Immigration regulations restrict employment for F-1 or J-1 students, as their primary purpose is to study. You should contact the Office of International Student and Scholar Services to obtain the appropriate work authorization before engaging in any form of employment. For immigration purposes, employment is defined as the exchange of services for any form of compensation, monetary or otherwise. Unauthorized employment is a serious violation of your immigration status and may result in the termination of your SEVIS I-20 or DS-2019 record.
These are some of the employment options available to F-1 and J-1 students: