F-1 Visa: From Student to U.S. Work Visa

The F-1 is the visa international students use to study in the U.S. It's held by more than a million people each year and covers degree programs, language schools, and academic training at any SEVP-certified institution. What you do with it after, through OPT, the H-1B lottery, and eventually a green card process, starts with understanding how it works.

This guide covers eligibility, the application process, work authorization through OPT and CPT, and what your options look like after graduation.

What is an F-1 visa?

The F-1 is a nonimmigrant visa that authorizes full-time academic study at SEVP-certified institutions in the United States. It covers degree programs at colleges and universities, language training programs, and vocational coursework, as long as the school is certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).

Student visa types

The three main student visas each serve a different purpose: the F-1 covers academic degree programs and language training, the M-1 covers vocational and technical training, and the J-1 visa covers exchange programs administered by designated sponsor organizations.

The J-1 may carry a two-year home residency requirement, meaning you'd need to return to your home country for two years before applying for certain U.S. visas or a green card. The F-1 doesn't have this restriction. Some specialized programs like medical residencies typically use the J-1 because of specific program requirements.

F-1 visa eligibility requirements

To qualify for an F-1 visa, you must meet all six requirements set by USCIS:

• You must be enrolled in an academic program (degree, diploma, or certificate) or a language training program.
• Your school must be certified by SEVP. Verify this using the DHS School Search tool at studyinthestates.dhs.gov.
• You must enroll as a full-time student. For undergraduates, that means 12 or more credit hours per term.
• You must demonstrate English proficiency through test scores (TOEFL, IELTS) or by enrolling in the school's English language courses.
• You must show sufficient financial support to cover the entire cost of your program, not just the first year. The required amount is listed on your I-20.
• You must maintain a residence abroad that you don't intend to abandon, showing the consular officer you plan to return home after your studies.

The financial proof must cover your entire program length as listed on your I-20, and English proficiency can be satisfied by enrolling in English language courses at the school itself.

Documents you'll need

You'll need to gather several documents before your visa interview. Start collecting these as soon as you receive your acceptance letter.

• Valid passport with at least six months of validity beyond your program end date (some country-specific agreements may exempt this rule)
• Acceptance letter from your SEVP-certified school
• Form I-20, signed by your Designated School Official (DSO, the person at your school authorized to maintain your SEVIS record and sign your I-20)
• Financial documents proving you can cover the full cost of attendance (bank statements, scholarship letters, affidavits of support)
• Academic transcripts and standardized test scores (SAT, GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS as applicable)
• SEVIS I-901 fee receipt
• DS-160 confirmation page with barcode

How to apply for an F-1 visa: step by step

The F-1 visa application follows five steps, from school acceptance through entering the United States.

Step 1: Get accepted at a certified school

Apply to schools certified by SEVP, which you can verify using the DHS School Search tool at studyinthestates.dhs.gov. Once a school accepts you, your DSO will create your SEVIS record and issue your Form I-20.

If you're accepted at multiple schools, each will send a separate I-20, but you'll use only the one from the school you plan to attend.

Step 2: Receive your I-20 and pay the SEVIS fee

Once your DSO issues your I-20, review every field for accuracy:

• Your name must match your passport
• Your program dates must be correct
• Your SEVIS ID must be legible

Then pay the SEVIS I-901 fee at fmjfee.com and save the receipt.

Make sure the SEVIS ID on your payment receipt matches the one on your I-20. A mismatch can prevent your fee from being validated at the consulate.

Step 3: Complete the DS-160 and pay the application fee

You file the DS-160 (Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, the form for your F-1 visa) online at ceac.state.gov. Upload a compliant passport photo and print the confirmation page with its barcode. The MRV (Machine Readable Visa) application fee is paid to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

You'll need your travel history (last five U.S. visits, if any), employment history, and a rough travel itinerary. The DS-160 must be fully submitted before you can schedule your visa interview.

Step 4: Schedule and attend your visa interview

Schedule your interview at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Bring your passport, I-20, DS-160 confirmation, SEVIS receipt, financial documents, and acceptance letter.

The consular officer will ask about your study plans, financial support, and intent to return home after your program.

Most F-1 applicants must attend an in-person interview.

Step 5: Enter the United States

You can enter the U.S. up to 30 days before your program start date as listed on your I-20. At the port of entry, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer reviews your documents and makes the final admission decision. You'll receive a Form I-94 confirming your admission and the terms of your stay.

