ISSC Economic-Hardship Student Relief

Unforeseen circumstances

• Loss of financial support or on-campus employment.
• 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 your source of support, such as loss of a family business.
• Excessive medical bills.

Employment benefits

• The employment authorization is granted by USCIS in increments of one year at a time.
• The authorization allows you to work for any employer up to 20 hours per week while school is in session.
• The authorization allows you to work for any employer more than 20 hours per week during official school breaks and the annual vacation semester (summer).
• This employment does not affect your eligibility for Optional Practical Training (OPT).
• Employment authorization is automatically terminated if you graduate, fail to maintain status or transfer to another school.

Eligibility requirements

• You have been in F-1 status for one full academic year.
• You are in good academic standing and are meeting the full-time enrollment requirements.
• You can demonstrate that the employment is necessary to avoid severe economic hardship due to unforeseen economic circumstances beyond your control.
• You can demonstrate that on-campus employment is either unavailable or insufficient to meet the needs that have arisen as a result of the unforeseen circumstances.
• You can demonstrate that acceptance of employment will not interfere with your studies and ability to maintain full-time enrollment.

How to apply

To be eligible to apply for the Severe Economic Hardship work authorization through USCIS, you must obtain a new I-20 with a specific recommendation for the authorization. To apply for the I-20, you must first meet with an immigration advisor to discuss your situation and interest in applying for Severe Economic Hardship work authorization.

After meeting with an advisor, they will send you a link for the Severe Economic Hardship eForm so you can request the I-20.

• The eForm requires you to submit:
• Your most recent I-94.
• Your current passport.
• Copies of your two most recent bank statements (from the past two months).
• Personal statement explaining the unforeseen economic circumstances, and how employment is necessary to avoid severe economic hardship. You must include information as to why on-campus employment is unavailable or insufficient to meet the needs that have arisen as a result of the unforeseen circumstances.

Submitting your application to USCIS

If your Severe Economic Hardship I-20 request is approved, you may proceed with filing your application with USCIS.

Please note: Your application must be received by USCIS within 30 days of the date your I-20 was issued

Filing your application

Applying for Severe Economic Hardship authorization cannot be done online through USCIS; you must submit a paper application with the following documentation:

• Form I-765 (completed and signed), with eligibility category (c)(3)(iii) (question 27 of the form) filled in.
• Go to the I-765 website and download the most recent version of the PDF form.
• Type in the PDF, do not handwrite (except for the signature on page 4, which must be signed in black ink).
• Form I-765 filing fee paid by money order, personal check, cashier’s check or credit card using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions. If you pay by check, you must make your check payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
• Form G-1145 (optional) to request email or text notifications from USCIS.
• Personal statement in the form of a letter to USCIS explaining the unforeseen economic circumstances and how employment is necessary to avoid severe economic hardship. You must include information as to why on-campus employment is unavailable or insufficient to meet the needs that have arisen as a result of the unforeseen circumstances. If possible, include supporting documentation such as news articles, a letter from home telling of a change in family circumstances, proof of a currency devaluation in your country, etc.
• Two passport-style photos taken within the past 30 days.
• Very lightly write your name and I-94 admission number on the back of each photo.
• Put photos in an envelope.
• Copy of your most recent I-94 Record.
• Copy of your F-1 visa (if you applied for the F-1 visa abroad), or a copy of the I-797 Change of Status to F-1 approval notice form (if you changed visa status in the U.S.).
• Copy of the biographical page of your passport.
• Copy of the new I-20 with the Severe Economic Hardship recommendation (make sure you sign it!).
• Copies of your previous I-20s (for your current degree level).
• Copy of your unofficial transcript.
• Copy of any previously issued EAD cards (if applicable).

Please review the USCIS for Form Filing Tips. It is recommended that you place the filing fee and the envelope with your photos at the top of your application.

As a reminder, your application must be received by USCIS within 30 days of the date your I-20 was issued.

Once you have your application ready, review the USCIS mailing instructions to find the correct filing location. You may use the following methods to track your application and check processing times:

• Check the status of your case.
• Check current processing times.

Employment Authorization Document (EAD)

If your application is approved, USCIS will issue you an EAD card. You may not begin employment until you have received the EAD card and until the authorized start date.

If you receive a Rejection, Denial or Request for Evidence (RFE) Notice from USCIS, please send the notice to ISSC via email at issc.employment@asu.edu so we can review and offer advice for how to move forward.

SSR benefit options

Option 1: On-campus employment

• Students may request authorization to work on campus more than 20 hours per week while school is in session.
• Students may obtain a reduced course load that allows them to enroll less than full time.
• Minimum of six credits for undergraduate students; minimum of three in-person credits.
• Minimum of three credits for graduate students. If the student is enrolled in only one class, it may be online. If enrolled in multiple classes, there is a minimum of three in-person credits required.

