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Here you will find information on applying for a Social Security Number, driving in Pennsylvania, and how to obtain a license, applying for a Reduced Course Load, program extensions, and work options. For more detailed information, do not hesitate to contact the OIP at oip@arcadia.edu.
International students are only eligible for a Social Security Number (SSN) once they have secured employment in the U.S. Students are not eligible for an SSN if they are not working.
After you receive an SSN, it is important to remember that you will need to pay taxes, this happens every April. It is also very important to keep your SSN safe. DO NOT carry your social security card with you. It is best to memorize your SSN and leave it in a safe place. Once you obtain an SSN, it is yours for life. If you lose your Social Security Card, you will need to contact the Social Security Administration for a replacement.
The Social Security Administration has two offices near campus:
701 E Chelten Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19144
2 Penn Center Suite 2000B
1500 John F. Kennedy Blvd
Philadelphia, PA 19102
The Social Security Office is open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 3:30 PM.
If you are looking to apply for a credit card or driver's license but do not qualify for an SSN, you will need to obtain a Letter of Ineligibility from the Social Security Administration. To obtain this, you will bring your passport, visa, I-20/DS-2019, and most recent I-94 to the Social Security Administration's office listed above and request a 'Letter of Ineligibility'.
New students must wait 14 days after SEVIS Registration is complete in order to apply for an SSN.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) requires that non-immigrants entry documents (I-20/DS-2019) be valid for at least one year into the future in order to apply for a Pennsylvania State ID or a driver's license. Therefore, those approaching the end of their program will need to wait for OPT approval or until they have new I-20s for continued education before applying/renewing a license.
New students must wait 14 days from their SEVIS check-in before they are eligible to apply for a driver's license or state ID. More information is available on the DMV website.
If you have never driven a vehicle in PA, you will first apply for a Learner’s Permit and take a written test. After learning how to drive, applicants then take a road test to obtain a driver’s license. The driver’s license application also includes a physical exam that can be conducted at a doctor’s office.
Students must bring the following items when applying:
Students must apply in person at any DMV that offers Driver’s License/Learner’s Permit Services. Locations and operating hours can be found online.
As an F-1/J-1 visa holder, students are required to enroll in a full-time course of study every semester. For undergraduate students, this is 12-credits, and graduate students this is 9-credits. Students are not required to enroll in any summer courses unless the academic program requires it.
In certain circumstances there can be an exception to this requirement:
With an F-1 visa, international students can obtain authorization for the following types of work: Pre-Completion OPT, Optional Practical Training (OPT), STEM OPT, Curricular Practical Training (CPT), and on-campus positions. Students are not permitted to work off-campus unless it is authorized. Please discuss your options with OIP before starting any sort of work.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as, "alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum which is offering by sponsoring employees through cooperative education with the school". Therefore, CPT is intended to provide F-1 students the opportunity to obtain work experience in the U.S. where it serves as an integral part of a student's academic program and established curriculum, prior to the completion of that program.
Only students who have work experience as a required component of their program are eligible to apply for CPT.
Employment under curricular practical training (CPT) is available to an F-1 student who has been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis for a minimum of one academic year. CPT includes internships, practicum, research, and clinical rotations. If a student engages in unlawful employment, they are no longer eligible for practical training.
It is important to note that students must apply for CPT prior to starting work. Working without authorization is a violation of the F-1 visa and may lead to deportation.
Students do not need any work authorization to work on Arcadia's campus. Undergraduates looking to work on campus should talk to staff in the Office of Student Accounts. They will help you find a placement. Once you have secured work, if you already have a social security number, there is no documentation you need to submit to OIP. If you need to obtain an SSN, please see the section detailing how to apply for one. It is important to note that international students are not eligible for positions categorized as "work-study".
Graduates can work on campus as Graduate Assistants. Graduate Assistants are considered contractors and work on personal projects that a department will identify. If you are interested in being a Graduate Assistant, you can talk to Lindsay McGann in the Graduate Studies office. She will post your resume for departments to view and consider. Once you have secured work, if you already have a social security number, there is no documentation you need to submit to OIP. If you need to obtain an SSN, please see the section detailing how to apply for one.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is available to an F-1 student who has been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis for a minimum of one academic year. If a student has engaged in unlawful employment, they are no longer eligible for practical training. OPT allows a student who has successfully completed their degree to participate in one year of work authorization directly related to their major. There are several different kinds of OPT. Pre-Completion, Post-Completion, and STEM.
The application process can be daunting, but OIP is here to help. The earliest a student can apply for OPT is 90-days prior to degree completion. Students should use a calendar to determine what this day is exactly. Application for OPT can take up to 90 days. Students can apply up to 90 days before the end date of the I-20 or up to 60 days after the end date of the I-20. Most students apply for OPT to begin after degree completion, but it is possible to begin before graduation. However, students can only work up to 20 hours per week while classes are in session but can work full-time during school breaks.
When students are ready to apply for OPT, collect the following document:
US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Attn: AOS
2501 S. State Hwy. 121 Business, Suite 400
Lewisville, TX 75067
Students who obtain a degree in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) as defined by STEM Designated Degree List, are employed by employers enrolled in the E-Verify system, and have received initial approval of Post-OPT, can apply for a 24-month STEM OPT Extention. Students should check the code listed under "Primary Major" on their I-20 and cross-reference it with the STEM Designated Degree List to ensure eligibility.
Students must apply for STEM OPT prior to the end of their Post-OPT end date. USCIS accepts applications 90-days prior to the end date of Post-OPT. Applications must be received by USCIS prior to the OPT end date. Students are encouraged to self-monitor this and use a calendar calculator to determine the application opening date.
When students are ready to apply for STEM OPT, collect the following document:
The start date of STEM OPT is automatically set to the day after your Post-OPT ends. The end date will be 24 months later and it is not possible to shorten or extend this.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Attn: AOS
2501 S. State Hwy. 121 Business, Suite 400
Lewisville, TX 75067
On average, it takes 90 days for USCIS to review OPT petitions and make a decision. Only the applicant will be notified of the decision made by USCIS; OIP will not be notified. When the petition has been approved, the applicant will receive notice in the mail in addition to the Employment Authorization Document, or EAD. Students cannot begin working until they received the EAD and the start date listed on the card occurs. It is extremely important that students keep their official documents, including the EAD in a secure place.
Once a student secures work, they should submit their offer letter to OIP so the information can be input in SEVIS. This will stop the unemployment calculator. Students will also receive an email from SEVP to activate a student SEVIS account so they can input the information themselves.
During OPT, students are permitted 90 days of unemployment. After 90 days of unemployment, the student’s SEVIS record and F-1 status will auto-terminate. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate with OIP with any questions about positions that satisfy the “employment” criteria. OIP will then issue a new I-20 that details the employer's information.
6 Royal Avenue
Phone: 215-572-2867
Fax: 215-517-2399
Email: oip@arcadia.edu
Arcadia University
Office of International Programs
450 S. Easton Road
Glenside, PA 19038