How long does an F-1 visa last?

F-1 students are admitted for "duration of status". When a CBP officer stamps "D/S" on your I-94, it means you're authorized to remain in the United States through your program completion date, plus any authorized practical training, plus your grace period.

Your visa stamp may expire before your program ends. That's fine as long as you don't leave the country. If you travel internationally, you'll need a valid visa stamp to re-enter the U.S.

Proposed 2025-2026 changes to duration of status

In August 2025, the Department of Homeland Security published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would replace D/S with a fixed four-year maximum admission period. Students in programs lasting longer than four years (like most PhD candidates) would need to file extensions through USCIS before their authorized period expired.

This is still a proposed rule, not a final regulation. The current D/S framework continues to apply to all F-1 students. If the rule is finalized, it would create additional paperwork and fees for students in longer programs.

Maintaining your F-1 status

The State Department issues your visa stamp, but your legal status inside the U.S. is maintained through SEVIS, the federal database that tracks all active F, M, and J visa holders.

Your school manages your SEVIS record through a Designated School Official (DSO). The core obligations are:

• Maintain full-time enrollment (at least 12 credit hours per term for undergraduates)
• Make normal academic progress toward your degree
• Avoid unauthorized employment
• Keep your passport valid at all times
• Report address changes to your DSO within 10 days
• Keep your SEVIS record current

Dropping below full-time enrollment without prior DSO authorization is one of the most common ways students fall out of status.

Your DSO can authorize a reduced course load for documented medical or academic reasons, but that approval needs to come before you drop courses. The only exception is your final semester, when fewer credits may be all you need to graduate.

If you change schools, your new DSO must transfer your SEVIS record to the new institution. Confirm they've completed the transfer, as it doesn't happen automatically. The transfer window is 15 days from when you start at the new school.

Traveling internationally

If your visa stamp expires while you're studying in the U.S., you don't lose status as long as your enrollment is active. You only need a valid visa stamp to re-enter the U.S. after travel abroad.

When you do travel, you'll also need a current travel signature from your DSO on your I-20. Signatures are valid for 12 months for most students, and 6 months during post-completion OPT. Get it renewed before you leave, not at the airport.

Working on an F-1 visa

F-1 holders have three categories of work authorization, each with different rules, timing, and limitations.

On-campus employment

On-campus work is available from day one of your F-1 status. You can work up to 20 hours per week during the academic term and up to 40 hours per week during official school breaks.

You don't need USCIS authorization for on-campus employment, just approval from your DSO. "On campus" includes your school's premises and educationally affiliated off-site locations, such as a research lab run by your university at a different address.

CPT: curricular practical training

CPT covers internships, co-ops, and other work experiences that are integral to your curriculum. You must complete one full academic year before you're eligible, with one exception: graduate students whose programs require immediate practical training may qualify from day one.

CPT can be part-time or full-time, but watch the clock. If you accumulate 12 or more months of full-time CPT, you lose your eligibility for OPT after graduation.

The employment must be directly related to your major and listed as integral to your curriculum. Your DSO authorizes CPT on your I-20 before you begin any work.

OPT: optional practical training

OPT gives you 12 months of work authorization after completing your degree, in a field directly related to your major. You apply by filing Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization) with USCIS, which issues an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card.

Timing is critical. The filing window opens 90 days before your program end date and closes 60 days after graduation (this is a separate deadline from the 60-day grace period that begins after OPT ends).

Apply as early in that window as possible. USCIS processing takes three to five months, so filing late means your EAD arrives after graduation and you lose work authorization you could have had. Miss the window entirely and you lose OPT eligibility altogether.

Pre-completion OPT (working part-time during your studies) counts against your 12-month total.

OPT is also when most students are searching for the employer who will file their H-1B petition (the work visa that lets you stay in the U.S. as a skilled worker after graduation). Starting that search before OPT begins, not after, is one of the most practical decisions you can make.

STEM OPT extension

If your degree is in a qualifying STEM field, you can extend your OPT by 24 months, bringing your total to 36 months of work authorization. To qualify, your degree must have a STEM-designated CIP code, as not every science or technology program makes the list, so confirm before planning around it. Your employer must also be enrolled in E-Verify, the federal system used to confirm work authorization eligibility, and you'll need to complete Form I-983 with your employer.

