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From degree to career.

F-1 Students,

OPT & STEM OPT

Full-time academic study at a SEVP-certified U.S. school on the f-1 visa, the student visa f 1 route, and after graduation, Optional Practical Training turns the degree into real U.S. work experience. Here’s the whole f-1 student visa journey, in plain English.

Free Case Review How It works

12

Months of OPT: work in your field after graduation, requested on Form I-765.

+24

The STEM extension: 24 more months with a Form I-983 training plan and an E-Verify employer.

20

Hours a week of on-campus work allowed while school is in session.

Who Qualifies

Built for serious students.

Four things open the door, and one document starts it all: the I-20. These f1 student visa requirements and f1 visa eligibility rules decide it.

A SEVP-certified school

admission to a SEVP-certified school, which issues Form I-20 and anchors the f1 visa for usa (M-1 for vocational programs).

Funds for the program

enough for tuition and living expenses.

English proficiency

proficiency in English, or enrollment in ESL.

Nonimmigrant intent

a residence abroad and intent consistent with study.

The Process

Five steps. One degree.

Every step of the f1 visa process runs the same way.

01

the visa

Receive the I-20, pay the SEVIS I-901 fee, complete DS-160, and interview at the consulate.

02

the status

Maintain status: full course loads, on-campus work only (20 hours a week in session), and timely SEVIS updates through your DSO.

03

the internships

Use CPT for curricular internships during the program where authorized.

04

the work permit

Apply for OPT (Form I-765) around graduation: 12 months of work in your field, then the 24-month STEM extension (Form I-983 training plan, E-Verify employer). The stem opt visa route has its own stem opt requirements.

05

the transition

Transition on time: the H-1B cap-gap bridges selected students to October 1. O-1, country treaty visas, and green card categories are the other exits: plan a year ahead.

Forms & Fees

Know the paperwork.

I-20

issued on admission by the SEVP-certified school (M-1 for vocational programs).

I-901

the SEVIS fee, paid before the consular interview.

DS-160

the online visa application, completed before the interview.

I-765

the OPT work permit application, filed around graduation.

I-983

the STEM OPT training plan, required for the 24-month extension.

Status is the whole game

Status violations follow you into every future filing. Full course loads, authorized work only, and timely SEVIS updates through your DSO keep the record clean.

The Rules

The work rules, on and off campus.

  • Work on campus up to 20 hours a week in session, and full time during official breaks
  • Take a paid internship through CPT once your DSO authorizes it on the I-20
  • Work anywhere in your field on OPT or STEM OPT after the EAD card arrives
  • Request special off-campus permission after severe, unforeseen financial hardship
  • Start any job before the exact authorization for it exists, even unpaid trial days
  • Freelance, drive rideshare, sell online, or take gig work; there is no F-1 side hustle
  • Pass 20 hours a week in session by stacking two on-campus jobs
  • Use 12 months or more of full-time CPT; that erases OPT for that degree level

Costs

What it costs in 2026.

Student visa fees arrive in stages: the SEVIS fee before the interview, the application fee when you book it, and the new $250 integrity fee, created by the 2025 budget law, when the visa is issued. That last fee is still rolling out unevenly across consulates, so confirm the total with the post handling your case. After graduation, OPT brings its own USCIS fee, and the STEM extension repeats it.
Item Fee Notes
SEVIS fee (I-901) $350 Paid once per program before the interview; F-2 dependents pay no SEVIS fee
Visa application fee (MRV) $185 per person Paid when booking; charged again for each F-2 spouse or child
Visa integrity fee $250 per person At issuance; phasing in since late 2025; refund process not yet open
OPT application (Form I-765) $470 online / $520 paper Paid again later for the 24-month STEM extension

Fee amounts reflect published government figures as of August 2026 and change over time; the live links above are always current. The visa fees apply per person, including F-2 dependents; the SEVIS fee is paid only by the student.

FAQ

Questions we hear every week.

The window opens 90 days before your program end date and closes 60 days after it. File at the early edge: the card takes months, and you cannot work a single day until it is approved, in hand, and your chosen start date arrives.

OPT allows 90 days without qualifying work across the 12 months, and the STEM extension raises the total to 150 across all 36. The days count quietly while you search, so report every job to your DSO and keep proof that each role relates to your degree.

On regular OPT, yes: self-employment can qualify if the business is real, full time, and tied to your degree. STEM OPT is stricter. It requires a bona fide employer-employee relationship with an E-Verify company, a test your own startup rarely survives.

It is allowed and it is risky. Returning after graduation generally takes the EAD card plus proof of a job or job offer, and a pending application can strand you abroad through no fault of your own. We usually advise staying put until the card is in hand.

No. The visa is only an entry key. Inside the U.S. your stay runs on the I-20 and duration of status, so you can study for years on an expired stamp. You need a new visa only to come back after traveling abroad.

Every day; it is the most common F-1 refusal. The cure is a credible plan tying the degree to a future that does not require staying, real home ties, and consistent answers. Hoping to use OPT is fine; presuming a green card is not.

YOUR EDUCATION.
Our fight.

Plan the transition a year ahead. Tell us your story: the evaluation is free, and we’ll tell you exactly which exit fits.

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