How Do I Become an Academic Student in
the United States?
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. 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?
·
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.
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.
·
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.
For more information, please see How Do I Get Permission to Change to a New
Nonimmigrant Status?.
*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. (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 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.
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.