If you are a prospective international graduate student, please visit the International Prospective Graduate Students' webpage for information on the admissions process.

If you are a prospective international undergraduate student, please visit the Undergraduate International Admissions webpage for information on the admissions process.

The intent letter functions as a formal declaration of your intent to enroll in a particular college or university, providing you with a platform to demonstrate your passion, qualifications, and dedication to the institution.

• Letter of Intent Handout

For resources on personal statements, resumes, or CVs, please visit our Resources for Career Success section on this page.

Congratulations on admission! We are happy to have you here.

After you have completed everything you need for admissions, it's time to start planning how you will find your dream career. Start by reviewing our Career Development Checklist.

International students can work part-time on campus while they are completing their studies without any additional work authorizations. International students do not need to contact their international advisor regarding on-campus employment until they have obtained an employment offer letter. Once international students have their offer letter, they must send it to their international advisor and follow the necessary steps to obtain their Social Security Number. Please also contact your international advisor regarding any restrictions and regulations regarding on-campus employment as an international student.
Texas Tech has many on-campus job openings for students and these positions work well with student schedules. For a list of on-campus positions, please visit Hire Red Raiders. Once you are logged in, there will be a tab in the left-hand panel that says "campus employment," here you will find a list of on-campus job openings. You may also visit our "On-Campus Jobs" page for featured positions and departments who hire students. 

Important note: When looking for a job, please do not enter through back entrances or go door-to-door asking for a position. For proper applicant etiquette, please review our resources on interviewing and networking below.

For more information and rules about on-campus employment, visit the International Affairs Office website for F-1 or J-1 employment or talk to your international student counselor.

While some positions may not be exactly what you are seeking, every job provides you with experience that will contribute to your future career success. If you have any questions or concerns about applying for a position that seems unrelated to your goals, make an appointment with a career counselor or career development specialist on Raider Success Hub. These staff members can help you find better options, answer questions and walk through how the job can be beneficial to your career and resume.


"Join us in celebrating the remarkable journey of Sambasiva, an international student from India, who has found incredible success at Texas Tech University. In this video, we delve into Sambasiva's inspiring story from his arrival at Texas Tech to his pivotal role as a Student Manager at Hospitality Services. Discover how Sambasiva's dedication and passion led him to excel as a Student Manager, where he not only mastered his responsibilities but also took on the crucial task of training other assistants."

The International Affairs Office has limited funding for students. We advise international students to reach out to their department, professors, and academic advisors to inquire about scholarships within their specific department, as these opportunities usually have more funding available. International students may also be eligible for financial assistance from Raider Relief, TTU scholarships, the TTU financial aid office, and OIA scholarships. For more details about available funding, please contact your international advisor.

International students are not permitted to work off-campus unless they have the proper work authorization. These authorizations include Curricular Practical Training (CPT), post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT), and financial hardship work authorization. CPT eligibility begins only after completing one academic year, which consists of a fall and spring semester. OPT eligibility is only after completing the degree program. Financial hardship work authorization can be applied for if the student can provide evidence of financial hardship and if there are no on-campus job opportunities available. For more information on obtaining any of these work authorizations, please contact your international advisor.

Yes, international students may do volunteer work. It does not count against CPT or OPT time constraints, and it is a great way for international students to get experience for their resumes. However, please note that based on labor laws, the legality of volunteer work is not well-defined and should be approached with caution. Please do your research and talk to your international student counselor to be sure you are in compliance with your work authorization status. 

Important: While volunteer work is a great way to gather experience, protecting yourself from unfair treatment is also important. A good rule of thumb is that if everyone else is getting paid for the same work that you are volunteering to do, this is not volunteer work. You want to volunteer at places that treat their volunteers fairly and safely. For example, if you and other volunteers doing the same work are not getting paid, and are treated with respect, this is a good place to volunteer. Also, generally speaking, local volunteer work should not ask for any money from you unless it is an optional donation. If the company that you want to volunteer for is asking for money, make sure that you do your research to protect yourself from scams.

To protect yourself, it is wise to become familiar with US workplace laws and safety regulations. UNC Charlotte and Arizona State University provide a little more explanation on the complexities of volunteer work in the US. Please note that Texas Tech may have different institutional rules and guidelines we must abide by, but these resources are good references. 

