US student visas
Most international students study in the US on the F-1 visa for academic programmes. Vocational and technical students use the M-1. The process runs through your university, the SEVIS system, and a US embassy interview. Rules and vetting have tightened through 2025–26 — always confirm current requirements on official .gov sites before you apply.
How the F-1 process works
- Get accepted by a SEVP-certified school, which then issues you a Form I-20.
- Pay the I-901 SEVIS fee of $350 to register in the student tracking system.
- Complete the DS-160 online visa application and pay the visa fee.
- Attend a visa interview at a US embassy or consulate.
Your I-20 lists your programme, its cost of attendance, and the funds you must prove you can cover. There is no fixed government figure — your school sets the amount based on tuition plus living costs.
M-1 for vocational study
The M-1 visa covers vocational or non-academic training (such as technical and trade programmes). M-1 students face tighter work and extension rules than F-1 students.
Working on an F-1 visa
F-1 students can work on campus up to 20 hours per week during term (full-time in breaks). Off-campus work is restricted and generally requires authorisation through CPT or OPT — see our working in the US guide, including the 24-month STEM OPT extension.
What's changing in 2025–26
- Expanded social-media vetting: from 30 March 2026, F, M, and J applicants must set their social-media profiles to public for review during processing.
- Fixed-term admission (final): DHS has ended open-ended "duration of status." From 15 September 2026, F-1 students are admitted for a fixed period tied to their programme length, capped at four years, with extensions filed through USCIS. Students already in the US before that date are grandfathered up to a ceiling of 14 November 2030.
Official sources: U.S. Department of State — Student Visa, Study in the States (DHS), I-901 SEVIS fee.