Like many others, international students have jobs while studying at Eastern.

Unlike students from the United States, however, international students have a list of things that must be done before they can work for the university.

To date, there are 430 international students who come from 42 different countries.

Assistant Payroll Manager Merry Toberman said one out of every three international students have jobs while enrolled at Eastern.

While most of the international students work in the Housing and Dining areas, Toberman said they are able to work all over campus as long as the area’s budget allows for it.

To be employed by Eastern, international students have to get an offer letter from the place they are seeking employment and an employment verification form that authenticates their identity with the hiring supervisor.

Next, the student must visit the Office of International Students and Scholars in Blair Hall, where they get an OISS letterhead, a Social Security application and a list of instructions.

Then, the student has to go to the Social Security Office with their application, visa or passport, I-94 form and I-20 form.

The office will give the student a receipt, and they will bring it back to the OISS and be able to work after that.

Before starting their new job, the student must meet with accountant Jo Gentry in Room 1137 of Old Main and give her a yearly W-4 form and other tax documents.

Lars Ott, a senior math and computer science major from Germany, went through these same steps when finding employment on campus.

Ott has worked as a math tutor for student athletes on campus since his sophomore year, working with students mostly on algebra and statistics.

He said finding a job on campus was fairly easy for him, and he enjoys tutoring the student athletes a lot.

“It is a laid-back job and I really love helping people succeed in their academics,” Ott said. “The only struggle I sometimes have is finding the right English word that I need to help better explain a hard concept to someone I am tutoring.”

Ott and other international students also have to be careful not to go over a 19.5-hour work week. While class is in session, students who do not live in the U.S. can only work part-time on campus.

“The process for an international student to work here is pretty easy, but there are some steps you have to take,” Ott said.

Tori Harrison can be reached at 581-2812 or tlmaster@eiu.edu.