Examples of good volunteer work: Soup Kitchen, Food Bank, Animal Shelters, Hospital

• Here is a link to Lubbock's Volunteer Center for various volunteer opportunities: Volunteer - Volunteer Center of Lubbock (volunteerlubbock.org)

• Interstride
• Hire Red Raiders
• Career Shift
• My Visa Jobs
• United OPT 
• Global Jobs

TA- Teaching Assistantship
RA- Research Assistantship
GPTI- Graduate Part-time Instructor

TA, RA, and GPTI roles are very coveted positions due to their pay level, but the reality is there are a small number of such roles available in comparison to other varied roles that students can fill on campus. Such positions are offered and decided upon by each academic department, and thus the process, the amount of hires, and the qualifications for such, vary widely. If you desire such a role, now or in the future, you need to speak with your department or academic advisor to discuss opportunities and qualifications. Also know these roles are offered at either the length of a semester or year, and job offers for such roles are often sent well ahead of semester start, as academic units plan course scheduling.  As a result, we encourage you to plan financially like you will not have such a role while in the USA, so that you are best set up for financial success no matter whether such an opportunity presents itself or not.   

Texas Tech University (TTU) offers a variety of graduate assistantships, including teaching assistantships (TAs) and research assistantships (RAs), to international students. To be eligible for these positions, international students must meet certain requirements, including:

Enrollment
Students must be enrolled full-time (at least 9 graduate hours) each semester and may need to enroll in additional credits during the summer depending on their employment. Failure to enroll as required may result in termination of the appointment.

Teaching assistantships

• International students must pass the International TA Workshop to be considered for a TA position.
• Already be admitted to one of the graduate programs at the University. 
• They must also be proficient in both written and spoken English
• Have a good GPA or overall score. 
• To receive unconditional English certification, international TAs must score at least 250 on the Oral English Proficiency Assessment and complete the ITA Workshop.
• Fulfill any other specific University requirements

Besides Googling programs, you can "cold call" by emailing professors from Universities you have been accepted into and ask about RAship or TAship opportunities. Be sure that you utilize online resources and templates to correctly and politely contact professors. 

1. Contact the University Department to enquire about any current or future assistantship openings.
2. Study the profiles of the professors at the University Department very carefully. Shortlist the professors who are currently working in your department.
3. Study about the professor and the research area that he/she is currently working on in detail.
4. Prepare an Assistantship cover letter
5. Schedule an appointment with the professor to discuss possible opportunities to work as a teaching or research assistant.
6. Explain in detail your teaching and research experience, if any, and all relevant work you have performed.
7. The professor will make the final decision whether to employ you or not and he is the one who will decide your pay. (yocket.com/blog/teaching-and-research-assistantship-in-usa)

CPT (curricular practical training) is for F-1 students taking an internship course/ class that requires students to work off campus. International students need authorization for this; and you must complete two semesters before you are qualified for authorization. Employment must fulfill a requirement of the student's degree program.

OPT (optional practical training) is a type of F-1 off-campus work authorization for students who have completed their degree program and wish to gain experience in jobs directly related to their major or area of study.

For more information about CPT and OPT, please visit our handout for Visa Education and Requirements- Working in the US, or talk to your international student counselor. 

What is STEM OPT Extension?

Is my major qualified as STEM?

"Students in J-1 status may accept employment under certain circumstances. In all cases, your J-1 program sponsor must authorize your employment. If you are uncertain about your J-1 program sponsor, refer to Item 2 on your DS-2019; your J-1 program sponsor is listed there. This web page is provided for informational purposes, and it is intended for students sponsored by Texas Tech University. If you have questions or would like to determine your eligibility for J-1 employment, please contact International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). If you are sponsored by an outside agency, please consult with your program officer regarding employment eligibility." (International Affairs Office)

For more information about J-1 employment, please visit the US and Texas Tech Employment Rules for J-1 Students.

International students are not eligible for work study positions as these positions require the FAFSA, for which only US citizens may apply. However, international students are eligible for teaching assistantships (TA) and research assistantships (RA) positions that do not pay through work-study. You can find if a position is through work study in the job description or reach out to the employer. 

