Short answer: The F-1 visa is for full time academic study at a school approved by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. F-2 is for the student's spouse and minor children.
What this visa is for
F-1 covers degree study at universities and colleges, plus academic high schools, private elementary schools, seminaries, conservatories and approved language programmes. The defining feature is that the study is academic and full time, and that the school is certified by SEVP. Vocational and technical training belongs in the M category instead.
Who qualifies
You need an offer of admission from a SEVP certified school, which then issues a Form I-20. You must show enough money to cover tuition and living costs for at least the first year and a credible plan for later years. You need English ability sufficient for the programme, or enrolment in language training that will get you there. You must satisfy the consular officer that you intend to return home after your studies, since F-1 is not a dual intent category.
Costs before the visa
Every F-1 applicant pays the SEVIS I-901 fee at fmjfee.com before the interview, in addition to the visa application fee. Keep the receipt.
How long you can stay: an important 2026 change
For more than thirty years, F students were admitted for duration of status, written on the I-94 as D/S. That meant you could stay as long as you kept your status, without asking for extensions.
DHS published a final rule on 17 July 2026 replacing duration of status with a fixed admission period. Under the rule, F students are admitted for the length of the programme on the I-20, up to a maximum of four years, and must file an extension of stay with USCIS to continue beyond that date. The rule is scheduled to take effect on 15 September 2026, and litigation over it is active. There are transition provisions for students already in D/S status and limited relief for students filing timely OPT applications.
Because this is both new and contested, confirm the current position on the official DHS pages before relying on any summary, including this one.
Work rules
On campus work is allowed within hour limits, generally twenty hours per week while school is in session.
Curricular Practical Training, or CPT, is work that is an integral part of your curriculum, authorised by your designated school official. Twelve months or more of full time CPT eliminates OPT eligibility, which is a trap worth remembering.
Optional Practical Training, or OPT, is up to twelve months of work in your field, usually taken after graduation, authorised by USCIS on Form I-765.
STEM OPT adds up to twenty four months for eligible degrees where the employer is enrolled in E-Verify and a training plan is filed on Form I-983.
Unauthorised work is one of the fastest ways to lose status.
Family members
F-2 spouses and children may live in the United States and study part time. F-2 spouses may not work. F-2 children may attend elementary and secondary school full time.
How to apply
- Get admitted and receive the I-20.
- Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee.
- File the Form DS-160 and pay the visa fee.
- Interview at the consulate with the I-20, financial evidence and academic records.
- Enter the United States, generally no earlier than thirty days before the programme start date.
Note that consulates now conduct expanded social media and online presence vetting for student visa applicants. Applicants have been asked to set social media accounts to public for review.
Common mistakes
Dropping below a full course of load without prior authorisation from the school.
Working off campus without authorisation, including informal cash work and unpaid roles that would normally be paid.
Letting the I-20 programme end date pass without an extension or transfer.
Missing the grace period rules after completing a programme.
Official sources
TR Immigration is an independent immigration information platform. It is not a law firm. Nothing here is legal advice, an eligibility determination, or a prediction about your case. Rules and fees change often, so confirm anything you rely on against the official page it links to.