Hiring An International Student or Recent Graduate

We recruit top talent from all over the world to be part of our learning community. Through our annual Field Work Term (FWT) requirement, Bennington students spend at least seven weeks every year purusing internship across the country and around the globe. Our graduates go into the world having completed four work experiences as well as a rigorous course of study. If you are thinking of hiring a Bennington international student or recent graduate, you can do so with confidence that they are eligible for employment.

The U.S. government gives college-enrolled international students studying on F-1 visas a 12-month allotment of full-time work through Curricular Practical Training (CPT) to use if the work is connected to an academic requirement. An additional 12-month allotment of full-time work is granted through Optional Practical Training (OPT). OPT can be used to pursue non-academically-required work directly related to a student's field of study while they are still an undergraduate (known as pre-completion OPT); or toward the first year of employment after graduation (known as post-completion OPT).

Here is what you need to know to hire

Bennington Students Hired for Internships or Temporary Employment

Field Work Term

Given that FWT is a required part of all Bennington students’ education each year, international students on F-1 visas who are completing their Field Work Term requirement are eligible to work in the U.S. using Curricular Practical Training (CPT). Students have up to 12 months of CPT to use during their undergraduate studies. F-1 students have been issued social security numbers and can take paid or unpaid positions as part of their CPT. They can work either full-time or part-time. To be eligible for CPT over Field Work Term, F-1 students must:

  • Be hired for a job connected to their academic focus.
  • Have completed at least nine months of full-time study in the United States.
  • Have submitted all required paperwork through Bennington’s DSO--Designated Student Official. (The DSO will provide a new Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” that shows the student has been approved for this employment.)
Summer

F-1 students who are not completing a Field Work Term requirement, but instead are looking to gain additional work experience in the U.S. over the summer are also eligible for employment. However, because this work is not connected to an academic requirement, they need to apply in advance to use a portion of their 12-month allotment of Optional Practical Training (OPT). To be eligible to use pre-completion OPT over a summer, F-1 students must:

  • Be hired for a job connected to their academic focus.
  • Have completed at least nine months of full-time study in the United States.
  • Have submitted a I-765 application for work authorization well in advance of their desired start date (applications can take 90 days or more to be processed); and have paid the application fee of $410.
  • Be recommended for OPT by Bennington’s Designated Student Official (DSO) to SEVIS.
  • Have received an approved Employment Authorization Document from the government to verify their work eligibility prior to beginning employment.

Soon-to-be or Recent Graduates Hired for Employment*

Seniors who have studied on an F-1 visa and are about to graduate (or have recently graduated) are eligible for post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT). If an international student hasn’t used any of their 12-month OPT allotment while an undergraduate, they are allowed to stay and work in the United States for up to one year after graduation. (Students who have concentrated in a STEM discipline can apply for a 24-month OPT extension.) This temporary work permit does not require the employer to pay any fees. To apply for OPT, graduating seniors or recent alumni must:

  • Submit a I-765 application for work authorization well in advance of their desired start date (applications can take 90 days or more to be processed); and pay the application fee of $380.
  • Be recommended for OPT by Bennington’s Designated Student Official (DSO) to SEVIS.
  • Receive an approved Employment Authorization Document from the government to verify their work eligibility prior to beginning employment.

*Note: If an employer wishes to extend a work arrangement past the OPT allotment, they will need to apply to sponsor their new employee, generally through a H1B visa application. This process does have associated fees and does not guarantee approval.

For more information on CPT and OPT distinctions, visit the Department of Homeland Security website.