Are Rockefeller University international scholars eligible for a Social Security number (SSN)?

RU international postdocs and staff are officially employed by RU, and thus eligible for an SSN. You can find information about applying for an SSN here:

Request Social Security number for the first time

Theoretically, international graduate students in the David Rockefeller Ph.D. program are NOT eligible for an SSN because the students are not employed at RU. The stipend they receive is not considered salary. The SSA office cannot issue an SSN to a student not employed by the university. As an alternative, international graduate students can apply for an ITIN number for taxation and credit card purposes.

How to apply for an ITIN

Why do some RU international graduate students have their SSN?

Some RU graduate students had success applying for an SSN with the financial support letter from Marta Delgado at the Dean’s office (usually the letter is adapted from an ITIN letter or an SSN ineligibility letter). Please note that this letter is not rigorous enough to prove work eligibility. While some SSA officials will give you a pass, others that are stricter won’t.

International students who have studied at another university or institution before joining RU may have gotten their SSN at their previous university or institution. Students of the Tri-I graduate program may get their SSN from Weill Cornell Medicine.