We understand there are obstacles to employment and getting valuable experience as an international student studying in the U.S. We have collected a list of resources that will help you understand your employment rights and help you with your job and internship search. While this is not a complete list, it may give you some ideas to get started with. If you would like further assistance, please make an appointment with a career advisor.
Know Your Employment Rights
It is important to know your legal rights in the workplace. These cover topics like illegal interview questions and discrimination. These issues can be challenging to figure out on your own. As always, if something is unclear, we’re happy to discuss and help you understand these resources.
- U.S. Immigration Services – Students and Employment
- Study in the States DHS – F/M Student Employment
- Study in the States – Volunteering In the United States
- The U.S. Department of Labor – Guidelines for Unpaid Internships
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Workers Rights – Washington State
- Washington State Human Rights Commission – File a Complaint
Getting Experience
If you are finding that you lack experience for the opportunities you are interested in, consider building experience in different ways. The following page has some ideas.
What you can legally engage in, in the U.S., will depend on your visa and work authorization. If you have F-1 or J-1 status, any off-campus employment must be authorized or you risk violation of your visa requirements. Work with a career advisor and the Global Student Services website to discuss possible options for your unique situation.
Job & Internship Search Resources
In addition to this list, see our Online Search page for general online job boards. Also, see our Professional Networking page to learn about finding opportunities through your relationships.
- MyVisaJobs.com
- Internationalstudent.com – Job Search
- EWU Student Employment – Info for International Students seeking on-campus jobs
- CareerForum – English-Japanese bilingual career forums
- US Department of Labor Office of Foreign Labor Certification – The reports include employers in the U.S. that sponsored visas that year.
- OPTNation.com – Top Companies that Hire International Students and Sponsor H1B
Fellowship, Internship, and Professional Scholar Programs
These programs are funded opportunities that help you gain experience in your future career. They look great on your resume and show your commitment to your field. You can also access important professional networks that will help you with your job search when the fellowship or program is over.
Here are some, but not all, opportunities available for International Students. If you have OPT or CPT, work with the Global Student Services website to make sure opportunities you are thinking of applying for won’t negatively effect your OPT or CPT.
- Amelia Earhart Fellowships (Zonta International Foundation) – The US $10,000 Fellowship is awarded annually to up to 35 women pursuing Ph.D./doctoral degrees in aerospace engineering and space sciences.
- American Association for University Women – International Fellowships and Grants
- Goldman Sachs Internships
- Microsoft Internships and Scholarship Programs – Eligibility for International Students depends on the opportunity.
- NASA Intern and Fellow Opportunities for International Students
- Smithsonian Fellowships
Educational Articles/Resources
These resources will help you learn how to direct your college experience toward specific goals. They also provide general information about identity and the workplace.
Organizations/Associations
Join or research a few professional organizations. You’ll meet other people in your community and field who can share their knowledge and perspective. This will give you a better understanding of your identity in the workplace.
We encourage you to search for associations in relation to your field of interest. For instance, you could do a Google search for “Professional Associations for Engineering” if Engineering is your field of interest.
Other On-Campus Resources
