Student Employment

Special Student Relief (SSR)

Special Student Relief Fact Sheet
What is Special Student Relief?

Afghanistan
Cameroon
Ethiopia
Haiti
Hong Kong
Myanmar (Burma)
Somolia
South Sudan
Sudan
Syria
Ukraine
Venezuela
Yemen
Benefits of SSR
How to Apply for SSR
Frequently Asked Questions
TPS & DED

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Special Student Relief (SSR) for F-1 students who are citizens of the below countries.  Students from these countries who are experiencing severe economic hardship as a result of the current crisis in their home country can apply for permission to reduce their course load and to work over 20 hours in on-campus positions or apply for an EAD card to work off-campus. Students apply in iStart using the Special Student Relief E-Form. They do not need to work to receive the reduced course load benefit and they do not need a job to complete the E-form. Students receive a special I-20 that shows permission for these benefits.

For eligibility criteria see below:

Afghanistan

Effective November 21, 2023 through May 20, 2025
Federal Register published at 88 FR 65721 (September 25, 2023)

To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a citizen of Afghanistan, regardless of country of birth (or be an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Afghanistan);
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on September 25, 2023;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
  • Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship "as a direct result of the current situation in Afghanistan"

Cameroon  

Effective December 8, 2023 until June 7, 2025
Federal Register notice at 88 FR 69939 (October 10, 2023)

To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a citizen of Cameroon, regardless of country of birth (or be an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Cameroon)
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on October 10, 2023;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
  • Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship "as a direct result of the crises in Cameroon"

Ethiopia         

Effective December 12, 2022 until June 12, 2024
Federal Register notice at 87 FR 76068 (December 12, 2022)

To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a citizens of Ethiopia, regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on December 12, 2022;
  • Be enrolled in an Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current crisis in Ethiopia.

Haiti

Effective February 4, 2023 until August 3, 2024
Federal Register notice at 88 FR 5016 (January 26, 2023)

To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a citizens of Haiti, regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on January 26, 2023;
  • Be enrolled in an Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current crisis in Haiti.

Hong Kong

Effective January 26, 2023 until February 5, 2025
Federal Register notice at 88 FR 28584 (May 4, 2023).

To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a resident of Hong Kong, regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on January 26, 2023;
  • Be enrolled in an Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the emergent circumstances in Hong Kong.

Myanmar (Burma)    

Effective May 26, 2024 until November 25, 2025
Federal Register notice at 89 FR 20675 (March 25, 2024)

To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a citizen of Burma, regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on March 25, 2024;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
  • Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the crisis in Burma

Somolia

Effective March 18, 2023 until September 17, 2024
Federal Register notice at 88 FR 15427 (March 13, 2023).

To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a citizens of Somolia, regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on March 13, 2023;
  • Be enrolled in an Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current crisis in Somalia.

South Sudan

Effective November 4, 2023 until May 3, 2025
Federal Register notice at 88 FR 60965 (September 6, 2023).

To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a citizen of South Sudan, regardless of country of birth (or be an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in South Sudan);
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on September 6, 2023;
  • Be enrolled in an Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan.

Sudan

Effective October 20, 2023 extended until April 19, 2025
Federal Register notice at 88 FR 56857 (August 21, 2023).

To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a citizen of the Republic of Sudan, regardless of country of birth (or be an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Sudan);
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on August 21, 2023;
  • Be enrolled in an Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current crisis in Sudan.

Syria

Effective April 1, 2024 until September 30, 2025
Federal Register notice at 89 FR 55557 (January 29, 2024).

To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a citizen of Syria, regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on January 29, 2024;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
  • Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the ongoing civil unrest in Syria since March 2011

 

Ukraine

Effective October 20, 2023 extended until April 19, 2025
Federal Register notice at 88 FR 56851 (August 21, 2023).

To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a citizen of Ukraine, regardless of country of birth (or be an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Ukraine);
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on August 21, 2023;
  • Be enrolled in an Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine.

Venezuela

Effective March 11, 2024 until September 10, 2025
Federal Register notice at 89 FR 17500 (March 11, 2024).

To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a citizen of Venezuela, regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on March 11, 2024;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
  • Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current humanitarian crisis in Venezuela

Yemen

Effective March 4, 2023 until September 3, 2024
Federal Register notice at 88 FR 88 (January 3, 2023).

To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a citizen of Yemen, regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on January 3, 2023;
  • Be currently maintaining F-1 nonimmigrant status;
  • Be enrolled in an SEVP-certified academic institution; and
  • Be experiencing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the current crisis in Yemen.

Benefits of SSR

  • Ability to reduce course load in Fall & Spring semesters
  • Ability to work on-campus over 20 hours per week during Fall and Spring OR apply for off-campus work permission.

How to apply for ssr

To apply use the E-Form in iStart to submit applications for the necessary I-20 to either gain permission to reduce your course load (6 hours for undergraduates and 3 hours for graduates) for the coming academic year and work over 20 hours in an on-campus job OR to reduce your course load and apply for special off-campus work permission with USCIS.  The process is outlined in the E-Form. You do not need a job to apply.

Frequently Asked Question's for SSR & TPS

List of FAQ's

TPS & DED

Students can also read more information about TPS & DED below. Please note that while the Office of International Services can help you with the SSR process we suggest speaking with an immigration attorney regarding the below processes.

Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) - only Liberia & Venezuela