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Here Becoming an Academic Student in the US (F-1)
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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 -
Orlando, FL (407)-574-7024
Naples, FL (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 -
Orlando (407)-574-7024
Naples (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 -
Orlando, FL (407)-574-7024
Naples, FL (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 -
Orlando, FL (407)-574-7024
Naples, FL (239)-643-5529
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