Option 2: Off-campus employment

• Students may apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card through USCIS in order to work off campus more than 20 hours per week.
• Minimum of six credits for undergraduate students; minimum of three in-person credits.
• Minimum of three credits for graduate students. If the student is enrolled in only one class, it may be online. If enrolled in multiple classes, there is a minimum of three in-person credits required.

Eligibility requirements

• You are a citizen of a country specified in a Federal Register Notice.
• You were lawfully present in the U.S. in F-1 status on the date indicated in the notice.
• You are meeting the full-time enrollment requirements.
• You are currently maintaining F-1 student status (OPT students are ineligible).
• You are experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the emergent circumstances in your country of citizenship.

Current countries with SSR status

Federal Register Notices

• Afghanistan
  • Effective November 21, 2023 through May 20, 2025
• Burma/Myanmar
  • Effective May 26, 2024 through November 25, 2025
• Cameroon
  • Effective December 8, 2023 through June 7, 2025 
• Ethiopia
  • Effective June 13, 2024 through December 12, 2025
• Haiti
  • Effective January 26, 2023 through August 3, 2024
  • Extension granted effective August 4, 2024 through February 3, 2026
• Hong Kong
  • Effective January 26, 2023 through February 5, 2025.
• Palestinian Territories
  • Effective February 14, 2024 through August 13, 2025
• Somalia
  • Effective March 18, 2023 through September 17, 2024.
  • Extension granted effective September 18, 2024 through March 17, 2026
• South Sudan
  • Effective November 4, 2023 through May 3, 2025
• Sudan
  • Effective October 20, 2023 through April 19, 2025
• Syria
  • Effective April 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025
• Ukraine
  • Effective October 20, 2023 through April 19, 2025 
• Venezuela
  • Effective March 11, 2024 through September 10, 2025
• Yemen
  • Effective March 4, 2023 until September 3, 2024
  • Extension granted effective September 4, 2024 through March 3, 2026

How to apply

To be eligible for Special Student Relief work authorization, you must obtain a new I-20 with a specific recommendation for the authorization. To apply for the I-20, you must first meet with an immigration advisor to discuss your situation and interest in applying for Special Student Relief work authorization.

After meeting with an advisor, they will send you a link for the Special Student Relief eForm so you can request the I-20.

The eForm requires you to submit:

• Your most recent I-94.
• Your current passport.
• Copies of your two most recent bank statements (from the past two months).
• Personal statement explaining how employment is necessary to avoid severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current humanitarian crisis in your home country.

Submitting your application to USCIS

If you request to apply for the Special Student Relief EAD card and your I-20 request is approved, you may proceed with filing your application with USCIS.

Please note: Your application must be received by USCIS within 30 days of the date your I-20 was issued.

Note: If you were approved for the Special Student Relief on-campus work authorization, you do not need to submit an application to USCIS.

Filing your application

Applying for Special Student Relief work authorization cannot be done online through USCIS. You must submit a paper application with the following documentation:

• Form I-765 (completed and signed), with eligibility category (c)(3)(iii) (question 27 of the form) filled in.
  • Go to the I-765 website and download the most recent version of the PDF form.
• Type in the PDF, do not handwrite (except for the signature on page 4, which must be signed in black ink).
• Form I-765 filing fee paid by money order, personal check, cashier’s check or credit card using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions. If you pay by check, you must make your check payable to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
• Form G-1145 (optional) to request email or text notifications from USCIS.
• Personal statement in the form of a letter to USCIS explaining how employment is necessary to avoid severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current humanitarian crisis in your home country.
• Two passport-style photos taken within the past 30 days.
• Very lightly write your name and I-94 admission number on the back of each photo.
• Put photos in an envelope.
• Copy of your most recent I-94 Record.
• Copy of your F-1 visa (if you applied for the F-1 visa abroad), or a copy of the I-797 Change of Status to F-1 approval notice form (if you changed visa status in the U.S.).
• Copy of the biographical page of your passport.
• Copy of the new I-20 with the Special Student Relief recommendation (make sure you sign it!).
• Copies of your previous I-20s (for your current degree level).
• Copy of your unofficial transcript.
• Copy of any previously issued EAD cards (if applicable).

Review the USCIS for Form Filing Tips. It is recommended that you place the filing fee and the envelope with your photos at the top of your application.

As a reminder, your application must be received by USCIS within 30 days of the date your I-20 was issued.

Once you have your application ready, review the USCIS mailing instructions to find the correct filing location.

Send the application in an envelope which is clearly marked on the front of the envelope, bottom right-hand side, with the phrase “SPECIAL STUDENT RELIEF.” Failure to include this notation may result in significant processing delays. You may use the following methods to track your application and check processing times:

• Check the status of your case.
• Check current processing times.

Employment Authorization Document (EAD)

If your application is approved, USCIS will issue you an EAD card. You may not begin employment until you have received the EAD card and until the authorized start date.

If you receive a Rejection, Denial or Request for Evidence (RFE) Notice from USCIS, please send the notice to ISSC via email at issc.employment@asu.edu so we can review and offer advice for how to move forward.