The F-1 visa is the primary student visa for studying in the United States. It is issued to international students enrolled full-time in an academic program at a college, university, seminary, or language school certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). If you are heading to the US for a degree, the F-1 visa is almost certainly the one you need. It is one of three US study categories (F, M and J), all compared in our USA student visa guide.
This guide explains who qualifies, how the visa differs from the J-1 and M-1 visas, what your dependents can and cannot do, how you can work while studying and after graduation, how to apply, and how long you can stay under the fixed-admission rule that took effect on 15 September 2026.
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F-1 Visa Eligibility
To qualify for an F-1 visa, you must have an offer of admission from an SEVP-certified school and enrol in a full-time academic program. You also need to show you have enough money to cover tuition and living costs, that you intend to return home after your studies, and that you have the English ability – or a language program – to succeed.
Once your school admits you, it issues a Form I-20, the Certificate of Eligibility. The I-20 is the document that lets you pay the SEVIS fee and apply for the F-1 visa. Keep it safe: you will need it at your interview and every time you enter the United States.
Consular officers pay close attention to two things in particular: your finances and your intent. Be ready to show bank statements, scholarship letters, or sponsor documents proving you can fund the first year and access funds for the rest. You should also be able to explain your ties to your home country – family, career plans, or property – because a student visa is a non-immigrant visa and you are expected to return home after your studies.
F-1 Visa vs J-1 vs M-1
It is easy to confuse these three student categories, so hereis a clear breakdown. The F-1 visa is for academic study. The M-1 visa is for vocational or non-academic training, such as technical courses. The J-1 visa is for exchange visitors on programs approved by the Department of State, including some students, scholars and researchers. Each category has its own dependent visa, and this is where a common myth needs correcting: the J-2 visa is not a student visa.
The J-2 is the dependent visa for the spouse and unmarried children of a J-1 exchange visitor, just as the F-2 pairs with the F-1 and the M-2 pairs with the M-1. Mixing these up is one of the most frequent mistakes applicants make.
| Feature | F-1 Visa | J-1 Visa | M-1 Visa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Academic study | Exchange visitor programs | Vocational / non-academic study |
| Typical holder | Degree or language students | Exchange students, scholars, researchers | Vocational and technical students |
| Certificate | Form I-20 | Form DS-2019 | Form I-20 |
| Dependent visa | F-2 | J-2 | M-2 |
| Can dependents work? | No (F-2) | Yes, with authorisation (J-2) | No (M-2) |
| Work while studying | On-campus, CPT, OPT, STEM OPT | Academic training (program-based) | Limited practical training only |
F-2 Dependents of an F-1 Visa Holder
Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can join you on an F-2 visa while you hold your F-1 visa. Each dependent needs their own Form I-20 to apply. There is one important limit: F-2 dependents may not work in the United States. F-2 children may attend school, and a spouse may study part-time, but employment is not permitted.
This is a key contrast with the J visa. Where F-2 and M-2 dependents cannot work at all, J-2 dependents may apply for employment authorisation. If working is important to your family, factor that difference in when you choose between an F-1 route and a J-1 program. You can read the official rules on the DHS guide to bringing dependents.
Working on an F-1 Visa
The F-1 visa allows work, but only in specific forms, each tied to your studies and each with its own authorisation. Some are approved by your school’s Designated School Official (DSO) alone; others need an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from USCIS. Working outside these routes, even briefly or remotely for a US client, violates your status. The table below summarises the options; the sections that follow explain each one.
