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Becoming an Academic Student in the US (F-1)
Click Here Becoming a Vocational Student in the US (M-1)
Becoming an Academic Student in the US (F-1)
Who is Allowed to Study in the United States?
A nonimmigrant is someone admitted to the U.S. temporarily for
a specific purpose. People who are coming to the United States
to pursue full-time academic or vocational studies are usually
admitted in one of two nonimmigrant categories. The F-1 category
includes academic students in colleges, universities, seminaries,
conservatories, academic high schools, other academic institutions,
and in language training. The M-1 category includes vocational
students. For more information on vocational studies in the United
States, please see How Do I Get Approval For Vocational Studies
in the United States?. If you are planning to study in the United
States as an Exchange Visitor, please see the Department
of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs and the Department
of State Websites.
Please note: If you wish to attend public high
school (grades 9-12) in the United States in student (F-1) status,
you must submit
evidence that the local school district has been reimbursed in
advance for the unsubsidized per capita cost of the education.
Also, attendance at U.S. public high schools cannot exceed a total
of 12 months. F-1 students are prohibited from attending public
elementary schools and publicly-funded adult education programs
in the United States.
- Need Help? Call us at -
California (916)-669-0649
Florida (239)-643-5529
How Do I Apply?
How Do I Apply if I am Outside of the United States?
You first must apply to study at a USCIS-approved school in the
United States.
When you contact a school that you are interested in attending,
you should be told immediately if the school accepts foreign national
students. If you are accepted, the school should give you USCIS
Form I-20 A-B/ID (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1)
Student Status - for Academic and Language Students). If you require
a visa, then you should take the USCIS Form I-20 to the nearest
U.S. consulate to obtain a student visa. Only bring the USCIS Form
I-20 from the school you plan on attending for visa processing
at the U.S. consulate. You must also prove to the consulate that
you have the financial resources required for your education and
stay in the United States.
When you arrive in the United States, you should receive a Form
I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record) that will include your admission
number to the United States. An Immigration inspector will write
this admission number on your USCIS Form I-20 A-B/ ID. The Immigration
Inspector will then send pages one and two of this form, known
as I-20 A-B, to your school as a record of your legal admission
to the United States. You are expected to keep pages three and
four, known as the I-20 ID. This document is your proof that you
are allowed to study in the United States as an F-1 student. You
should see your designated school official (DSO) if you need a
replacement copy of your I-20 ID. You should also keep safe your
Form I-94, because it proves that you legally entered the United
States.
How Can I Change My Nonimmigrant Status to Become a Student If
I Am Already in the United States?
You first must apply to study at a USCIS-approved school in the
United States*. When you contact a school that you are interested
in attending, you should be told immediately if the school accepts
foreign national students. If you are accepted, the school should
send you USCIS Form I-20 A-B/IID (Certificate of Eligibility for
Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status - for Academic and Language Students).
You must submit this form and a USCIS Form I-539 (Application to
Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status) to the USCIS. You must also
prove that you have the financial resources required for your education
and stay in the United States.
*Please be aware that if you have been admitted as a B-1 (Temporary
Visitor for Business) or B-2 (Temporary Visitor for Pleasure) visa
holder, you may not begin your program studies until your application
for these studies is approved.
How Do I Apply for Permission to Transfer Schools?
You must be
a full time student in good academic standing. You must notify
your current school of your intent to transfer. You must ask the
school that you plan on attending to give you a new USCIS Form
I-20 A-B/ID (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1)
Student Status - for Academic and Language Students). You must
complete your portion of the USCIS Form I-20 and give it to your
new designated school official (DSO) within 15 days of transferring.
The designated school official (DSO) should give you the last two
pages, known as Form I-20 ID, and forward a copy of the first two
pages, known as Form I-20 A-B, to the USCIS and your prior school.
Can I Bring My Spouse and Children with Me to the United States?
Your spouse and children may come with you to the United States
in F-2 status. They should go with you to the U.S. embassy or
consulate when you apply for your student (F-1) visa. They should
be prepared to prove their relationship to you. If your spouse
or children are following to join you at a later date, they should
provide the U.S. embassy staff with a copy of your USCIS Form
I-20 ID (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student
Status - for Academic and Language Students) and proof of their
relationship to you. The F-2 status of your family will be dependent
upon your status as the F-1 academic student. This means that
if you change your status, your family must change their status.
If you lose your status, your family will also lose their status.
