If you want to study in the United States and live outside the country, a U.S. student visa can help make that dream possible. Different types of visas allow students from abroad to participate in almost all levels of the U.S. educational system. Â鶹´«Ã½AV students can apply for specific US visa types depending on their educational interests. F-1 visas permit students to enroll in full-time academic courses; M-1 visas are for full-time vocational study; and J-1 visas offer cultural and academic exchange opportunities.
This article explains the key differences between these visa types and what you need to know to apply.
Who Is Eligible for a Student Visa in the US?
The first step in determining eligibility for an F-1 or M-1 visa is to be accepted into an SEVP-approved academic, language-learning, or vocational program of study.
Another option for potential J1 visa recipients who are students is to be accepted into a sponsoring exchange program.
If you aren’t currently a US resident, don’t travel to the US during the visa application process. You can remain in the US if you have a different non-immigrant visa and wish to switch to F or M status.
How to Get a Student Visa for the USA
Some of the requirements for a student visa in the USA include:
Demonstrating ties to your home country to prove you plan to return there
English proficiency (unless the purpose of your course of study is to learn English)
Enough financial support to pay for tuition, a place to live, and other day-to-day expenses
You don’t have to show proof of health insurance to get a US student visa, though your academic or vocational institution may require you to sign up for some kind of health plan.
However, you can also find a budget-friendly student health plan on your own. Whether or not health insurance is required by your institution, for your own peace of mind, sign up for a policy that offers U.S. coverage before you leave for your studies.
Healthcare is expensive in the United States, and an illness or accident can happen at any time, leaving you financially exposed if you’re not properly covered.
The amount of time it will take for you to get an appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate will vary by location. The F1 and M1 visa processing times can also vary with the time of year. It should take about a month, but can be longer depending on which location is issuing your visa.rnrnTry to apply as soon as possible and don’t make any travel plans until you have your visa in hand. These visas can be issued up to one year prior to your course start date, so you should have plenty of time to plan.rnrnWhen you get your visa, don’t forget to look it over for spelling mistakes or errors in your birthdate. You don’t want to get to the airport and discover your visa is invalid due to an error.
Some international students who arrive in the USA bring along their spouses and/or children under a dependent visa. Children must be unwed and under the age of 21 to be eligible for a dependent visa. Note that F1 visa requirements don’t allow the parents of young students to obtain dependent visas.rnrnWhatever type of visa a family member applies for, it will be linked to your visa. If you entered the country under the USA’s F1 visa, your husband would apply for the F2 visa. If you are a M1 visa holder, your young children would be eligible for M2 visas. There is also a J2 visa for the dependents of J1 visa holders.rnrnPeople with a J2 visa can work in the United States without having to get a separate work visa. However, the money they earn can’t be used to support the primary J1 visa holder. M2 and F2 visa recipients don’t have work authorization.
Children under the age of 18 who arrive in the United States with F-2 or M2 visa status can enroll in a public or private K-12 school. If these children go to public school, they can attend free of charge. There’s also no time limit on their K-12 public school attendance. And a school does not have to be SEVP-certified for F-2 and M2 students to enroll.
F1 visa holders can apply for a U.S. driver’s license, as long as they meet state licensing requirements. Bring your I-20 form when you go to get your license.
What Is an F1 Visa Student?
The most common type of student visa, the USA’s F-1 visa, allows international students to enroll at public or private U.S. universities at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels.
The F visa is also the right visa for students who want to take language courses in the United States, as long as they will be learning for 18 or more hours per week.
Foreign students with F1 visas are expected to attend school full-time. The school an international student attends must be registered with the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). You are allowed to transfer between eligible schools.
Students with F-1 visas can attend a public high school in the US for 1 year (12 months). Public schools receive funding from local, state, and federal governments.
According to US student visa requirements, people with F status are also not eligible to enroll in publicly funded adult education classes.
Private school enrollment with an F visa is allowed at all grade levels, from kindergarten to grade 12. Â鶹´«Ã½AV students can attend privately funded schools for multiple years.