A graduate degree and postgraduate degree are the same things. These types of degrees are earned after an undergraduate degree, like a Master's degree or Doctoral degree. So, graduate or postgraduate work is typically a position that coincides with your academic work, like being a teaching assistant (TA). 
Postdoctoral work or fellowships are typically positions in higher education that allow a recent doctoral graduate to continue developing their skills and resume for the academic world. The goal of these temporary positions is to fill in skills gaps so you are more ready to take on your dream career.

Please refer to the TTU International Affairs Office website about international student employment in the U.S. If you have additional questions, you can make an appointment with your international student advisor through the website.

In order to receive a social security card, students are required to have a job from TTU. Once you have a job, request a letter of proof from the employer and a letter from your international student counselor at TTU confirming you are maintaining your status as a non-immigrant student. This process takes a few weeks. For more information, please refer to the Getting a Social Security Card page on the TTU Office of International Affairs website. If you have any additional questions, you can make an appointment with your international student advisor through the website.

Here is a PDF link to an easy-to-understand infographic about obtaining a social security number.

Often times, employers may not have experience hiring international students. In these cases, it is your responsibility to educate the employers about the process of hiring an international student and sponsoring for an H-1B visa. However, be mindful that you still may not get the job. Therefore, we recommend targeting employers with a history of petitioning for H-1B visas, by looking at websites, such as MyVisaJobs.com and Hire Red Raiders.

It depends. Although it is illegal for a potential employer to ask about your race, nationality, native language, or immigration status, they must ask if you are authorized to work in the U.S. or if you will now or in the future require sponsorship for an employment visa. You can wait until employers bring up the subject, but be sure to mention it by the end the interview.

Also realize that being an international student can be an asset to many employers. Having multi-lingual abilities, experience of living in other cultures, and determination to work in the U.S. convey to the potential employers that you can overcome challenges and work hard.

If you are applying for Optional Practical Training (OPT), explain that you are eligible to work in the U.S. for one year after the OPT is authorized (students in the STEM field may have the option to extend this period), and this process requires very little work on the employers' part. Next, discuss that your work authorization can be extended for another three to six years with an H-1B visa. Avoid saying the word "sponsor" when talking about the H-1B application process, instead use the phrase "petition."

Please visit our handout for Professional Emails to Professors and Recruiters 

For a list of "dos and dont's" visit our "Dos and Don'ts" of Emailing handout.

Smiling:
Americans commonly smile at people to seem friendly and non-threatening. However, when Americans smile at someone while passing by, this is typically not an invitation to talk or pursue a relationship. The common response is to smile back and keep doing what you are doing. If they smile at you and stop, they might need something or want to talk to you. At this point, you can smile back and carry on the conversation as you naturally would.

"How are you?":
In the US, greetings are typically surface level and informal. For example, if someone asks "how are you?," the proper response is something short and surface level like "I'm okay," "good," or "I'm doing well." You would typically follow up any of these responses with "and you?" to show mutual respect and care. For example, "I'm doing well, and you?" 

• Note: Sometimes, greetings are not surface level. People who already have a relationship with you may actually be asking how you are doing. In these instances, the person may ask again or take a long pause. At this point, you can share whatever you feel comfortable sharing.

No, you should not include your visa status in your resume or CV. Similarly, you should not include your age, gender, race/ethnicity, religion, marital status, home country, or photograph. In all situations, you should never lie about your work status. Given the reservations some employers have about hiring an international student, it is not to your advantage to draw attention to your status during the application process.

However, if your name is not common in the United States and you are a green card holder or U.S. citizen, you may want to include your visa status or citizenship on your resume to indicate that you are already legally authorized to work in the U.S.

In your resume, if a volunteer experience is relevant to the position you are applying for, you should include it in the "Volunteer Work" section on your resume. However, please note that this section and its components are typically shorter than your "Experience" section. You will likely only write a sentence or two about each instance. If the experience is directly related to the position you seek, and it would be best to detail what you did, you should include it in your "Experience" section, instead. For more information about this section, review the resume resources above. 

Community Service vs Volunteer Work in the US
The term "community service" has a negative connotation in the US. It is typically associated with the penial system as it is often a punishment for a crime. Instead, you should title this section of your resume "Volunteer Work." If you title this section "Community Service," it is unlikely that the recruiter will think you are highlighting criminal punishment. However, please keep in mind that there is still an unconscious bias around this term and it is best to call it "Volunteer Work."