Part-time Jobs in the USA for Indian Students: Visa regulations, salary, opportunities

Indian students love to study in the U.S. Here’s proof:

• Indian students form the second-largest group of international students in the U.S.

• Indian students form 20% of the total international students in the U.S. with 1,67,582 Indian students studying in the U.S. in the 2020-2021 academic year.
• The U.S. Embassy in India issued over 62,000 student visas in the summer of 2021 alone.      

Why the urge to study in the U.S.? Here are three essential reasons:

• The U.S. houses 25 universities among the top 100 in the QS World University Rankings 2022. The top 3 universities are the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (QS World University Ranking 1), Stanford University (QS World University Ranking 3), and Harvard University (QS World University Ranking 5).
• The U.S. universities offer academic flexibility including transfer admission (transferring credits from one university to another university) and the option to study multiple subjects before choosing a major at undergraduate levels.
• The U.S. government allows international students to work part-time jobs for up to 20 hours a week. Furthermore, the U.S. government allows international students to work full-time (40 hours a week) during holidays, vacations, and summer sessions. 

However, studying in the U.S. can poke a hole in your pocket. Expect to pay up to $55,000 each year in tuition fees. Furthermore, expect to pay up to $40,000 each year for accommodation, food, and living expenses.

That’s when part-time jobs can help you sew back the hole in your pocket. This article is going to help you with the same. In the next seven minutes, learn all about part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students. The article will offer:

• Rules and regulations for part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students
• Types of part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students
• A table showcasing the USA part-time job salary
• An FAQ section

If the USA part-time job salary isn’t enough for your needs, you need a student loan. 

Not an easy task when you have to choose from hundreds of banks and NBFCs, offer collaterals, and bear massive interest rates.

That’s when you need something better.

That’s when you need FundRight.

More on FundRight later. Back to part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students for now.  

Note: the information is true at the time of writing. That’s June 2022.

Part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students — a complete guide

Job regulations for part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students

On-campus with F-1 visa

The U.S. government allows international students to work only on-campus during the first academic year in the country. 

If you don’t know, on-campus stands for work performed within the university premises. Furthermore, part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students are also allowed at locations other than the university campus if the location is affiliated with the university.  

Furthermore, the additional rules are:

• Students must maintain valid F-1 status.
• Students must work up to a maximum of 20 hours each week during the school term.
• Students are allowed to work full-time (40 hours each week) during holidays and summer sessions.

Off-campus with F-1 visa

The U.S. government allows off-campus part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students after the students have completed the first academic year in the country and hold a valid F-1 visa.
Students can choose one of the three options:

1. Optical Practical Training (OPT): Under the program, international students can work in their area of study in a job or internship. Furthermore, the students:
   • Should not engage in full-time Curricular Practical Training (CPT) in the last 12 months or more.
   • Should not engage in OPT for more than 12 months in total.
   • Mustn’t begin working before receiving the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from USCIS.  

2. Curricular Practical Training (CPT): Students can work off-campus only when their academic program demands the same or as practical training which is part of the curriculum. Furthermore, the students:
   • Must have a job offer relevant to their field of study.
   • Must have received the job offer before submitting the CPT authorization request.
   • Must have been enrolled full-time for a year on a valid F-1 visa status. 

3. Severe Economic Hardship: The USCIS can allow international students facing severe economic hardship to work off-campus while classes are in session. The students:
   • Must have a strong academic history.
   • Must show proof of economic hardship.
   • Must hold a valid F-1 visa for at least one academic year.

Types of part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students

On-campus

Teaching Assistant

Love to be around your academics outside of school or college hours? A Teaching Assistant would be the perfect part-time job for you. 

One of the most popular part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students, Teaching Assistant posts usually don’t have any formal openings. Thus, you must maintain a good relationship with your professors and ask them for the job.

A Teaching Assistant supervises classroom activities and helps struggling students. Furthermore, if you have prior experience in the field, your professor can allow you to lead classes as well.     

The USA part-time job salary for a Teaching Assistant is $11.85 per hour.

Library Assistant

A Library Assistant’s works include: 

• Keeping track of which books are in the library and which ones have been issued to students.
• Helping students in finding the books they’re looking for.
• Performing other library tasks. 

The USA part-time job salary for a Library Assistant is $13.24 per hour.

Campus Ambassador

A Campus Ambassador is one of the most popular part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students where students promote the university and shows prospective students why should they apply to the university.

Furthermore, you may need to offer guided tours of the university on open days and share interesting facts and your experience of the university. 

The job is best suited for you if you love meeting new people and working in a team.

The USA part-time job salary for a Library Assistant is $10.94 per hour.

Off-campus

Translators and language interpreters

The U.S. is a melting pot of culture. Furthermore, the country conducts commercial trade with countries including India, Spain, China, Korea, and Japan. 

Therefore, you can deal with foreign clients and make sure communications happen without any hassle. 

You can also work as a translator in hospitals and courts.  

Tourist guide

The U.S. university campuses house lots of historic architecture of importance. Thus, you can work as a tourist guide for guided and paid tours. Furthermore, you can be a tourist guide at resorts and amusement parks as well.

Note that to be a tourist guide at resorts and amusement parks, you must receive authorization from a Designated School Official (DSO).   

The job needs you to be well-acquainted with the university campus. Thus, take up the job after you have spent at least a year on the campus.   

Furthermore, you must be friendly and outgoing to do the job.  

Call Centers

If you’re outgoing or want to enhance your communication skills, a job at a call center can be a great option for you. You can get the option to work from home as well.

You can find call center job openings on websites such as College Grad and Simply Hired.  

USA part-time job salary

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1. Does the U.S. government allow international students to work part-time to support their studies?

Ans. Yes. The U.S. government allows international students to work part-time jobs for up to 20 hours a week.

Furthermore, the U.S. government allows international students to work full-time (40 hours a week) during holidays, vacations, and summer sessions.

Question 2. What are the USA part-time job salaries?

Ans. The USA part-time job salary varies for each job. Students can earn $16.44 per hour working as a Department Assistant while the number is $11.59 per hour when working as a Barista.

Note that the minimum wage for entry-level jobs in the U.S. range between $7-$9 per hour.

Question 3. What kind of part-time jobs can I get in the U.S. as an Indian student?

Ans. You can get both on-campus and off-campus part-time jobs in the U.S. 

Five of the most popular part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students are:

1. Research study assistant
2. Library assistant
3. Food runners and catering assistants
4. Tourist guides
5. Translators and language interpreters

Question 4. Is studying in the U.S. expensive for international students?

Ans. Yes. You must pay up to $55,000 a year in tuition fees. Furthermore, you must pay up to $40,000 a year for food, accommodation, and living expenses as well.

If you find it too expensive, we at FundRight are here to help. Mail us at grad@gradright.com to know more. 

Question 5. What kind of online part-time jobs can I find in the U.S. as an Indian student?

Ans. Here are 10 online part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students you can find:

1. Content writer
2. Data entry agent
3. Graphic designer
4. Web developer 
5. Video editor
6. Social media manager
7. Online tutor
8. Business development manager
9. Translator
10. HR recruiter

Part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students — choose FundRight to ease your financial woes

We have gathered all the essential information about the part-time jobs in the USA for Indian students to help you. However, the USA part-time job salary might not be enough for you to support your studies.

That’s when you need a student loan. However, opt for a bank or an NBFC and you’re looking at:

• An exhausting and lengthy processing time of up to 20 days.
• The requirement to submit collateral to the bank.
• Colossal interest rates up to 15%.

That’s where FundRight comes to your rescue. At FundRight, we offer:

• More than 30 lenders including private and public sector banks, NBFCs, and international lenders bidding to provide you with a student loan.
• A processing time of up to 48 hours. Can you think of any organisation with a faster processing time?
• Competitive interest rates that allow you to save more on your budget.

Do you still have questions? Drop us a mail at grad@gradright.com to consult our finance and education consultants.