How Do I Become an Academic Student in the United States?
Who is Allowed to Study in the United States?
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.
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. Also, please see the
Code of Federal Regulations at 8
CFR 214.2, 212.7,
and 22
CFR 514.
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.
What Does the Law Say?
The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) governs the admission of
all people to the United States. For the part of the law concerning temporary
admissions to the United States, please see INA
§ 214 .The specific eligibility requirements and procedures for applying
for academic student status are included in the Code of Federal Regulations [CFR]
at 8CFR
§ 214.2(f).
How Do I Apply?
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. Please see the State
Department Website for more information on visa processing.
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. If you need a replacement copy of your Form
I-94, please see How
Do I Get an Arrival-Departure Record?.
*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 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. See 8
CFR § 214.2 for more complete time limits.
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:
How Can I Get USCIS Forms?
Your should be able to pick up immigration-related forms from your
designated school official (DSO). Only your designated school official (DSO) can
give you a USCIS Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1)
Student Status - for Academic and Language Students) or a USCIS Form I-538
(Certification By Designated School Official). If you would like other
immigration forms, you may call 1-800-870-3676, or submit a request through our forms
by mail system. For further information on filing fees, please see USCIS
filing fees
Can Anyone Help Me?
Call 212-244-9040
Email to training@infoserveusa.com
Note: Resources are from http://uscis.gov