Special Student Relief
Special Student Relief (SSR) allows the suspension of certain F-1 requirements at the discretion of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). SSR and Temporary Protected Status are not the same. SSR is specifically for students with active F-1 status.
What is offered
SSR allows for the following:
- Increased on-campus employment.
- Off-campus employment authorization (through USCIS), which includes the ability to reduce your full course load.
How to apply
- Speak to a DSO at ISS
- Eligibility is determined by the rules set in the Federal Register Notice. Please check the notice yourself first.
- Receive a new I-20 from ISS
- If applying for off-campus employment, ISS will direct you on the application with USCIS.
Who is eligible
If your country is going through a crisis or emergency, please search the for up to date announcements.
Current notices (updated 07/19/2024)
- Afghanistan
- Effective
- Updated
- Expires May 20, 2025
- Burma/Myanmar
- Effective
- Updated
- Expires November 25, 2025
- Cameroon
- Effective
- Updated
- Expires June 7, 2025
- Ethiopia
- Effective
- Updated
- Expires December 12, 2025
- Haiti
- Effective
- Updated
- Expires February 3, 2026
- Hong Kong
- Effective
- Updated
- Expires February 5, 2025
- Lebanon
- Expires January 25, 2026
- Palestinian Territories
- Effective
- Expires August 13, 2025
- Somalia
- Effective
- Updated
- Expires March 17, 2026
- Sudan
- Updated
- Expires April 19, 2025
- South Sudan
- Effective
- Updated
- Expires May 3, 2025
- Syria
- Effective
- Updated
- Expires September 30, 2025
- Ukraine
- Effective
- Updated
- Expires April 19, 2025
- Venezuela
- Effective
- Updated
- Expires September 10, 2025
- Yemen
- Effective
- Updated
- Expires March 3, 2026