Special Student Relief (SSR)

What is SSR?

SSR is a benefit consist of on- and off- campus work authorization, and reduced course load.

SSR applies when emergent circumstances occur. Emergent circumstances are world events that affect F-1 students from a particular region and create significant financial hardships, such as but not limited to:

• Natural disasters.
• Wars and military conflicts.
• National or international financial crises.

SSR benefits

• Reduced course load
  • Undergraduate students who receive SSR must remain registered for a minimum of six (6) units
  • Graduate students who receive SSR must remain registered for a minimum of three (3) units
• On-campus employment authorization 
  • Students may work up to 20 hours on-campus per week*
    *This is the same as the on-campus employment authorization policy
• Off-campus employment authorization
  • Students may work off-campus for more than 20 hours per week once they file Form I-765 and receive an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) 

DHS issues a Federal Register (FR) notice when the secretary declares that an event constitutes emergent circumstances. To be eligible for SSR, students must meet the following criteria:

• Are the citizen of a country specified in an FR notice
• Have lawfully resided in the United States for the dates indicated in the FR notice
• Have enrolled at SF State since the beginning of the I-20 program start date
• Are currently maintaining F-1 status
• Are experiencing severe economic hardship

• Afghanistan. Federal Register published at 87 FR 30971 (May 20, 2022). Effective May 20, 2022 through November 20, 2023.
• Burma/Myanmar. ​​​​​​Effective May 26, 2024 until November 25, 2025, under 89 FR 20675 (March 25, 2024). To be eligible under the notices, an F-1 student must:
  • Be a citizen of Burma/Myanmar (or, under the extension notices, a citizen of Burma/Myanma or an individual having no nationality who last habitually resided in Burma/Myanmar), regardless of country of birth;
  • Have been lawfully present in the United States in F-1 nonimmigrant status on May 25, 2021, or on September 27, 2022 under the September 27, 2022 notice, or on March 25, 2024 under the March 25, 2024 notice);
  • 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" (or, under the March 25, 2024 notice, "as a direct result of current armed conflict and the current humanitarian crisis in Burma.")
• Cameroon. Effective June 7, 2022 until December 7, 2023. Federal Register notice at 87 FR 34701 (June 7, 2022).
• Ethiopia. Federal Register notice at 87 FR 76068 (December 12, 2022). Effective from December 12, 2022 through June 12, 2024.
• Haiti. Effective February 4, 2023, through August 3, 2024, under Federal Register notice at 88 FR 5016 (January 26, 2023). See an August 8, 2023 correction notice that ICE published to correct some typographical errors in their January 26, 2023 notice.
• Hong Kong. Effective January 26, 2023, through February 5, 2025.Federal Register notice published at 88 FR 28584 (May 4, 2023).
• Lebanon. Effective July 26, 2024, through January 25, 2926.Federal Register notice published at 89 FR 83897 (October 18, 2024).
• Sudan. Effective through April 19, 2025 under Federal Register notice published at 88 FR 56857 (August 21, 2023).
• South Sudan. Effective March 3, 2022 through November 3, 2023. Federal Register published at 87 FR 12182 (March 3, 2022).
• Syria. Effective October 1, 2022, extended from October 1, 2022 until April 1, 2024 by a Federal Register notice 87 FR 46975 (August 1, 2022), for Syrian F-1 students who were in the United States as of August 1, 2022.
• Ukraine.Effective October 20, 2023, through April 19, 2025. Federal Register published at 88 FR 56851 (August 21, 2023) 
• Venezuela. Effective March 11, 2024 until September 10, 2025. Federal Register notice at 86 FR 17500 (March 11, 2024) established SSR benefits for eligible students until September 10, 2025. 
• Yemen. Extended and redesignated effective March 4, 2023 until September 3, 2024, under Federal Register notice at 88 FR 88 (January 3, 2023).

Complete the online Updated I-20 Request Form and upload a letter of explanation with the following information:

• Students must articulate that employment is necessary to avoid severe economic hardship; and
• The hardship is a direct result of the current crisis in students' countries

An F-1 international student advisor will review the request. If eligible, the advisor will issue the student an updated I-20 with the Special Student Relief statement on the first page. The I-20 will be emailed to the student within 5 business days. 

Students may drop below full-time AFTER receiving the I-20 with the SSR statement. Students who wish to work on campus should follow the instructions posted at On-Campus Employment.

Step 1: Request an updated I-20

Complete an online Updated I-20 Request Form and upload a letter of explanation with the following information:

• Students must articulate that employment is necessary to avoid severe economic hardship; and
• The hardship is a direct result of the current crisis in students' countries.

An F-1 international student advisor will review the request. If eligible, the advisor will issue the student an updated I-20 with the SSR off-campus employment authorization request on the second page of the I-20. The I-20 will be emailed to the student’s SF State email account within 5 business days. 

ATTENTION

• Students may drop below full-time AFTER receiving the I-20.
• The standard processing time for USCIS to approve the off-campus SSR employment authorization is approximately 90 days or more.
• Once the SSR off-campus employment authorization is approved by USCIS, students will receive an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) within 1-2 weeks of approval.
• Students may work off-campus after they receive the EAD and the EAD's valid date has been met.

Step 2: Prepare the application and supporting documentation

Applicants should include the following documents in their application package:

• A completed and signed Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization
  • Download Form I-765.
  • Complete Form I-765 by following the instructions.
  • For Part 2, Question 27. The category for SSR in the “Part 2, 27” is (C)(3)(iii). Type "Special Student Relief" next to the category.  See example below:

• A signed I-20 with SSR off-campus employment authorization: Print the I-20 and sign it with a blue pen.
• Photocopies of current and valid passport: Provide a photocopy of the personal information page (photo and personal information)
• Two U.S. passport-style photos: Follow the instructions for passport photo requirements. Write the applicant's full name and I-94 number gently at the back of the photos. Place the photos in a small envelope for protection.
• Most recent I-94: Print I-94 at www.cbp.gov/i94
• Filing Fee or Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver
  • Submit filing fee: See Filing Fees | USCIS. Follow the instructions carefully.
  • Applicants can also request a fee waiver. USCIS established a fee waiver process if students demonstrate that they are unable to pay the filing fees. Visit the Additional Information on Filing a Fee Waiver.

Step 3: Mail the documents to USCIS

• Find the correct address to mail the SSR application. Go by Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-765. Look for the “Foreign Students”, (C)(3)(iii) category.
• Send the application in an envelope that is clearly marked on the front of the envelope, bottom right-hand side, with the phrase “SPECIAL STUDENT RELIEF”. Failure to include this notation may result in significant processing delays. The processing time is approximately 3 months or more.
• Students must mail their application within 30 days of the new I-20 issuance date. The issuance date is typically a couple of days before the I-20 print date located next to the F-1 advisor's signature.
• Please account for mailing time. USCIS will reject the application if it is received 30 days after the I-20 issuance date. If a student fails to mail their application within 30 days of the new I-20 issuance date, they must contact f1@sfsu.edu and request a new I-20.