How Do I Become A Vocational Student In
The United States?
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?. 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, as well as the Code of Federal
Regulations [CFR] at 8 CFR 214.2, 212.7 and 22 CFR 514.
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 this law concerning temporary admissions to the United States,
please see INA § 214. The specific eligibility requirements and procedures for
applying for vocational student status are included in the Code of Federal
Regulations [CFR] at 8 CFR § 214.2(m).
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.
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 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. For more information, please see How
Do I Get Permission to Change to a New Nonimmigrant Status?
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. (For more information on changing status, please see How Do I Get
Permission to Change to a New Nonimmigrant 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.
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. For more information, please see How Do I Extend My
Stay in the United States?.
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 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. For more information, please see the
rules about practical training at 8 CFR § 214.2(m). You may also wish to
discuss practical training with the appropriate officials at your school.
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.
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 Vocational Students). If you need other immigration
forms, you may download them from the Immigration Forms tab at the top of this
page, call 1-800-870-3676, or submit a request through our forms by mail
system.
Can Anyone Help Me?
Your school will have a
designated school official (DSO) to help you with immigration issues. Please
note that you (the M-1 student) are solely responsible for following U.S.
immigration laws.