The University of Connecticut (UConn) is an excellent place to launch your career. Ranked a top 30 public university in the USA (U.S. News & World Report 2024), UConn has a wide range of on-campus student employment opportunities. Through these paid part-time positions, you can pick up valuable skills and stand out to employers before you even graduate!
How to get a job at UConn
To find part-time employment at UConn, you can visit the Center for Career Development (CCD), which has offices on all five University campuses. Their award-winning team provides career coaching specific to international students, helping you develop important skills such as crafting your résumé, writing cover letters, and how to prepare for interviews.
Once you’re ready to start applying for jobs, the CCD can put you in touch with a range of on-campus employers. As an F-1 student, you can work up to 20 hours per week throughout the academic year and full-time during vacation periods. For further advice about on-campus employment, you can read the Center for International Students and Scholars (CISS) webpage.
To see examples of on-campus jobs available, visit JobX for UConn students. As an international student, you can apply for Student Labor positions, but not Work-Study positions, as these roles are only for domestic students.
What jobs can I apply for?
International students can find on-campus jobs in a range of fields, such as:
- research assistant
- campus tour guide
- peer advisor
- housing services
- dining services
- library assistant
- community outreach
- gym/fitness staff
“I was able to get a job on campus even before arriving, working at the bookstore for two months. Just two days after arriving on campus, I began training for my role. I’ve now moved to working as a student information technology assistant at Information Technology Services, and it is perfect for me as this aligns with my future goals.”
— Priyanshi from India, majoring in Computer Science
How can working on campus help me?
Along with the additional income from working up to 20 hours a week, which can help fund your living expenses, there are many other benefits to consider:
Get an edge in the job market
In an increasingly competitive job market, it’s important that you stand out to employers. By working on campus, you can gain soft skills — interacting with the public, building relationships with colleagues, learning crucial decision-making skills — that make you attractive when you start applying for internships and full-time positions.
Improve your English language skills
By having a part-time job on campus, you’ll get the chance to speak regularly with other students and staff and develop your English language skills. This is especially the case with a public-facing role, such as being a tour guide or working in a dining hall. Being part of UConn’s campus culture in this way will not only improve your conversational English — it’ll also help you learn more about US culture in the process!
Test out different positions
As an international student working on UConn’s campus, you don’t have to commit to one specific field. You can apply for a new role each semester and work multiple jobs at the same time, as long as you don’t work more than 20 hours per week during the academic year. This means you can try out different career paths and get a broad range of experience that will look great on your résumé!
Additional support
Career Communities
UConn’s Career Communities are industry-focused groups that help you explore your area of interest and refine your specific career path. There are 10 different groups you can join, covering areas such as the Arts, Business, Education, Media and Communication, and Science, Data and Technology. So, along with getting practical work experience on campus, you also have a great opportunity to deepen your expertise in your chosen field and find related career events, jobs and internships.
HuskyLink Network
If you need some extra help at any point in your career journey, there’s also the HuskyLink Network (formerly the Husky Mentor Network). Mentors are UConn alumni who are now enjoying successful careers. You can filter by industry, role, location and language, allowing you to find someone who has been on your specific journey and can offer advice tailored to your needs.
Start your career at UConn
Each year, Kaplan helps many international students to gain entry to UConn and start the journey toward their dream career. We’re here to help you at every step of your application and admission. This includes checking and preparing documents, guiding you through getting a study visa, and communicating with the University’s admission team on your behalf.
To learn more about joining UConn’s international student community, get in touch with one of our friendly student advisors today, who will answer any questions you have.