For example, an international student could attend a private K-12 school from kindergarten through the 12th grade. A student could also go to a public high school for one year and complete the rest of their K-12 education at a private institution.
F1 visa holders should already be proficient English speakers. The only exception is for students who are traveling to the United States to learn English.
Your educational institution must notify the U.S. government of your class attendance through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
Per US student visa requirements, you must attend classes. If you don’t go to school or choose to drop classes, you could lose your visa and face deportation.
Going to a public high school in the USA is usually free, but international students with F status have to pay for their public school education. Even if you live with U.S.-based friends or relatives, the requirements of this student visa say you must cover the costs of your public high school attendance. You must either cover this expense yourself, apply for scholarships or find an outside group that will pay these fees. The school district will calculate this price, but it’s usually around $3,000 to $10,000 per year. Outside groups can fund international students at public schools as long as the group doesn’t use U.S. public funds.rnrnÂ鶹´«Ã½AV students have to pay full tuition at both public and private universities and other institutions of higher learning. Tuition and fees are usually lower at public institutions.
At U.S. public and private universities, international students with F status can stay in the country for the time it takes to get an undergraduate and/or graduate degree, or for the length of your language training program. Your visa needs to be renewed every year.rnrnThe F1 visa is valid for twelve months of education at a SEVP-certified public high school in America. This visa can be used to attend private school at all K-12 grade levels, so long as the school is registered with SEVP. Students need to renew their visa every year.rnrnYou can enter the United States with an F status visa up to 30 days before your courses begin. After completing your first year on this visa, it’s okay to take a vacation. You should be able to take an annual vacation every year you’re in the U.S. with F status.
F visa holders have nonimmigrant status, which means they are not expected to stay in the United States permanently. In most cases, you should leave the United States within 60 days after graduating from your program of study.rnrnThere are some ways F status students can extend their time in the US. F visa holders who graduate from high school can go on to enroll in a U.S. university with another F visa. After you graduate from university, students with F-1 status are eligible to remain for up to a year of Optional Practical Training (OPT). Those who go on to graduate studies can do another year of OPT. If your degree was in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM), you can extend your OPT for up to another two years.rnrnYou can also switch from F visa status to a work visa if an employer wants to sponsor you for an H-1B visa. If you’re interested in making this switch, or if you have other questions, get advice from a student visa attorney.
What Is the M1 Visa?
What is a student visa with M status? The USA’s M1 visa is for people who want to pursue a full-time course of study at a vocational or non-academic setting.
For example, M1 visa courses in the USA include subjects like plumbing, carpentry, cooking, and cosmetology. Keep in mind that if you want to take language classes, you’ll need an F1 visa, not an M1.
The courses you take with this visa will be more career-oriented and designed to teach specific skills. The nonacademic institution where you take classes has to be registered with the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to meet M1 visa requirements.
Just as the US’s F1 visa does, your school will track your attendance via SEVIS as part of your US M1 visa. You can transfer schools during the first six months of your program.
Under US student visa requirements, if you stop attending your classes, you could lose your visa and be deported.
Your initial visa will be valid for the length of your program of study. If you need more than one year to complete your program, you can renew this visa. However, among the USA’s M1 visa requirements is that it will not be valid for more than three years plus 30 days.
You can engage in Optional Practical Training (OPT) if you have an M1 visa. However, you can only do this after completing your course of study, and you’re limited to six months of work. You need to get an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from U.S. Customs and Immigration, a sort of M1 visa work permit, before you can begin your OPT. If you have more specific questions, a student visa lawyer should be able to answer them.
