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Special Student Relief

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Special Student Relief

The US Department of Homeland Security has designated some countries for Special Student Relief (SSR). SSR suspends some rules regarding F-1 student enrollment and employment.

These are the countries currently designated for SSR, with a link to the notice in the Federal Register, which includes specific eligibility information:

Eligibility

SSR applies to F-1 students who meet all of the following conditions:

  • Are citizens of the designated country
  • Were lawfully present in the United States in an F-1 nonimmigrant status on the date listed in the Federal Register (linked above)
  • Are enrolled in an SEVP-certified school
  • Are currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status
  • Are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the crisis in their home country

Special Student Relief means that:

  • After approval from your ISS Advisor, you are eligible to seek on-campus employment of more than 20 hours/week.
  • You may apply for off-campus work authorization based on severe economic hardship. Read through the information at the link.
  • Undergraduate (Bachelor) students who work more than 20 hours/week on campus or are approved for off-campus work authorization can drop to 6 credit hours, with up to 3 credit hours of online credit counting towards full-time enrollment (with prior approval from your ISS advisor).
  • Graduate (Master, Doctorate, or Law) students who work more than 20 hours/week on campus or are approved for off-campus work authorization can drop to 3 credit hours, with up to 3 credit hours of online credit counting towards full-time enrollment (with prior approval from your ISS advisor).

Next steps:

If you think you are eligible for any of the above student relief, complete the Special Student Relief form and/or the Economic Hardship form.