Special Student Relief

SPECIAL STUDENT RELIEF

Special Student Relief (SSR) is the suspension of certain regulatory requirements by the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for an F‑1 student from parts of the world that are experiencing emergent circumstances. Regulatory requirements that may be suspended or altered for an F-1 student include: duration of status, full course of study and off-campus employment eligibility.

The benefits can be understood as a "package" consisting of on- or off-campus work authorization and authorization to reduce one's course load. The reduced course load benefit is only available to students who acquire work authorization through the notice and is not available separately.

Student may request either permission to work more than 20 hours per week on-campus or apply for an Employment Authorization Document allowing work off-campus.

  • Citizen of a country specified in a Federal Register notice.
  • Lawfully residing in the United States for the dates indicated in the notice.
  • Reported on time to your designated school official (DSO) and been enrolled in an SEVP-certified school since the event.
  • Currently maintaining F-1 status.
  • Experiencing severe economic hardship.

To apply for Special Student Relief, submit the following documents to international@uta.edu

  1. Request form
  2. Economic need documentation. The applicant must write a letter requesting the work authorization and detailing the reasons the work or additional hours of work are needed. Include in the letter a list of assets and expenses for the next year. OIE recommends creating a budget spreadsheet.
  3. Form I-765 (for off-campus employment request only). For section 27 Eligibility Category, use code (c)(3)(iii). link to I-765

OIE will review the request and provide an updated I-20 as necessary.

We highly recommend scheduling an advising appointment to discuss all options if you are considering Special Student Relief.

Current Special Student Relief Notices

Effective May 25, 2021 until November 25, 2022. Federal Register notice at 86 FR 28128 (May 25, 2021). To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a citizen of Burma (Myanmar), regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on May 25, 2021;
  • 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 Burma"

Effective August 3, 2021 through February 3, 2023. Federal Register notice at 86 FR 41857 (August 3, 2021). To be eligible under the notice, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a citizen of Haiti, regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on August 3, 2021;
  • 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 Haiti"

Effective November 26, 2021 through February 5, 2023. Federal Register notice published at 86 FR 67485 (November 26, 2021). To be eligible under the notice, 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 November 26, 2021;
  • 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 emergent circumstances in Hong Kong"

Effective September 18, 2021 through March 17, 2023. Federal Register notice published at 86 FR 38739 (July 22, 2021). To be eligible, an F-1 student must:

  • Be a citizen of Somalia, regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on September 18, 2021;
  • 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 Somalia"

Effective March 3, 2022 through November 3, 2023. Federal Register published at 87 FR 12182 (March 3, 2022). 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 March 3, 2022;
  • 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 humanitarian crisis in South Sudan"

Effective April 22, 2021 until September 30, 2022. Federal Register notice at 86 FR 21333 (April 22, 2021). 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 April 22, 2021;
  • 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

Effective April 22, 2021 until September 9, 2022. Federal Register notice at 86 FR 21328 (April 22, 2021). 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 April 22, 2021;
  • 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

Effective September 4, 2021 until March 3, 2023. Federal Register notice at 86 FR 36288 (July 9, 2021). To be eligible once the notice is effective, 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 September 4, 2021;
  • 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