How Long Can I Stay in the United States?
You are allowed to stay in the United States for as long as you
are enrolled as a full-time student in an educational program and
making normal progress toward completing your course of study.
If approved, you also will be allowed to stay in the country up
to twelve additional months beyond the completion of your studies
to pursue practical training. At the end of your studies or practical
training, you will be given sixty days to prepare to leave the
country.
How Can I Extend My Stay as a Student in the United States?
You do not need to apply to extend your stay in the United States
as long as you are maintaining your student status and making
normal progress toward completing your academic course of study.
The designated school official (DSO) from your school will write
down a completion date on your USCIS Form I-20 A-B (Certificate
of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status - for Academic
and Language Students). Under normal circumstances, you should
be able to complete your studies by this date. If you need to
extend your stay for compelling academic or medical reasons,
then you and the designated school official (DSO) should fill
out USCIS Form I-538 (Certification By Designated School Official)
and send it to the USCIS student data center at least 30 days
before the completion date listed on USCIS Form I-20 A-B.
Will I Get a Work Permit?
You may be allowed to work on-campus or off-campus (after the completion
of your first year of study) under limited circumstances. Please
see the rules on student employment at 8 CFR 214.2 (f) . You
may also wish to discuss employment with the designated school
official (DSO) at your school. Your accompanying spouse and child
may not accept employment.
Can I Travel Outside the United States?
Students may leave the United States and be readmitted after absences
of five months or less. Upon your return to the United States,
you should provide immigration inspectors with:
- A valid passport.
- A valid F-1 entry visa stamped in the passport
(if necessary).
- A current USCIS Form I-20 ID (Certificate of
Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status - for Academic
and
Language
Students) signed by your appropriate school official (you
should have the appropriate school official sign your USCIS
Form I-20
each time you wish to temporarily travel outside the United
States).
- A new USCIS Form I-20 A-B/I-20 ID if there have
been any substantive changes in your course of study or place
of
study.
- Proof of your financial support.
When making your travel plans,
please remember that you must be a full-time student to keep
your F-1 student
status. You
will be considered to be "in status" if you
take the annual summer vacation, as long as you are
eligible and
intend to register
for the next school term.
Becoming a Vocational Student in the US (M-1)
Who is Allowed to Study in the United States?
A nonimmigrant is someone who temporarily comes to the United States
for a specific purpose. People who wish to pursue full-time academic
or vocational studies are usually admitted to the United States
in one of two nonimmigrant categories. The M-1 category includes
students in vocational or other nonacademic programs, other than
language training. The F-1 category includes academic students
and students in language training programs. For more information
on academic studies in the United States, please see How Do I
Get Become an Academic Student in the United States?.
- Need Help? Call us at -
California (916)-669-0649
Florida (239)-643-5529
How Do I Apply?
How Do I Apply if I am Outside of the United States?
You first
must apply to study at a USCIS-approved school in the United States.
When you contact a school that you are interested in attending,
you should be told immediately if the school accepts foreign national
students. If you are accepted, the school should send you USCIS
Form I-20 M-N/ID (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (M-1)
Student Status - For Vocational Students). If you require a visa,
then you should take the USCIS Form I-20 to the nearest U.S. consulate
to obtain a student visa. Only bring the USCIS Form I-20 from the
school you plan on attending for visa processing at the U.S. consulate.
You must also prove to the consulate that you have the financial
resources required for your education and stay in the United States.
When you arrive in the United States, you should receive a Form
I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record) that will include your admission
number to the United States. An Immigration inspector will write
this admission number on your Form I-20 M-N/ID. The Inspector will
then take pages one and two of this form, known as I-20 M-N. The
USCIS will receive the first page (I-20M) and your school will
receive the second page (I-20 N) as a record of your legal admission
to the United States. You are expected to keep pages three and
four, known as the I-20 ID. This document is your proof that you
are allowed to study at the indicated institution in the United
States. You should see a school representative if you need a replacement
copy of your I-20 ID. You should also keep safe your Form I-94,
because it proves that you legally entered the United States.
How Can I Change My Nonimmigrant Status to Become a Student if
I Am Already in the United States?
You first must apply to study
at a USCIS-approved school in the United States. When you contact
a school that you are interested in attending, you should be told
immediately if the school accepts foreign national students. If
you are accepted, the school should send you USCIS Form I-20 M-N/ID
(Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (M-1) Student Status
- For Vocational Students). You must submit this form, your I-94
(Arrival-Departure Record), and a completed USCIS Form I-539 (Application
to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status) to the USCIS. You must also
prove that you have the financial resources required for your education
and stay in the United States.
