F-1 Student Visa: Requirements and How to Apply

Who can get an F-1 visa

The law describes an F-1 student as a bona fide student qualified to pursue a full course of study, who seeks to enter the United States temporarily and solely to study, and who has a residence abroad that the student does not intend to abandon (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(F)(i)). The State Department's rule adds four conditions that the consular officer must be satisfied of (22 CFR 41.61(b)(1)):

• you are accepted for a full course of study at a school approved for foreign students, and you hold a properly completed Form I-20;
• you have enough funds to cover your expenses, or other arrangements to meet them;
• you know enough English for your chosen course, unless you come only for English language training (if your English is not adequate, the officer may still find you eligible when the school offers English training and accepts you for a full course of study, or enrolls you in a mix of courses and English instruction that makes one);
• you intend and are able to leave when your student status ends.

Your school must be SEVP-certified

A course of study at a school that is not certified for foreign students does not count (8 CFR 214.2(f)(6)). “Accredited” is not the same as “SEVP-certified”: only a certified school can issue Form I-20. A full course of study must lead to a specific educational or professional objective. For undergraduate study at a college or university it generally means at least 12 semester or quarter hours per term, with exceptions.

Your Designated School Official (DSO) issues the Form I-20 after the school enters your record in the SEVIS database. You and the school official sign it. If your spouse or minor children will join you, they apply as F-2 dependents (22 CFR 41.61(b)(3)); tell the school early.

Steps to apply from outside the United States

Applicants aged 14 to 79 must appear for an interview unless it is waived, and the waiver rules are narrow (22 CFR 41.102). Check your embassy's website for local procedures. The interview is where you explain your study plan and your plan to leave after your studies. The steps are:

1. Apply to an SEVP-certified school and get accepted.
2. Receive Form I-20 from the school's DSO and sign it.
3. Pay the I-901 SEVIS fee online. The fee is $350 for F-1 (8 CFR 214.13). DHS says it must be paid before the State Department issues the visa, and you must show proof at the interview. Keep a copy of the receipt.
4. Complete the online Form DS-160 (22 CFR 41.103).
5. Pay the $185 visa application fee (22 CFR 22.1, in effect from 1 July to 31 December 2026) and book your interview with the U.S. embassy or consulate.
6. Attend the interview with your passport, Form I-20, SEVIS payment proof, DS-160 confirmation and proof of funds. The officer checks your school record in SEVIS before issuing the visa (22 CFR 41.61(d)).

After the visa: arrival and staying in status

An F-1 student may be admitted up to 30 days before the report date or program start date on the Form I-20 (8 CFR 214.2(f)(5)(i)). Once you are in the United States, keep a full course of study, do not work without authorization and report address changes within 10 days. See how to maintain your nonimmigrant status.

After your program, many F-1 students look at practical training and a work visa. See from F-1 and OPT to H-1B.

If you are already in the U.S.: change of status to F-1

You may be able to ask USCIS to change your status instead of applying for a visa abroad. First check that you are eligible under 8 CFR Part 248: you must still be maintaining your status, and some statuses cannot change (C, D, K, S, certain J and visa waiver entrants). A B-1 or B-2 visitor may not start studying until USCIS approves.

1. Be accepted by an SEVP-certified school and receive Form I-20.
2. Pay the I-901 SEVIS fee. DHS says a nonimmigrant in the U.S. must pay it before applying for a change of status to F-1.
3. File Form I-539 with a copy of your I-94, your Form I-20 and proof that you can pay for your studies and support yourself and your family. A statement of purpose is optional; see the F-1 statement of purpose guide.
4. Attend any biometrics appointment that USCIS schedules.

Fees and processing time for a change of status

A regular filing can take months, so file well before your current status ends. If your status will end soon, keep it valid while the request is pending and ask about a separate extension on Form I-539; USCIS suggests filing at least 45 days before the stay expires. Leaving the United States while a request is pending can affect it, so ask an attorney before you travel. The main costs are:

• Form I-539: $470 on paper, $420 online (USCIS fee schedule, edition 10/16/26).
• SEVIS fee: $350 for F-1.
• Premium processing for a change of status to F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1 or J-2: $2,075 (8 CFR 106.4(c)). USCIS gives 30 business days once all prerequisites are met. It shortens review time; it does not change the eligibility rules.

A 2026 rule to watch

DHS's July 2026 final rule (91 FR 44976) would end “duration of status” for F-1 students and replace it with a fixed admission period of up to four years, and it would cut the post-completion departure period from 60 to 30 days. On 14 September 2026 a federal court in Massachusetts postponed the effective date and enjoined DHS from implementing the rule. USCIS says it applies the previous regulations while that order stands. Check the current status before you plan around either set of rules.