The U.S. expects M1 student visa recipients to return to their home countries once their vocational or nonacademic courses have finished. It is technically possible for an employer to sponsor you for an H-1B visa, but there’s a catch: your job can’t be related to the vocational training you received while in the country with an M status visa. In practice, having an M1 visa means it’s difficult to get an H-1B visa.rnrnF-1 student visa holders are more likely to obtain employer sponsorship for an H-1B visa, and they can use the education they received in the U.S. to obtain a job. If you wish to remain in the United States, you might be better off studying under F status. As an M1 student, you can change your status, but you have to leave the U.S. to do so. While outside the United States, you would apply to a school with SEVP certification. Upon acceptance, you would go through the application and consular visit steps once again in order to obtain your new F status visa.rnrnYou might be able to go from an M1 visa to a green card if you marry a U.S. citizen. Yet you should be aware that U.S. immigration authorities will investigate your marriage to determine if it’s a valid relationship. It’s against the law to marry a citizen solely to obtain a green card, and you can face stiff penalties if this fraud is discovered.
How to Apply for a Student Visa for the USA
For prospective USA F-1 and M-1 student visa holders, the first step in applying for a student visa is to pay your tuition fees.
You’ll need to show proof of payment when you go to the U.S. embassy or consulate. You next need to register with SEVIS and pay an .
Making an appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate, preferably in the country where you currently live, should be next on your application checklist.
Fill in Form DS-160, which is your student visa application. Pay the visa application fee before your appointment. You will need to upload an ID photo as you complete Form DS-160, the student visa application.
Bring your unexpired passport with at least six months of validity and a separate ID photo to your appointment.
Arriving with school transcripts or diplomas is also recommended, though not among the official requirements. You may be fingerprinted during the appointment.
After this appointment, your application will be processed, and then a visa will be sent to you. You may enter the U.S. with your visa up to 30 days before your program’s start date. The start date will be noted on your Form I-20.
The J-1 visa is for individuals participating in an educational or cultural exchange program. Eligible participants include secondary and university students, au pairs, camp counselors, physicians, visiting professors, and research assistants.
Your responsibilities while on a J-1 visa will vary depending on the type of exchange you’re participating in. A student will attend high school or university, but a visiting professor will usually teach classes.
Physicians, camp counselors, and au pairs will have job responsibilities. Aside from the responsibilities related to your exchange program, J-1 visa holders are not permitted to work.
Prospective J1 visa recipients should receive Form DS-2019, Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status, from their sponsor organization.
Once you’ve filled in this form, you can make an appointment at a nearby U.S. embassy or consulate. You can enter the United States up to 30 days before your program start date.
You are required to have appropriate health insurance for the length of your stay in the United States on a J1 visa. Your program sponsor may provide health insurance, or you may have to find a policy yourself.
Even if your sponsor offers health coverage, buying your own health coverage might be more cost-effective. Research your options!
Is Form I-20 a Visa?
This form is not a study visa; you still need to obtain your F-1 or M-1 student visa. The designated school official (DSO) at the school or non-academic institution that accepted you will provide you with either:
Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status – For Academic and Language Students.”
The Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (M-1) Student Status – For Vocational Students.”
What is an I-20 F-1 vs an I-20 M1? The only difference is the type of visa noted, but otherwise, they contain the same information. If you are younger than 18, your parents or legal guardian will need to sign your I-20 form.
Having this form is part of the visa application process. You can only pay your I-901 SEVIS fee once you have information listed on the I-20. Form I-20 also notes the start date of your academic or vocational program. You’re only allowed to enter the United States up to 30 days before this start date, so having this form is important.
This form will show that you have the financial resources to cover your expenses while in the United States. This includes being able to pay educational fees, tuition, housing and other living expenses.rnrnThe form I-20 documents that you’ve paid your school’s tuition, so it’s very important to have it during the visa application process and when you arrive in the US. You will also need separate I-20 forms for any dependents who plan to travel to the US with you.
You must show your I-20 to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol when you arrive in the United States. Keep the form with you during your travels and do not pack it in checked luggage!
Sara Kettler is a seasoned freelance writer and Dartmouth graduate who has lived in Japan, France, the UK, and Australia. She shares insights on international relocation, including healthcare, culture, and local laws, helping readers navigate life abroad with ease.
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