F-1 students can generally work on campus within regulatory limits, and off campus only with proper authorization — most commonly Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT), arranged through the school’s Designated School Official (DSO). Work outside those categories, without authorization, can be treated as unauthorized employment. Personal, non-commercial projects with no employer, pay, or clients are generally not “employment” at all — but, as this case shows, how they are described can still invite questions.