Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students

If you are working or plan to receive any wages while in the U.S., you will be required to apply for a Social Security number (SSN) for payment purposes. If you are eligible and plan to apply for an SSN, you must report to the Social Security Administration, located in Trenton, NJ, which is about 35 minutes southwest of Princeton and is accessible via train or bus. Effective October 13, 2004, you must have a job offer/letter from your on-campus employer to apply for an SSN. Before you apply, please be sure you have the original documents, as outlined below:

• I-94 card (small white card stapled in your passport);
• Passport (if your passport is less than one year old, you will need another official document older than one year that has your name and date of birth);
• Original I-20 form;
• Evidence of Employment Eligibility form
• A representative from the Social Security Office will be on campus to process requests on in the fall of 2009. Students will need to bring 2 copies of the following:

  • ID page of passport with expiration date. IMPORTANT: If your passport is less than one-year old, you will need to bring a supplemental, original document (and a copy), which includes your name and date of birth;

  • The most recent F-1 visa stamp in your passport (not required for Canadian citizens)

  • The front and back of your I-94 card (white card stapled inside of your passport)

  • All pages of your Form I-20

If you do not intend to work, you cannot apply for an SSN; however, you may be eligible for an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN). Students from countries that have Tax Treaties with the U. S. should apply if you have a grant/scholarship in your financial aid award and your treaty excludes "Service Income" (work) or "Scholarship/Fellowship" (grants).

Related links

Application for a Social Security card
Directions to the Trenton SSA Office.pdf
Listing of tax treaty countries