F-1 Student Visa: Studying in the United States

You can get an F-1 visa if you:

• Are accepted to a full-time program at a school certified by SEVP (universities, colleges, community colleges, private high schools, and many English language programs)
• Receive a Form I-20 from that school's designated school official
• Can show funds to pay tuition and living costs for at least the first year, and a credible plan for the rest
• Have the English level your program requires (or are enrolled in English classes)
• Intend to return home after your studies (this is called nonimmigrant intent)

Public schools have limits. F-1 students cannot attend a public elementary school, and can attend a public high school for no more than 12 months and only after paying the full cost of that education. For vocational or technical programs, such as flight school, you need the M-1 visa instead.

For decades, F-1 students have been admitted for duration of status (D/S): you may stay as long as you are enrolled and following the rules, plus a 60-day grace period after you finish.

In 2026 the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule to end D/S for F and J visa holders. It was set to start on September 15, 2026. Under the rule, you would be admitted for the length of your program, up to a maximum of 4 years, and would need to file Form I-539 or leave and re-enter to get more time. The grace period after your program would drop from 60 to 30 days, and graduate students could not change their educational objective.

On September 14, 2026, a federal judge in Massachusetts blocked the rule nationwide before it took effect (Presidents' Alliance v. DHS). As a result, D/S remains in place for now, and the rule is in court. The government may appeal, and the rule could still take effect later. Check our F-1 fixed admission period status page and your school's international office for the latest.

Whatever happens, keep these rules in mind:

• Your visa can be issued up to 365 days before your program starts, but you can enter no more than 30 days before the start date on your I-20.
• Being outside the United States for more than 5 months can break your status.
• Your visa may expire while you are in the United States. That is fine as long as you keep your status, but you need a valid visa to re-enter after travel.

Only in specific ways, and some need permission first:

CPT changes in 2026: separate guidance from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) in August 2026 narrowed when schools can authorize CPT. Unlike the duration of status rule, this guidance was not blocked and remains in force. Ask your school's international office how it affects your program before you accept an internship.

Working off campus without authorization is a serious violation that can end your status. Remote work for a foreign employer while you are in the United States is a gray area; ask your school's international office before you accept it.

If an employer files an H-1B petition for you, the cap-gap rule can extend your F-1 status and work permission until the H-1B starts.

Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can come as F-2 dependents. Your school issues each of them an I-20.

• F-2 spouses and children cannot work.
• F-2 children can attend elementary, middle, and high school.
• An F-2 spouse can take recreational or part-time classes but must change to F-1 to study full time.

You must show enough money to support your family as well as yourself.

Tuition and living costs are far larger than visa fees. Your I-20 lists the school's estimate of your yearly costs, and you must show you can pay them.

Yes. Proclamation 10998, in effect since January 1, 2026, suspends F visas for nationals of 38 of its 39 listed countries: the 19 fully restricted countries and 19 of the 20 partially restricted countries (Turkmenistan is the exception; only immigrant visas are suspended for it). Visas issued before January 1, 2026 were not revoked, and students already in the United States keep their status, but traveling abroad could leave you unable to return. Talk to your school before any trip.

Not directly. F-1 students must show they intend to return home. Many graduates later move to a work status and then permanent residence:

1. Work on OPT (and STEM OPT if eligible)
2. An employer sponsors you for an H-1B visa, which allows dual intent
3. The employer sponsors a green card through PERM and the EB-2 or EB-3 category

Researchers and PhD graduates sometimes qualify for the EB-2 National Interest Waiver without an employer. Marriage to a US citizen is a separate route with its own rules.

• Section 214(b): the officer doubts you will return home, or your study plan does not make sense for your background.
• Weak finances: funds that are not clearly available, recently deposited without explanation, or not enough for the I-20 amount.
• Unclear academic goals: you cannot explain why this program, this school, and how it fits your career.
• Online presence review: since 2025, officers review student applicants' social media and have asked them to make profiles public. Inconsistencies with your application can cause problems.
• Administrative processing: some science and technology fields trigger extra security checks under section 221(g). See 221(g) administrative processing.

Prepare with our visa interview guide. If you have an earlier refusal or a status violation, speak with your school and a licensed immigration lawyer.