F-1 students may request employment authorization, work an increased number of hours while school is in session, and reduce their course load while continuing to maintain their F-1 student status.
https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/11/09/2015-28360/employment-authorization-for-nepali-f-1-students-experiencing-severe-economic-hardship-as-a-direct?utm_campaign=subscription+mailing+list&utm_medium=email&utm_source=federalregister.gov