In 2025 and 2026, STEM OPT is under increased scrutiny, with more ICE employer site visits and closer review of I-983 training plans. Filtering your job search to E-Verify enrolled employers isn't just a compliance requirement, it's a practical shortcut to companies already set up to hire international candidates and more comfortable with the broader sponsorship conversation.

How much does an F-1 visa cost?

The minimum out-of-pocket cost to apply for an F-1 visa is $535, covering the SEVIS fee and the visa application fee. Both fees are subject to change, so check the State Department and SEVP websites before applying.

Fee breakdown

Both fees are non-refundable even if your visa is denied. Some countries have additional reciprocity-based visa issuance fees that can add hundreds of dollars to the total.

F-2 visa: bringing your family

F-1 students can bring a spouse and unmarried children under 21 to the U.S. on F-2 dependent visas.

Each dependent applies separately with their own DS-160, passport, and I-20 from your school. F-2 dependents do not pay the SEVIS I-901 fee. A few important rules apply:

• F-2 holders cannot work in the United States under any circumstances
• F-2 adults can study part-time but must change to F-1 status for full-time enrollment at a college or university
• F-2 children can attend K-12 full-time without changing status
• F-2 status depends entirely on the F-1 holder's status. If you violate your F-1 status, your dependents lose theirs too.

Your options after graduation

After F-1 graduation, you have several options, and the 60-day grace period is what connects your student status to your next immigration step.

The 60-day grace period

After you complete your program (or finish your authorized OPT), you have 60 days to take action. Your options during that window:

• Depart the U.S.
• Apply for a change of status to another nonimmigrant category
• Transfer your SEVIS record to a new school
• Complete a pending OPT application

You can't work during the grace period unless you're on an active, approved OPT period. The 60-day clock is a hard deadline. Remaining in the U.S. beyond it without a new immigration status begins accruing unlawful presence, which can trigger three-year or ten-year bars on re-entry.

If you think your status may have been violated, contact your DSO as soon as possible. In some cases reinstatement is available, and earlier action gives you more options. If you're approaching this deadline, contact your DSO or an immigration attorney immediately, because options may exist to maintain status or change visa category before the deadline passes.

Transitioning to a work visa

Most F-1 graduates who want to keep working in the U.S. after OPT need an employer to sponsor them for a work visa. You'll need that employer sponsor lined up before your OPT or grace period expires. The four most common paths are:

• H-1B visa: for specialty occupation roles. Requires employer sponsorship and entry through an annual lottery held in March. A cap-gap (the period between when your F-1 OPT expires and when an approved H-1B takes effect on October 1, during which your status and work authorization may be automatically extended) extension bridges F-1/OPT status through September 30 for students selected in the lottery.
• O-1 visa: for individuals with extraordinary ability or achievement. No lottery and no annual cap, but requires extensive documentation.
• E-3 visa: for Australian nationals in specialty occupations. No lottery, and a separate annual cap of 10,500 has never been reached.
• TN visa: for Canadian and Mexican nationals in specific professions listed under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

The H-1B lottery runs in March with a start date of October 1 if selected. You'll want your OPT timeline to overlap with that window.

The path to a green card

The F-1 visa itself doesn't lead to a green card. The typical path runs from OPT to an employer-sponsored work visa, usually the H-1B, then through PERM labor certification (the process where your employer demonstrates no qualified U.S. worker is available for your role), an I-140 immigrant petition, and finally an I-485 adjustment of status application. That process takes years and requires an employer willing to sponsor you at each stage.

For Indian nationals, employment-based green card backlogs currently span decades due to per-country caps, and an immigration attorney can help map out realistic timelines.

One alternative worth knowing: the EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) allows individuals with advanced degrees and exceptional qualifications to self-petition for a green card without an employer sponsor.

Most recent graduates won't qualify, but researchers and professionals building longer-term U.S. careers should understand the NIW option. The H-1B to green card timeline for Indian nationals is the longest in the employment-based system, and NIW can remove the employer dependency entirely.

Find employers who sponsor F-1 OPT and H-1B visas

The transition from F-1 to long-term U.S. work authorization runs through one decision: finding the right employer. The employer you find during OPT is typically the one who files your H-1B petition and starts your green card process.

Not every employer is set up for that. Many smaller companies don't have immigration counsel, and others haven't done it before. Filtering your search to companies with a track record of sponsoring H-1B and OPT candidates is one of the most practical ways to protect your status long-term.

Frequently asked questions