses, such as medical bills or some type of emergency.
• An unexpected change in your financial source, which could be family, home government, or sponsor. Your father could lose his job, your government could devalue its currency, or a sponsor could decline further support. These circumstances, if legitimate, are all acceptable.

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Application Procedure

Write a letter to the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services(USCIS). This letter is your opportunity to convince USCIS that you have a legitimate claim. Include these items:

• a budget showing the cost of school and living expenses and an explanation of how you paid these costs;
• details about why your financial situation has changed and how this is causing you difficulty;
• an estimate of how long your difficulties will continue and how your possible earnings will solve your financial problems;
• any relevant evidence you have: letters from sponsors, reports on currency valuations, or other documentation to support your claim.

Complete the forms (Form I-765), Application for Employment Authorization).You can download this form online or pick up a copy at the ISP Office. Ccomplete items #1-16 and sign.

• Make an appointment with an International Student Advisor at the ISP Office. The advisor will discuss your situation, review your written materials, add a letter of support if needed, and issue you a new I-20 with the application for work authorization noted on page 3.

Address a large envelope to:

and include:

• your cover letter, along with supporting materials;
• Form I-765, including a fee, payable in check or money order to U.S. Citzenship and Immigration Services; (Do not send cash!)
• two small photos of you prepared according to USCIS specifications; (Lightly print your name in pencil on the back of both photos.)
• copy of your new and all past Form I-20s (both sides, showing an endorsement from your International Student Advisor);
• from your passport, include copies of the identity page, your F-1 visa, and Form I-94 (front and back);
• copy both sides of any previousEmployment Authorization Documents (EAD cards).

Results
Expect to wait about three months before receiving a response from USCIS. If your request is approved, you will receive an EAD card valid for up to one year. You may then begin working off-campus. You may not legally work off-campus before receiving your EAD. This authorization can be renewed by USCIS by going through this same process.

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