Special Student Relief and Temporary Protected Status

Special Student Relief (SSR) is a benefit for F-1 students facing severe economic hardship due to unexpected conditions in their home country. These conditions may include natural disasters, war, financial crises, or other emergencies.

• SSR is not a separate immigration status. It is a benefit available to certain F-1 students who qualify.
• It is only available to students from countries or territories designated for SSR by the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security.
• Students must be in the United States and maintaining valid F-1 status on the effective start date of the SSR program for their country.
• The program has specific start and end dates published in the Federal Register.
• SSR is not automatic. You must first speak with an ISS advisor before receiving any special student relief benefits. Do not drop below full-time enrollment until you have spoken with an ISS advisor and been approved by USCIS for this special work authorization.

If approved for SSR, students may:

• Work more than 20 hours per week on campus during the semester.
• Apply for off-campus employment due to economic hardship without waiting for one academic year.
• Reduce their course load to part-time while still keeping their F-1 status.
  • During Fall/Spring semesters, this means a minimum of 6 credits for undergraduate students and 3 credits for graduate students.
    

SSR benefits end when:

• The student finishes their studies, OR
• The SSR program for their country ends (whichever comes first).

Citizens of certain countries are made eligible for SSR through Federal Register notices. You must have been lawfully present in the U.S. for the time period specified in the Federal Register notice to be eligible for SSR. As of 12/5/2024, SSR is currently available for the following countries:  

If you have any questions or think that you are eligible to apply for SSR, please speak to an ISS advisor in drop-in advising to learn more.

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a separate immigration status granted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. TPS provides:

• Temporary protection from removal from the United States.
• Authorization to work in the U.S.
• Travel authorization.

TPS is for individuals from certain countries where it is unsafe to return due to conditions such as conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary circumstances.

If you are an F-1 or J-1 student, you must continue following the rules of your student visa, even while applying for or after being approved for TPS.

Speak with an ISS advisor to understand how TPS may impact your student status. 

If you have questions about in-state tuition eligibility based on your citizenship from a TPS-designated country, please contact UB's Student Accounts for details.