How Do I Apply for Permission to Transfer Schools?
You must file
USCIS Form I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status)
with the USCIS. You should also submit your current USCIS Form
I-20 ID (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (M-1) Student
Status - For Vocational Students), a complete USCIS Form I-20
M-N/ID from your new school, and the Form I-94 (Arrival-Departure
Documents) of your spouse and children. You may transfer sixty
days after filing this application. However, if your application
is denied after you transfer, you will be considered to be out
of status. This means you may be required to leave the country.
Please note: To be eligible to transfer to another school, you
must currently be a full-time student, and you must intend to be
a full-time student at the new school. You must also prove that
you have the financial resources required for your education and
stay in the United States. In addition, you may only transfer to
another school within the first six months from the date you were
admitted to the United States to begin your studies or from the
date you changed your nonimmigrant status to become an M-1 student.
You are not allowed to change your educational objective.
Can I Bring My Spouse and Children with Me to the United States?
Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age may
come with you to the United States in M-2 nonimmigrant status.
They should go with you to the U.S. embassy or consulate when
you apply for your student (M-1) visa. They should be prepared
to prove their relationship to you. If your spouse or children
are following to join you at a later date, they should provide
the U.S. embassy staff with a copy of your USCIS Form I-20 ID
and proof of their relationship to you. The M-2 status of your
family will be dependent upon your status as the M-1 vocational
student. This means that if you change your status, your family
must change their status as well. If you lose your status, your
family will also lose their status.
How Long Can I Stay in the
United States?
You are allowed to stay in the United States for one year or
for as long as you are enrolled as a full-time student in a
vocational
program (plus thirty days to prepare to leave the country), whichever
is shorter. You should be allowed to stay in the United States
30 days beyond the departure date on your Form I-94 (Arrival-Departure
Record) and USCIS Form I-20 ID (Certificate of Eligibility for
Nonimmigrant (M-1) Student Status - For Vocational Students),
as long as your stay does not exceed one year. You may also apply to stay in the country after the completion
of your studies to pursue practical training. If approved, you
will be allowed to have one month of practical training for every
four months of study you completed. You will be limited to six
months total practical training time. Your designated school official
(DSO) is able to assist you in the application process.
- Need Help? Call us at
-
California (916)-669-0649
Florida (239)-643-5529
How Can I Extend My Stay as a Student in the United States?
You should apply to extend your stay in the United States if your
studies will take longer than the date listed on your I-20 ID
or your vocational program lasts longer than a year. You should
complete USCIS Form I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant
Status) and send it to USCIS at least 15 (but not more than 60)
days before your authorized stay in the country expires. You
should also submit your USCIS Form I-20 ID to the USCIS at the
same time.
Will I Be Able to Work?
You and your spouse and children may not accept employment. However,
you may apply for practical training after you complete your
studies. If approved, you will be allowed to have one month of
practical training for every four months of study you have completed.
You will be limited to six months total practical training time.
You should submit USCIS Form 538 (Certification By Designated
School Official) to the USCIS. Your school official should certify
on USCIS Form I-538 that 1) the proposed employment is for the
purpose of practical training; 2) the training will be related
to your studies; and 3) you can not receive the same type of training
in your country of residence. You must also submit USCIS Form I-765
(Application for Employment Authorization), and your I-20 ID, signed
by the designated school official (DSO). You should send your application
to USCIS no more than 60 days before your student status expires
and no later than 30 days after your studies are completed.
Can I Travel Outside of the United States?
Students may leave the United States and be readmitted after temporary
absences. When making your travel plans, please remember that
you must be a full-time student to keep your M-1 student status.
Upon your return to the United States, you should provide immigration
inspectors with:
- A valid passport.
- A valid M-1 entry visa stamped in the passport
(if necessary).
- A current USCIS Form I-20 ID signed by your
designated school official (you should have the designated
school official sign
your USCIS
Form I-20 each time you wish to temporarily travel outside
the United States).
- A new USCIS Form I-20 M-N/ID if there
have been any substantive changes in your course of study or
place of study.
- Proof of your financial support.
- Need Help? Call us at -
California (916)-669-0649
Florida (239)-643-5529
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