| Work Option | Who Authorises | When You Can Use It | Main Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus employment | No separate approval (school employer) | From up to 30 days before classes start | Up to 20 hrs/week in session; full-time in official breaks |
| Curricular Practical Training (CPT) | DSO, endorsed on Form I-20 | During your program, usually after one academic year | Must be part of the curriculum; 12+ months full-time CPT ends OPT eligibility |
| Optional Practical Training (OPT) | USCIS (EAD via Form I-765), after DSO recommendation | Before or after completing your program | 12 months per degree level; 90 days’ unemployment |
| STEM OPT extension | USCIS (EAD via Form I-765) | After post-completion OPT | 24 months; E-Verify employer and Form I-983 training plan; 150 days’ unemployment in total |
| Severe economic hardship | USCIS (EAD via Form I-765), after DSO recommendation | After one full academic year | Unforeseen financial hardship only; up to 20 hrs/week in session |
How to Apply for an F-1 Visa
To apply for an F-1 visa, pay the SEVIS I-901 fee after you receive your I-20, complete the DS-160 form online, and pay the visa application fee. You then book and attend an interview at a US embassy or consulate. Starting in October 2025, nearly all applicants must attend an in-person interview (see who still qualifies for a US visa interview waiver), and you must list your social-media handles on the DS-160. Since June 2025, F, M and J applicants have also been asked to set their social-media profiles to public, so apply early and keep your online profile consistent with your application.
Bring your passport, I-20, DS-160 confirmation, fee receipts, proof of funds, and academic records to the interview; our USA student checklist covers everything to prepare before you travel. Answer clearly and honestly. For the current fees and official checklist, always confirm on the US Department of State student visa page and the USCIS students and exchange visitors page.
On-Campus Employment
On-campus work is the simplest option because it needs no separate approval. You can work for your school, or for a commercial employer located on campus that directly serves students, such as a bookshop or cafeteria. While classes are in session, you are limited to 20 hours a week; during official school breaks and the annual vacation, you may work full-time, provided you intend to register for the next term. New students can start no earlier than 30 days before their program begins. On-campus employment ends when you complete your studies unless you continue into OPT.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
Curricular Practical Training covers internships, co-ops and practicums that form an integral part of your curriculum, either because the program requires them or because you earn academic credit for them. Your DSO authorises CPT in SEVIS and issues an updated Form I-20 naming the employer and the approved dates; no EAD is needed, but you may not start before the authorised start date or work for a different employer.
CPT is normally available after you have completed one full academic year in lawful status, though graduate programs that require practical training from the outset can authorise it earlier. It can be part-time (20 hours a week or less) or full-time. The key trade-off: 12 months or more of full-time CPT at the degree level removes your eligibility for OPT at that level, while part-time CPT doesn’t count against OPT at all. Our CPT guide covers eligibility, the application and common pitfalls in detail.
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Optional Practical Training gives you up to 12 months of work directly related to your field of study at each higher degree level. It can be used before completion (part-time while classes are in session, full-time in breaks) or after completion, and any pre-completion OPT is deducted from the 12 months. Unlike CPT, OPT needs an EAD: your DSO first recommends you in SEVIS, then you file Form I-765 with USCIS. You can file from 90 days before your program end date, and the application must reach USCIS within 30 days of the DSO recommendation. You may not start work until the EAD is approved and its start date arrives.
On post-completion OPT, you may be unemployed for no more than 90 days in total. The rule change of 15 September 2026 shortened the window to file and to start OPT after your program ends, so file early. Our full guide to optional practical training (OPT) sets out the deadlines step by step.
STEM OPT Extension
Graduates with a degree on the Department of Homeland Security’s STEM Designated Degree Program List can extend post-completion OPT by a further 24 months, for up to three years of work in total. The employer must be enrolled in E-Verify and in good standing, and you and the employer must complete and sign Form I-983, a formal training plan, before you file a new Form I-765.
File before your current OPT EAD expires, up to 90 days in advance. Unemployment is capped at 150 days across OPT and the extension combined, and you must report to your DSO every six months and within 10 days of any change of employer or address. See our guide to the STEM OPT extension for the full requirements.
