Work Restrictions
Both F-1 and J-1 students are eligible to work on campus only. J-1 students must obtain permission from the Responsible Officer in International Student Development (ISD) before they start working. When classes are in session, you may work up to twenty (20) hours per week. If you have more than one job, be sure that your total working hours do not exceed this twenty (20) hour limit. During official school breaks (Spring & Fall Break, Reading Week, etc.) and summer session only, students may work full time only when they are not taking classes.
Unauthorized employment can result in immediate termination and deportation without the opportunity for reinstatement. There are no second chances granted.
F-2 spouses cannot work and cannot receive income for any help given.
J-2 spouses may be eligible to work if they receive approval first from the US government. J-2 spouses who are working are not permitted to use any of their income to pay for the J-1 student’s school or living expenses for the student of the family. Their income may be used for things such as: paying school fees for their children, travel back to their home country, etc.
On-Campus Work in Dallas
F-1 and J-1 students may begin employment up to thirty (30) days prior to the start of classes. All on-campus employment inquiries should be directed to the DTS Employee Success office.
J-1 students must receive permission to work on campus from International Student Development each July.
Employment is limited to twenty (20) hours per week during the fall and spring semester.
You cannot begin applying for on-campus jobs at Dallas Theological Seminary until you have relocated to Dallas. In accordance with SEVIS, incoming transfer students may only begin on-campus employment after their new I-20 Form has being issued by Dallas Theological Seminary.
A general rule to go by is that it does not count as an on-campus job if you are not required to fill out paper work with Employee Success at DTS. Some jobs occurring on the Dallas campus are independent contracting jobs; these normally do not count as on-campus employment (however, Hope Coffee is one of those exceptions). Please check with International Student Development if you have questions regarding on-campus employment or a job that you believe may be closely affiliated with DTS.
Off-Campus Work
Students may not work off campus. Under rare and exceptional circumstances (or CPT/OPT), off campus employment may be granted with approval from the US Government through International Student Development. All forms of service for which payment is received (including reduced rent, babysitting, gift cards, honorariums, etc.) are considered employment. Except for on-campus employment or authorized off-campus employment, it is illegal for you or your spouse to provide any kind of service (work) with the expectation of reduced rent or some other gain.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT) is a structured educational program which combines classroom learning with productive work experience in a field related to a student’s academic program. CPT is available to F-1 students who are in programs that require an internship, apprenticeship, or practicum.
DTS only authorizes CPT for international students who are in programs that require an internship, apprenticeship, or practicum. This authorization is given only for the duration of the internship program. MABC practicum students will need to apply for CPT prior to each semester they are enrolled in their practicum course. Please keep in mind that DTS will not extend an I-20 for a student to complete their internship. Therefore, please be sure to enroll in your internship and apply for CPT with enough time to complete your internship requirements.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
- You must be lawfully enrolled full-time as an F-1 student for at least 1 academic year (2 consecutive semesters) immediately prior to the semester CPT begins.
- Currently enrolled in an internship course or practicum course.
- Be in good academic standing with DTS.
- Not have completed the requirements for your degree.
- Meet the DTS internship or practicum requirements.
- Continue to maintain status for the duration of CPT.
CPT authorization is required for F-1 students whether the internship is paid or unpaid. If a student is engaging in unpaid activities that could be considered “employment” under labor laws, they are considered “employed.” If an unpaid internship is not authorized as CPT or OPT, F-1 students are risking their immigration status. The result of unauthorized employment is termination.
Please contact ISD if you are considering an internship. In addition, some forms of volunteer service can be considered employment under US labor laws. If you have questions about your service at a church or organization, please contact ISD at internationaloffice@dts.edu.
- Internship courses while on CPT are considered part of an F-1 student’s face-to-face course requirement.
- Engaging in CPT requires students to remain enrolled full-time at the school for the entire duration of their internship.
Government regulations require F-1 students to maintain their visa status for the entire duration of authorized CPT. This means that a student must be enrolled in a full course of study during their internship.
Most internships at DTS last for 1 calendar year. However, a student is only enrolled in their internship for 1 semester. Therefore, F-1 students must be enrolled in 9 credit hours each semester of their internship, but their internship can only count toward their full time enrollment the first semester of their internship.
F-1 Students
CPT is available to F-1 students who are in programs that require an internship, apprenticeship, or practicum. F-1 students who apply for internships, and are eligible for CPT authorization, are providing implicit consent for ISD to update their SEVIS record with the CPT employment.
J-1 Students
DTS no longer accepts students on J-1 visas.
Apply for CPT
Internship students
Most DTS programs require students to do an internship. The length of the internship and the requirements for the internship are different for each program. Please be sure to check with your academic adviser to ensure that you meet the requirements for the internship.
Internship Process
1. Meet all degree requirements to begin internship.
2. Select an internship site. For more information on selecting a site, please visit the Ministry Formation web page.
3. Complete the Internship Application.
4. After Ministry Formation has approved your internship, submit a hard copy of your application to ISD.
5. Receive CPT approval and pick up your new I-20.
6. Register for your internship.
Please see the chart below to determine the duration of your internship.
| Program | Duration |
| ThM | 3 semesters (1 calendar year) |
| MACL | 3 semesters (1 calendar year) |
| MACE | 2 consecutive semesters |
| MACM | 2 consecutive semesters |
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a form of temporary employment authorization for eligible F-1 students.
Post-completion OPT allows F-1 students to work anywhere in the United States, as long as the employment is directly related to one’s program of study (emphasis or concentration). For DTS students, that means your OPT must be ministry related.
A Designated School Official (DSO) may recommend post-completion OPT in SEVIS, but students must apply for the work permit with the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).
