To keep F-1 or J-1 status, a student must attend the school or program on their I-20 or DS-2019 full time, keep documents valid, and leave or extend before the admission period ...
U.S. law (INA 214(m)) lets an F-1 student attend a public high school (grades 9–12) for no more than 12 months in total, and only after paying the school district the full, unsu...
Before an F-1 or J-1 visa can be issued, the student must pay the I-901 SEVIS fee to the Department of Homeland Security: $350 for F-1 students and $220 for most J-1 exchange vi...
F-1 and J-1 student visas are applied for at a U.S. embassy or consulate. The non-refundable visa application fee for F and J visas is $185 under the State Department's fee sche...
An F-1 student who is maintaining status can move to another SEVP-certified school through a SEVIS transfer: you tell your current DSO, who sets a release date, and the new scho...
The J-1 Secondary School Student program lets teenagers study at an accredited U.S. public or private high school for one or two semesters while living with a vetted host family...
The DS-2019 is the J-1 equivalent of the I-20. A U.S. Department of State–designated exchange sponsor creates it in SEVIS and its Responsible Officer signs it; the student uses ...
On the day you fly, carry in your hand luggage: your passport with the F-1 or J-1 visa, the signed Form I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1), proof of funds, and your school or sponsor c...
Since September 15, 2026, new F-1 students are no longer admitted for "duration of status" (D/S) but until a fixed date: the program end date on the Form I-20, capped at 4 years, p…
…F-1 visa, however good it is. How to check a school yourself 1. Go to the School Search page on Study in the States (studyinthestates.dhs.gov). 2. Search by the school's name, or…
…runs USAnaruTM, where the school data comes from (NCES and SEVP) and how we check it.
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