Overview: F-1 is for full-time academic study at a school certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). F-2 is the dependent classification for an F-1 student’s spouse and unmarried children under 21. Admission to a school, a visa and permission to work are separate approvals.
The school and program
F-1 covers approved academic programs, including university degrees and language study. Vocational study generally uses M-1. The particular campus and program must be authorized to issue an F-1 Form I-20.
The school’s designated school official (DSO) manages the student record in SEVISThe Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, the DHS database that tracks F, M and J students and exchange visitors and the schools that host them. Designated school officials update each record, issue the Form I-20 or DS-2019, and authorize or recommend work options such as CPT and OPT.See it in the glossary, the government tracking system. The DSO issues the I-20, advises on maintaining status and authorizes certain activities. A DSO cannot issue a visa or approve a USCIS work-permit application.
Public elementary schooling is not an F-1 route. Public secondary school attendance has a 12-month limit and requires payment of the full unsubsidized cost. Private-school rules differ.
Eligibility and evidence
Eligibility requires school acceptance, a qualifying I-20, the academic preparation and language ability required for the program, adequate funding and a credible temporary study plan. Language-study enrollment can address language preparation where appropriate.
Application documents include the passport, I-20, academic records, DS-160 confirmation, photo and relevant payment receipts. Financial evidence addresses tuition, living expenses and the source of support. When a relative pays, the relationship, commitment and ability to pay are relevant. Funding for later years can also matter, beyond the first semester.
Application steps
- School admission precedes issuance of the I-20, which records the SEVIS number, program dates and funding.
- The I-901 SEVIS fee applies when required. F-2 dependents do not pay their own I-901 fee. Renewals and other situations have specific rules.
- Consular processingApplying for an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad, as an alternative to adjustment of status inside the United States.See it in the glossary includes DS-160 and the post’s fee and appointment procedures.
- The study plan and evidence form part of the application review. Additional documents or screening may be required.
- Visa issuance is separate from admission. A new student normally may enter no earlier than 30 days before the program start date.
- The I-20 and funding information support entry. The I-94The Arrival/Departure Record that U.S. Customs and Border Protection creates when a nonimmigrant is admitted. It shows the class of admission and an Admit Until date, and most are now electronic and available on the CBP I-94 website. USCIS can also issue one when it approves an extension of stay or a change of status.See it in the glossary records admission, and the school has reporting requirements after arrival.
Maintaining student status
F-1 generally requires a full course of study. A permitted reduction requires DSO authorization; financial difficulty or a professor’s approval alone is not a substitute. Online-course limits depend on the program, and language students have particularly strict rules.
Status requirements include address reporting and school notification. An eligible program extension must be requested before the I-20 end date. School transfers, changes of education level and withdrawal have procedures administered through the DSO. An expired visa stamp does not by itself end an otherwise authorized stay.
Working: three different permissions
On-campus employment is generally limited to 20 hours a week while school is in session. Eligible students may work more during qualifying breaks. The work location and employer must meet the on-campus employment rules.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)Work authorization for F-1 students for training that is an integral part of an established curriculum and directly related to their major. A designated school official authorizes it in SEVIS and on the Form I-20, and the student may start only after receiving the endorsed I-20. Students generally need one full academic year of enrollment first, and 12 months or more of full-time CPT makes a student ineligible for post-completion OPT at that education level.See it in the glossary (CPT) must be an integral part of an established curriculum. The DSO authorizes it on the I-20 for the particular employer and dates; work before authorization is not permitted. One academic year of enrollment is generally required, with an exception for graduate programs requiring immediate participation. Twelve months or more of full-time CPT eliminates eligibility for post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT)Temporary work authorization that lets eligible F-1 students work in a job directly related to their field of study. It can be used before or after completing a program, for up to 12 months in total at each education level, and students with certain STEM degrees can apply for a 24-month extension. USCIS grants it on Form I-765 after the school's designated school official recommends it.See it in the glossary at that level; part-time CPT is treated differently.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is temporary work directly related to the major. Eligible students can receive up to 12 months at an education level, with another period possible after moving to a higher level. Pre-completion OPT uses part of that allowance. The DSO recommends OPT, but USCIS approves Form I-765 and issues the EAD (Employment Authorization Document)A card issued by USCIS on Form I-765 that allows certain noncitizens to work legally while another application is pending or a status permits it.See it in the glossary (EAD). A recommendation or receipt is not permission to begin work.
For ordinary post-completion OPT, the filing window generally opens 90 days before program completion and closes 60 days afterward, with a separate deadline after the DSO recommendation. USCIS instructions specify the filing requirements. Work cannot begin before the approved EAD start date. Ordinary post-completion OPT generally permits no more than 90 days of unemployment.
STEM OPT
An eligible STEM degree may support a 24-month extension. The employer must participate in E-Verify, and the student and employer complete Form I-983 describing the training, supervision and learning objectives. A degree’s marketing title is not enough; its qualifying classification matters.
The application must be timely, before the current OPT expires and within the applicable recommendation window. A timely eligible STEM extension can provide a limited automatic extension of employment while pending. STEM reporting includes address/employer changes, periodic validation and training evaluations. The combined unemployment allowance is generally 150 days across initial post-completion OPT and STEM OPT.
Example: an internship’s authorization depends on whether it meets CPT, OPT or another permitted basis. “Unpaid” does not automatically mean the activity is permitted.
Family, completion and travel
F-2 spouses and children cannot work. F-2 dependents may undertake permitted part-time postsecondary study; a spouse normally needs an appropriate student status before full-time postsecondary study. Children may attend elementary or secondary school full-time.
Students completing the program and authorized practical training while maintaining status generally receive a 60-day preparation/departure period. This is not additional work permission. Authorized withdrawal and termination have different consequences.
Travel documentation can include a passport, visa and endorsed I-20. OPT travel can also involve employment and EAD evidence. Admission rules and pending applications affect the requirements and consequences of a trip.
Costs and the blocked 2026 change
Costs include tuition, living expenses, SEVIS, visa applications and any work-permit filings. Schools publish program costs, while agencies publish government fee instructions.
Reviewed September 21, 2026: DHS published a rule, scheduled for September 15, that would have changed F/J admission and extension procedures. A federal court preliminarily enjoined it on September 14, so F-1 students remain on Duration of status (D/S)The period of stay for F, J and I nonimmigrants, who are admitted for as long as they maintain their program or activity rather than until a fixed date. It appears as D/S on Form I-94.See it in the glossary for now. The order is preliminary, so see the dated policy guide before planning an extension, transfer or trip.