Most interns who apply before having received their EAD card join us as volunteers until they receive it.
Volunteering is perfectly allowable for F1 students at any time, including in advance of receiving their EAD card. For more info on this, including correspondence from the government, please see:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lX-xNknRJjbvlwubh4frSTKxN2TkfEsjWt2y9eDqjOs/edit?usp=sharing
Volunteering lets you:
- make a difference in the world
- use existing skills
- learn new skills
- enhance your resume with a record of service and achievement (employers want people who are productive; not ones who sit around)
If you are willing to start volunteering prior to your EAD effective date, please indicate the start date for volunteeriing below. You do not need an Offer Letter for your volunteering, and you are not required to report your volunteering to either your school or the government. Again, see the link above.