[H3] Off-Campus Work for Severe Economic Hardship
If you face an unforeseen financial hardship beyond your control after your first academic year, such as the loss of a sponsor, a sharp currency devaluation or unexpected medical bills, you can ask your DSO to recommend off-campus work authorisation. You then file Form I-765 with USCIS. If approved, you may work up to 20 hours a week while school is in session and full-time during breaks, for up to one year at a time. Approval is discretionary and requires evidence that on-campus work is unavailable or insufficient.
From OPT to H-1B: The Cap-Gap Extension
Many F-1 graduates use OPT as a bridge to the H-1B work visa. If an employer files a timely H-1B cap petition for you requesting a change of status, your F-1 status and OPT work authorisation can continue past their normal end date until the petition is decided, and if it is approved, until 1 April of the fiscal year the H-1B was requested for. This “cap-gap” protection ends if the petition is rejected, denied or withdrawn. For the lottery, fees and current rules, see our H-1B visa guide.
Unauthorised Work
Any work outside these routes is unauthorised employment. That includes freelance or gig work, paid remote work for US clients, and starting a job before an approved CPT or OPT start date. Unauthorised work ends your F-1 status, cannot normally be cured by reinstatement, and can count against you in later US visa or green card applications. If you are unsure whether an activity counts as work, ask your DSO before you begin.
Tax on F-1 Earnings
Each of these work options carries a tax obligation. Wages from on-campus jobs, CPT and OPT are subject to federal income tax and reported to you on Form W-2 each January. F-1 students who are still nonresidents for tax purposes are exempt from Social Security and Medicare tax, which is worth checking on your first payslip. Our guide to tax filing in the USA for international students covers the forms, the deadlines, and how to reclaim FICA if an employer deducts it by mistake.
How Long Can You Stay on an F-1 Visa? (The Fixed-Admission Rule)
How long you can stay changed in 2026. Until recently, F-1 students were admitted for “duration of status” (D/S) and could stay as long as they remained enrolled and compliant. Under the DHS final rule published on 17 July 2026 and effective 15 September 2026, F-1 students are instead admitted for a fixed period equal to the length of their program, up to a maximum of four years, plus a 30-day window to arrive before the start date and a 30-day grace period after the program end date shown on your Form I-20. Customs and Border Protection now prints a specific “admit until” date on your I-94 instead of “D/S”.
If your program runs longer than your admitted period — for example a PhD or a change of level — you must file an Extension of Stay (EOS) with USCIS to keep valid status; you can no longer simply continue on D/S. The post-completion grace period has also been cut from 60 days to 30 days, so the window to start OPT, change status, or leave the country is shorter.
The visa stamp in your passport remains only a travel document and can expire while your status is valid. The rule also restricts mid-program school transfers and changes of course or degree level without an SEVP exception. Students already in D/S status when the rule took effect are covered by transition provisions. Our explainer on the end of duration of status covers the transition dates, the Extension of Stay process and the OPT filing reprieve in full.
| Key Takeaways |
| – The F-1 visa is the main US student visa, for full-time academic study at an SEVP-certified school. |
| – F-1 is academic, M-1 is vocational, and J-1 is for exchange visitors – each with its own dependent visa. |
| – The J-2 is NOT a student visa: it is the dependent visa of a J-1 exchange visitor, just as F-2 pairs with the F-1. |
| – F-2 dependents cannot work; J-2 dependents may apply for work authorisation. |
| – F-1 students can work on campus (20 hrs/week in session), through CPT during studies, OPT for 12 months, and a 24-month STEM OPT extension; 12+ months of full-time CPT ends OPT eligibility. |
| – From October 2025, nearly all applicants must attend an in-person interview and list social-media handles on the DS-160. |
| – From 15 September 2026, F-1 admission is a fixed period of up to 4 years (not duration of status); the grace period is 30 days, and longer programs need an Extension of Stay. |
Used well, the F-1 visa is both a study permit and a launchpad into US work experience. For more, see our guides to the types of USA student visa, optional practical training, the STEM OPT extension, the end of duration of status, tax filing in the USA for international students, and why international student numbers are shifting.