[korkybuchek]

> but are they absolutely prohibited from work of any kind?

Generally yes.

But you can have on-campus jobs to supplement your income, and there are at least two programs (CPT and OPT) that let you get approval for limited-term employment in your area of study. CPT also requires university approval.

[kccqzy]

Both would require university approval. OPT is literally structured as a course at the university.

[davidgay]

You can also do OPT "post-completion" of your degree - this also gives your (new) employer some time to apply for a longer-term work visa.

[yandie]

And you need to get work authorization (EAD card) for that. It’s not a given