Overview: Academic study, vocational study and sponsored exchange programs use different classifications with different work and family rules. Admission to a school or program is the first step, not permission to enter, stay or work. Nearly every later question, from a part-time job to a school transfer, runs through a designated school official or exchange sponsor first.
The program types
F-1 is for qualifying academic and language study at an SEVP-certified school. The school issues I-20 through its designated school official, or DSO.
M-1 is for qualifying vocational or other nonacademic study. It also uses I-20, but its work, transfer and stay rules are more restrictive. The school’s marketing description alone does not determine which classification applies.
J-1 is for an approved exchange category through a designated sponsor, which issues DS-2019. It can cover specified students, scholars, trainees, teachers and other participants. Each exchange category has separate requirements and maximum periods.
The application sequence
- The school or sponsor must be authorized for the particular program.
- Acceptance precedes the relevant I-20 or DS-2019, which records dates, funding and personal information.
- The I-901 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 fee applies when required.
- Consular visa processing, through Form DS-160 and an interview, and eligible in-country status requests have separate application procedures.
- Admission must occur within the permitted arrival window. 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 entry, and school or sponsor reporting requirements apply after arrival.
SEVIS is the government tracking system, not the visa itself. School or sponsor approval cannot replace consular or USCIS decisions where required.
What it costs at each step
- SEVIS I-901 fee: $350 for F and M students, $220 for most J exchange visitors, and $35 for J participants in the au pair, camp counselor and summer work travel categories, according to the SEVP fee chart. Participants in federally sponsored programs are exempt.
- Visa application: $185 for F, M and J visas. J applicants in official U.S. government-sponsored programs pay no application fee. See State’s fee page.
- J-1 waiver: State lists a $120 fee for Form DS-3035, the application to waive the two-year home-country physical presence requirement.
- Visa Integrity Fee: authorized by the July 2025 budget law for most Nonimmigrant visaA visa for a temporary stay for a specific purpose, such as study, tourism, or employment, for example F-1, B-2 or H-1B.See it in the glossary. State’s fee schedule does not list it as of September 29, 2026, so follow the consulate’s payment instructions.
- Work permits: 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 and STEM OPT require Form I-765 with its own USCIS fee.
Work authorization
F-1 has distinct on-campus, 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, OPT and STEM OPT rules. CPT requires the school’s authorization; OPT requires USCIS approval and the applicable work document. An unpaid internship can still raise employment issues.
- Post-completion OPT: generally up to 12 months, requested with Form I-765 in a window that runs from 90 days before the program end date to 60 days after it. A student may not exceed 90 days of unemployment during OPT.
- STEM OPT extension: 24 more months for graduates of qualifying STEM degree programs. The application is filed during the 90 days before the current OPT ends. The job must be with an E-Verify employer and covered by a training plan on Form I-983. Total unemployment across the whole period cannot exceed 150 days. The STEM OPT Hub collects the government’s guidance for students and employers.
- Timely filing: a student who files the STEM extension on time may keep working for up to 180 days while it is pending, unless it is denied.
M-1 generally allows only qualifying practical training after completing the course, with required authorization and a limited duration. It does not offer F-1’s general CPT or OPT framework.
J-1 work must fit the approved program and sponsor authorization. A host institution’s informal agreement is not permission for unrelated employment. Certain J participants are subject to the two-year home-country physical-presence requirement, which can affect later immigration options.
Family and changes in plans
F-2 and M-2 dependents cannot work; their study permissions have specific limits. Eligible J-2 dependents may apply for work authorization but must receive the required approval. Not every J program permits J-2 dependents.
Reduced enrollment, transfers, changes of education level, withdrawal, extensions and travel have procedures administered through the DSO or responsible sponsor officer. Missing a school deadline can create an immigration issue even when the visa remains valid.
Admission periods and current policy
The visa stamp, program document and I-94 have dates that serve different purposes. F, J and M have different completion and departure rules, and termination is not the same as successful completion.
DHS published a Final ruleThe version of a federal regulation that an agency publishes in the Federal Register after reviewing public comments on a proposed rule. It sets an effective date, which generally falls at least 30 days after publication, and its text is added to the Code of Federal Regulations.See it in the glossary on July 17, 2026 that would replace 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 with a fixed admission period for F, J and I nonimmigrants. As summarized by Berkeley’s international office, the fixed period would run up to the program length but no more than four years plus 30 days, extensions would go through USCIS, and the F-1 grace period would shrink from 60 to 30 days. The rule was scheduled to start on September 15, 2026, but a federal court preliminarily enjoined it on September 14, so duration of status continues for now. A status conference in the case is set for October 2, 2026, and the government is expected to appeal. Practical training rules are separate from that rule. The dated policy guide tracks the litigation and the related form editions.
What else changed in 2026
- Nationality-based restrictions. Presidential proclamationA formal statement from the President addressed to the public. In immigration, proclamations are often issued under INA 212(f), which lets the President suspend or restrict the entry of noncitizens when the President finds their entry would be detrimental to the interests of the United States. The Supreme Court read that authority broadly in Trump v. Hawaii (2018), though courts have said it cannot override other parts of the INA.See it in the glossary with full or partial entry limits took effect January 1, 2026. Each has its own scope, visa classes and exceptions.
- USCIS holds. A January 1, 2026 USCIS memorandum placing holds on benefit requests from certain countries is marked as no longer in effect because of court orders. Students filing OPT requests should still check current USCIS guidance.
- Form editions. USCIS announced new 09/15/26 editions of Forms I-539 and I-765, but they did not take effect on September 15 after the injunction. Confirm the current edition before filing.
Common mistakes to watch for
- Working off campus, including in an unpaid internship, before the DSO or USCIS has authorized it.
- Exceeding the unemployment-day limit during OPT.
- Dropping below a full course of study without DSO approval.
- Assuming an expired visa stamp means status has ended, or a valid stamp means it has not.
- Paying for an I-20 or DS-2019 from an unverified school or agent.