On-campus employment is a benefit available to F-1 and J-1 students who are lawfully maintaining their F-1 or J-1 visa status. Learn more about F-1 employment and J-1 employment (J-1 students require written permission from their DS-2019 sponsor before on-campus employment can begin).
On-campus employment is defined by federal regulations as:
- On the school premises (University of Wisconsin-Madison campus)
- Work that takes place at your school location could be for an on-campus commercial business, like a bookstore or cafeteria, as long as the work directly provides services for students.
- Employment located on-campus that does not directly involve services to students (such as construction work) does not qualify as on-campus employment.
- Educationally affiliated off-campus location
- Work with an employer that is contractually affiliated with the school is on-campus employment even if the work site is not located on the campus (such as a research lab affiliated with your school).
- On-campus employment must not displace a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (LPR).
On-campus employment during the fall and spring semester is limited to 20 hours per week, no exceptions. F-1 and J-1 students may work more than 20 hours per week during authorized vacation periods:
- Winter break – Winter 2023/2024 dates: Sunday, December 17, 2023 – Saturday, January 20, 2024
- Spring break – Spring 2024 dates: Sunday, March 24 – Saturday, March 30
- Summer break (if you have an I-20 or DS-2019 start or end date for summer, you are limited to 20 hours per week) – Summer 2023 dates: Sunday, May 7 – Saturday, September 2
On-campus locations and locations that are educationally affiliated with the university are listed in the drop-down menu that follows.
If your job offer is from a different location than those listed below, contact ISS for guidance. You must have approval from ISS before you begin any off-campus employment.
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On-campus job locations
- On-campus employment includes work in student unions, libraries, recreational centers, and in academic and administrative departments on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.
- Administrative Transformation Project: 700 Regent Street only
- Aquatic Sciences Center
- Campus Event Services for UW events at on-campus locations
- Ex.: The Kohl Center, Camp Randall, etc.
- Contemporary Services Corporation (Only on-campus locations)
- Doing security events at the Kohl Center or Camp Randall
- Enrollment Management
- Facilities Planning and Management
- Hillel Center
- Lowell Center
- Private residence hall: Zoe Bayliss
- State Cartographer’s Office
- The University Hospital and Clinics: 600 Highland Avenue only
- The Daily Cardinal
- The Fluno Center
- The Kohl Center
- The Pyle Center
- The Lowell Center
- The JF Fredrick Center
- University Housing and Apartments
- UW Credit Union: Union South location only
- USDA Dairy Forage Research Center: UW-Madison campus location with CALS only
- UW Bookstore: State Street location only
- Waisman Center
- Wisconsin Alumni Association
- Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF)
- Wisconsin Idea Internship Program (hosted by Division of Extension)
- Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery
- Wisconsin Public Radio
Locations that require authorization
This list is not exhaustive.
- All businesses on State Street
- Private residence halls as listed below:
- The Highlander, The Langdon, Princeton House, The Regent, The Statesider, The Towers, and Brittingham House
- City of Madison
- Fresh Market
- Madison Metro
- Madison VA Hospital
- Wisconsin Historical Society
- Other University of Wisconsin campuses
- Ex.: UW-Whitewater, UW-Oshkosh, etc.
- The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism
- UW Clinics: all locations other than 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI
- UW Credit Union: all locations other than Union South