The Hiring Process and Obtaining a Social Security Number
If you find an on-campus job for which you are eligible (non-Federal Work Study) and are selected for the position, the hiring manager of the office or department offering the position must complete an On Campus Student Employment Letter and submit it to CARE.
If you do not already have a U.S. Social Security number, you will need to apply for one from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and receive it before you can begin employment. A Social Security number is a unique 9-digit number provided to qualified individuals primarily for the purposes of taxation.
To obtain a Social Security number, you must first have a job offer and intend to begin employment with that employer. If you will be working on campus, you will then need to obtain a letter from CARE and from the Human Resources Department to bring with you to the SSA to apply for a Social Security number (SSN). To request a SSN letter from CARE, contact the CARE Director as soon as you are offered employment.
Once you have the necessary letters, download an application form for a Social Security number at https://www.ssa.gov/online/ss-5.pdf. Follow the instructions and complete the application.
Bring the application, along with the two SSN letters, your job offer letter, and your passport, I-94 card and all your I-20s to the Social Security office. To find the Social Security office nearest you, visit: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/FOLO/fo001.jsp
If all goes well, the Social Security Administration will issue you a receipt of your request of SSN. It takes between one to two weeks to get your card. If you do not receive the number in three weeks, you should go back to SSA office with the receipt to find your SSN status or contact CARE for additional guidance.
Once you receive the card in the mail, bring it to Human Resources. It is POC’s policy that individuals without a Social Security number cannot begin work until they have this card in hand—so be sure to communicate that with your supervisor before setting your start date for employment.
For more information about applying for a Social Security number, see the links below: