CPT is employment that is an integral part of your major curriculum and allows you to participate in an internship, practicum or cooperative education program. CPT must be required or, if not required, you must receive course credit. CPT is employer-specific and must be done before you graduate.

OPT is optional for any student who meets the eligibility requirements and you do not need to earn credit. OPT is not employer-specific and may be done before or after you graduate. Please refer to our table regarding the differences.

For Pre-completion OPT: You may participate in pre-completion OPT during your studies after you have been enrolled at Rowan University for one full academic year. You must work part-time when school is in session. You may work part-time or full-time during vacation periods for students. Part-time pre-completion OPT accrues at a rate of 50%. For example, 6 months of part-time pre-completion OPT counts as 3 months of the total of 12 months of OPT you are allowed. Note: All periods of pre-completion OPT are deducted from the available post-completion OPT.

For Post-completion OPT: You may participate in post-completion OPT upon completion of your degree. You may work part-time or full-time after completion of course work requirements, excluding the thesis or dissertation. You must work at least 20 hours per week after completion of ALL requirements for your major program of study. If you decide to work all of your available 12 months of OPT time on post-completion OPT, you must request all of it at once. You cannot use it in separate periods of time.

Information about the OPT STEM extension can be found here. Please also visit Study in the States’ website for STEM FAQs.

Go to Financial Aid and click On-campus FWS and IWS Jobs. This will bring you the list of available on-campus jobs. Note: International students are only eligible for Institutional Works Study (IWS) jobs, NOT Federal Work Study (FWS) jobs. If you see a job you are interested in, click on it and you will be re-directed to the Profs Jobs page, where you will prompted to sign in and apply for the job.

You can also go to Rowan University Office of Career Advancement which provides career and Job search services to students and alumni. 

Please click here for the steps you need to follow after being hired for an on-campus job.

You will be eligible for a SSN ONLY after you secure on-campus employment. Graduate and undergraduate students who have scholarships and/or teaching and research fellowships are also eligible to apply. Note: Graduates who work on campus because they have a fellowship that only covers their tuition without a stipend are also eligible to apply.

Please click here for information about obtaining a driver’s license.

You will need to visit the International Center at least two weeks in advance of leaving the country to have page 2 of your I-20 signed. This signature is valid for one year. If you already have a signature and you are traveling within one year of the signature date, then you do not need another signature. If you need a travel signature, you will need to bring both your original I-20 and the completed Signature for Travel form to the International Center. 

If you are a student on a J-1 visa, you are eligible to live on-campus. If you are a J-visa holder (scholar) but you are not taking any classes, you will not be able to live on-campus.  For off-campus housing options, we recommend that you visit Residential Learning and University Housing's Off-Campus Housing webpage to start your search.

Yes. As soon as you know that you are moving and you have your new address, you are required to notify the International Center no later than 10 days after moving.

It will depend on many factors.  We recommend making an appointment to visit the International Center as soon as you are planning on an extension.

You should notify both your hosting professor and the International Center immediately.  As long as your hosting professor agrees to the new date and you communicate with the International Center within 20 days of the start date on your DS-2019, we will be able to change your dates.

The application deadline for the Fall semester is April 15th. The Spring semester deadline is October 30th. We recommend students to apply prior to the deadline. Students who apply after the deadline may not receive admission (based on space availability).

Yes. If a Rowan Department, Lab, Center or Foundation wishes to pay a Research Scholar, they may do so with no benefits.

We only recommend our compensated International Exchange Visitors to apply for a Social Security number. Note: You can apply for a driver’s license and open a bank account without a SSN.

No. Extensions are not allowed beyond 6 months.

Please make sure to acquire your travel signature on your DS-2019 before leaving the U.S. for you and your dependents. We recommend that all our scholars ask for approval from their hosting professor/department before arranging the trip. Scholars are not allowed to be absent for more than 30 days from their program.

Specifically, the Department of State wants to ensure that exchange visitors have “sufficient English proficiency to perform their jobs, navigate daily life in the United States, read and comprehend program materials, understand fully their responsibilities, rights, and protections, and know how to obtain assistance.” All exchange visitors at Rowan are required to have their hosting professor complete an English Proficiency Verification form on their behalf to ensure that this level of English proficiency is met.