Social Security Number-For F1/J1 Students
Only students who have an official employment offer can apply for a Social Security Number(SSN).
You cannot apply for an SSN more than 30 days before your employment start date.
All UCSC student employees must apply for an SSN BEFORE reporting to the UCSC Career
Center/Hiring Personnel for Payroll processing.
1. Must be enrolled full time at UCSC (10 units for Graduate students and 12 units for undergrad students).
2. New students must attend the international student orientation and submit copies of documents to verify
legal status (I-20/DS-2019, passport, visa, I-94)
3. Must update residence address at MyUCSC. The address used must be your local, residential address in
the U.S. It cannot be a P.O. Box, department address or campus address(except dormitories).
4. Must be registered in the SEVIS database. The ISSS office will register students’ SEVIS record after
ISSS verifies full time enrollment, submission of visa documents and residential address.
5. F-1 Students with On-campus Work: Obtain an Employment Letter from your campus employer. Submit
this Employment Letter to ISSS. The letter must specify that student has been offered a job. It should also
specify the dates of employment. Employment start date cannot be more than 30 days in the future. The
Employment Letter must be dated within the last 30 days. Student must submit this letter to an International
Student Adviser at the ISSS office.
J-1 Students with On-campus Work: Complete J-1 On-campus Employment Authorization form and submit
it to an International Student Adviser at the ISSS office prior to working. The form is available at
http://ieo.ucsc.edu/intl-students/forms/j1.html
6. Obtain the Social Security Letter from the ISSS Office. Only the International Student Adviser at UCSC
can write this letter after receipt of the Employment Letter, or J-1 On-campus Employment Authorization
form. It certifies that the student is enrolled full time and holds a valid F-1/J-1 status. Student can only
obtain the letter after the first 5 steps have been completed.
7. Bring the following documents to the Social Security Office:
Original I-20/DS-2019
Passport with I-94 and Visa
Employment Letter from Employer(F-1)/J-1 On-campus Employment Authorization Form(J-1)
Original Social Security Letter from ISSS
F-1 students on OPT ONLY:EAD card (Employment Letter is not required )
You’ll be required to fill out an application for the Social Security Card.
Social Security Administration Website: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber/ss5.htm.
Locations of Social Security Administration Office:
Santa Cruz: 169 Walnut Avenue, Santa Cruz (Telephone 831-426-8111)
Watsonville: 315 Main St. Suite A, Watsonville (Telephone 831-722-7141)
8. Students will be informed at the time the application is submitted of the date they can go down to the social
security office in person to request his/her new social security number. The card will be sent to the student
afterwards. However, only the social security number is required to complete the hiring process at UCSC.
9. Once a social security number has been given, On-Campus Employees should bring the following
Last revised 08/2011
documents to the Career Center/Hiring Personnel to complete payroll signup forms.
Original I-20/DS-2019
Original passport with I-94 and Visa
J-1 Students ONLY: ISSS J-1 On-campus Employment Authorization Form.
Last revised 08/2011