Economic hardship off-campus work authorization is permission granted to F-1 students by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to work off-campus on the basis of “severe economic hardship due to unforeseen circumstances beyond the student’s control” [8CFR 214.2(f)(9)(ii)(c)]. 

Eligibility: 
 

• You have been in valid F-1 status for at least one academic year (two semesters). 
• You are experiencing severe economic hardship based on unforeseen circumstances (see below) that arose after you obtained F-1 status. 
• You are currently in good academic standing and are carrying a full course load. 
• Part-time Canadian border commuter students are not eligible for Economic Hardship work authorization. 
• Employment opportunities on campus are unavailable or insufficient. 
• Acceptance of employment will not interfere with your full-time study, which you will need to demonstrate in your letter of application with clear evidence.

What is “severe economic hardship”?
To qualify for receiving off-campus work authorization for economic hardship, a student must demonstrate that employment is necessary to avoid severe economic hardship due to unforeseen circumstances beyond the student’s control. 

According to 8 CFR § 214.2(f)(9)(ii) these circumstances may include, “loss of financial aid or on-campus employment without fault on the part of the student, substantial fluctuations in the value of currency or exchange rate, inordinate increases in tuition and/or living costs, unexpected changes in the financial condition of the student’s source of support, medical bills, or other substantial and unexpected expenses.”

Documents needed to apply: 
 

• Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, using the code: “(c)(3)(iii)” under item 16.
• Letter from the student, which explains the circumstances causing economic necessity as well as an explanation of why other employment options are unavailable or insufficient.
• Supporting documentation, such as a letter from home which explains the change in financial circumstances or proof of a currency devaluation in the student’s country.
• Copy of student’s Form I-94 (printed from I-94 website)
• Copy of the biographic information pages from the student’s passport
• Copy of any previously issued EAD (If applicable)
• Two (2) passport photos, which have been taken no more than 30 days prior to filing the Form I-765
• Check or money order for the $410 I-765 fee (see USCIS guidance for fee payment or waiver)
• Updated Form I-20 from DSO, which includes a recommendation for off-campus work authorization on Page 2.

Submitting your economic hardship work authorization to the USCIS: 
Mail applications with Form I-765 and all other materials mentioned above to the USCIS Lockbox Facility with jurisdiction over the student’s place of residence.

Use only U.S. Postal Service (USPS) First-Class and Priority Mail Express deliveries
If you need assistance on filing the application, please contact ISSS (isss@trinity.edu) to schedule an appointment to discuss your situation and the application procedure. You can also use the guideline above to file it on your own. You will need to obtain updated form I-20 from ISSS, which includes a recommendation for off-campus work authorization on Page 2.


How do I obtain an I-20 for my economic hardship authorization application?

Step 1: Login to your ISSS application on this site and verify that the copies of your Passport, Visa, I-94, and I-20 are current.

Step 2: Login your ISSS application and upload your letter of explanation about the severe economic hardship you are experiencing. Select the Documents tab and the ISSS Economic Hardship Docs option under Upload New Documents.

Step 3: Email ISSS (isss@trinity.edu) after finishing steps 1 and 2.

NOTE: ISSS will upload your new I-20 with the off-campus work request to your ISSS application.  Typical processing time is 5 business days from the time of request.