If the government approves post-completion OPT, USCIS will issue an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Students may begin working on the EAD start date, if they have a social security card and have updated their SEVIS record. The student must not begin working before the start date on the EAD.
Eligibility Criteria
You can apply for OPT if you:
- Are an F-1 visa student in good standing with DTS
- Have been continuously enrolled full time for at least one academic year
- Are eligible to complete OPT
- Students who have completed twelve (12) or more months of full time CPT at the masters-level (DTS or elsewhere) are not eligible for OPT at the masters level
- Students who have completed twelve (12) months of masters-level OPT at another school are not eligible for additional OPT at the masters level
Timeline
The earliest you can apply for post-completion OPT is ninety (90) days before your program end date on your I-20. USCIS will discard any OPT request received ninety-one (91) days or more prior to a person’s program end date.
Post-completion OPT typically takes at least ninety (90) days to be adjudicated (to know whether your OPT was approved or not by the USCIS).
USCIS must receive your OPT request no later than the last date of your grace period sixty (60) days after your program end date. You cannot request OPT once your sixty (60) day grace period has expired.
The start date of post-completion OPT can be any date within the sixty (60) day grace period after the program end date on your I-20.
You cannot request a start date for post-completion OPT after the sixty (60) day grace period.
Once this grace period is passed, you will start accruing unlawful presence days if your OPT has not been approved.
If you have submitted your post-completion OPT application to USCIS, you can remain in the United States after your 60 day grace period has ended as long as your application is pending.
AVOID TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES BETWEEN YOUR PROGAM END DATE AND THE START OF YOUR OPT.
People with approved post-completion OPT cannot be unemployed for more than ninety (90) total days during the approved OPT. Unemployment days will begin on the EAD start date if the student does not enter their employment into SEVIS. If a student leaves a position or is fired, then unemployment dates will be accrued until appropriate employment is found and entered into SEVIS.
The EAD is terminated any time a person accrues ninety (90) days of unemployment. It is imperative that you maintain your employment status in SEVIS.
You are authorized to work for a maximum of twelve (12) months with post-completion OPT. The EAD end date is your final day to work on OPT. A sixty (60) day grace period is authorized at the end of your OPT.
How to Apply
Please review the OPT information on the Study in the States website before starting this process.
The form below is only to request post-completion OPT from Dallas Theological Seminary. You as the student are still responsible to actually apply for post-completion OPT with the US government. After completing the form below, you will still need to complete the remaining steps on this page.
Please submit this form 7-10 business days before you intend to submit your request to USCIS. International Student Development needs to review your request, submit information into SEVIS, and provide you with a new OPT I-20.
NOTE: USCIS must receive your application within thirty (30) days of the date DTS staff enter your OPT request into SEVIS. Any request received after this date will be discarded and the process begins again, if time remains to request OPT.
Complete this form to request employment authorization and an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
We know the I-765 application can be overwhelming, but do not let it scare you. The University of Texas at Dallas has made an excellent video which overviews step-by-step how to fill out this application. While this is for another school, the vast majority of the information communicated in this video is applicable to DTS students. Click the image below to be taken to this eight minute video (outside website).
Important instructions related to this application:
- Item #5 – Address Where USCIS Will Send Information
- If you are not moving: Use your current address (you are responsible to update USCIS if you move)
- If you are moving within the Dallas area: 3909 Swiss Ave. c/o International Student Development, Dallas, TX 75204
- If you are moving outside of the Dallas area: Use the address of a trusted friend or the place you intend to work
- Item #27 – Eligibility Category
- Use (c)(3)(A) for pre-completion Optional Practical Training – unusual for DTS
- Use (c)(3)(B) for post-completion Optional Practical Training – normal for DTS
We highly recommend you file form I-765 online at https://www.uscis.gov/i-765
ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR THE USCIS OPT APPLICATION
- Copy of your new OPT I-20 (issued by International Student Development and signed by you)
- Copies of all other I-20s (all previous and current from all institutions attended)
- Copy of your valid passport (you must renew if expired or expiring within six months); make sure the copy is clear – a color copy is best
- Copy of your F-1 visa
- Copy of your I-94 form – available at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home
- Copy of a Previous EAD card (applicable only to those who have been granted previous special work permission from the US government)
- Two passport size photos
This is a very important process, so have a friend or spouse review your entire application packet to make sure it is completely filled out before submitting.
REMEMBER
- The US government will not accept your post-completion OPT paperwork if it is more than ninety (90) days before your program end date on your I-20.
- The US government will not accept your post-completion OPT paperwork after your sixty (60) day grace period expires.
- The US government will not accept your post-completion OPT paperwork if it is more than thirty (30) days after your recommendation from DTS is entered into SEVIS.
- The US government will mail a letter or return your post-completion OPT paperwork if it is incomplete or errant. In this case, you will need to notify International Student Development so a new post-completion OPT request can be made. This can happen only during the sixty (60) day grace period after your program end date.
- You may only complete twelve (12) months of OPT at any educational level. You may only do OPT once as a master’s level student in the US (whether you were at DTS or not).
Reimbursement for Christian Ministry
Often, churches and similar non-profit ministries in Dallas or Houston like to give financial compensation in exchange for ministry help. Under your non-immigrant status, this is illegal to accept unless this is contracted under CPT or OPT. For additional information regarding CPT or OPT, see Study in the States.
Unless you make arrangements with International Student Development, it is not permissible to take a regular salaried position in a church or ministry. If a church or any other tax-exempt ministry offers you employment, you should ask the church or ministry to change your visa to ‘Religious Worker’ (R-1). The ministry would do this through the services of an immigration lawyer. Your employer would submit the required application, not DTS; once approved, you would then be able to work full time in that position, but could only study at DTS part time – pending approval by your employer – and would have a different set of restrictions and freedoms. Please see International Student Development for details.
