Part-Time Jobs Around Cornish College of the Arts

Cornish College of the Arts students combine on-campus roles, Handshake-listed creative internships and—where visa rules allow—paid freelance or performance work across Seattle’s arts economy.

International students must confirm F-1 employment eligibility before accepting paid gigs, including performance contracts.

Common Part-Time Job Options

Job type	Where students may find it	Why it can help
Campus facilities, library, gallery attendant	Cornish on-campus employers (Handshake “on campus” filter)	Predictable hours near studios
Teaching assistant or studio monitor	Academic departments	Deepens craft while earning income
Box office or front-of-house	Seattle theatres and music venues	Industry networking
Gallery assistant	Pioneer Square and Capitol Hill galleries	Curatorial exposure
Coffee and hospitality	Belltown, South Lake Union, Capitol Hill	Flexible shifts; language practice
Game-testing or QA support	Seattle-area studios (varies by hiring cycles)	Pipeline into game-art roles
Film production assistant	Local indie sets listed via faculty	Set etiquette and union awareness

Where To Search

Students can search for part-time work through:

• Handshake with filters for on-campus, arts and Seattle radius
• Cornish Career Engagement employer newsletters
• Seattle Arts Commission and nonprofit job boards
• Creative union informational resources (IATSE, AFM, etc.) for long-term career literacy
• Faculty Slack or email lists for last-minute gig calls

Seattle’s minimum wage is relatively high, but housing costs are also high—budget realistically.

On-Campus And Near-Campus Work

Cornish publishes that half-time enrolment (6 undergraduate credits) is enough for many on-campus jobs. That helps students ease into work while carrying intensive studio loads.

Practical Advice For International Students

Before applying for part-time jobs, students should:

• Attend international-student employment workshops
• Understand CPT timelines for curricular internships
• Keep full course loads compatible with visa rules
• Document income for tax purposes with campus tax help if offered

Best Approach For September 2026 Students

Students arriving for the September 2026 intake should secure housing near transit lines (Link light rail and buses) so late rehearsal releases do not block shifts. Pair one steady on-campus job with selective freelance creative work once visa rules allow.