(Process During COVID-19)
An international student is not eligible to get a Social Security number unless needed for paid employment. If you have been offered an on-campus job or you have qualified to do Curricular Practical Training (CPT), this is the process to apply for a Social Security number.
- Gather the following documents:
- Your valid I-20
- Valid passport
- Copy of your I-94 (cpb.gov(opens in new window))
- Job offer letter from your on-campus or CPT employer
- Verification of enrollment from Cindy or Tasha
- Call our local Social Security Administration (SSA) at 1-866-964-7585.
- Let them know you are an F-1 student and that you need to apply for a Social Security number (SSN).
- The agent should take your contact information, and maybe ask a few other questions, and forward your information to the office manager at the Chico SSA.
- The office manager should contact you within a few days to a week so that you can agree upon a time that works for you to go into the SSA to hand in your paperwork in-person.
- In addition to the paperwork above, you should also complete and bring with you the Application for Social a Social Security Card SS-5-FS (PDF).
- Once you submit your paperwork in-person, it will take about two weeks to get your SSN in the mail.