Your Legal Stay in the US as a Student
The US does not give students a residence card. Your student visa, your Form I-20 (the paper your university sends after you are admitted) and your arrival record show you are here legally. From 15 September 2026, students are admitted until a fixed date.
United StatesEXAMPLE US STUDENT STATUS
Type: Student
Status: Student
Example: Master's course
Example: your US university
This is a sample card. Your real papers show your own details.
What Student Status Means
Your visa is for travel to the US. Your status means following your visa rules while you are here as a student.
Visa or Status?
In your passport
Given based on the reason for your trip
Lets you travel to the US and ask to come in
Linked to the reason you came: to study
Kept by following the student rules
Ends on your Admit Until Date unless extended
The Student Record System
Your university keeps your record in SEVIS, the US government's record of international students. Your DSO updates it.
Your Key Papers
Form I-20
Sent by your university after you are admitted. You need it for the visa, at the border and for any request.
Arrival record (Form I-94)
Made online when you land. It shows your class of entry and how long you may stay.
Student visa
In your passport. It lets you travel to the US and ask to come in.
Work permit card (EAD)
Needed for work after study. USCIS issues it.
Breaking the Rules
What You Must Do
Study full time
Take a full course load each semester (half a school year), the number of classes your university counts as full time. If you cannot, talk to your DSO (designated school official) at once.
Go to class
Attend all classes and keep up with your studies.
Ask before you drop a class
Talk to your DSO before you drop a class.
Work only with permission
You may work on campus up to 20 hours a week while classes run. Other work needs approval first.
Tell your DSO about changes
Tell your DSO before you move house, travel abroad or change your course.
Ways to Stay Longer or Work
These are the main requests a student makes during or after the course. Each one starts with your DSO (designated school official).
When to Apply
Talk to your DSO
Step 1
Get an updated Form I-20
Step 2
Apply to USCIS
Step 3
Wait for the decision
Step 4
Options and How to Apply
Extension of stay
From 15 September 2026, students are admitted until a fixed date, the Admit Until Date on your arrival record. If you need more time, you apply to USCIS with Form I-539.
Key Requirements:
- Talk to your designated school official (DSO), the university's international student adviser, first
- Get an updated Form I-20 with the extension advice
- File Form I-539 on time, pay the fee and give your fingerprints
OPT (optional practical training)
Optional practical training is paid work in your field of study, up to 12 months for each higher degree level.
Key Requirements:
- Your DSO recommends you and updates your Form I-20
- You file Form I-765 with USCIS
- You start only after USCIS gives you a work permit card (Employment Authorization Document, EAD)
STEM extension
Students with a degree in science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) may apply for 24 more months of work after their first 12 months.
Key Requirements:
- You are in a valid period of work after study
- Your degree is in a STEM field
CPT (curricular practical training)
Curricular practical training is work that is part of your course, such as an internship. It can be full time.
Key Requirements:
- It must be part of your course and linked to your major
- Your DSO approves it and updates your Form I-20
- If you work full time in CPT for 12 months or more, you cannot get OPT after your course
How a Request Works
Talk to your DSO
Ask the international office which option fits you.
Duration: Step 1
Get an updated Form I-20
Your DSO updates your record and your Form I-20.
Duration: Step 2
Apply to USCIS
File the form that US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the immigration office, asks for, and pay the fee.
Duration: Step 3
Wait for the decision
Do not start work until USCIS approves it.
Duration: Step 4
How to Extend Your Stay
From 15 September 2026, you must ask for more time if your course or work after study runs past your Admit Until Date.
Steps for an Extension of Stay
Talk to your DSO
Check your options before you apply.
Get an updated Form I-20
Your DSO adds the extension advice.
File Form I-539
File it on time, pay the fee and give fingerprints.
Or travel and come back
With a valid visa, you can re-enter and get a new arrival record with a new date.
Moving From Student to Work Visa
| From Status | To Status | Requirements | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-1 student on OPT (work after study) | H-1B (work visa) | Your employer files an H-1B petition (the request for the work visa) for you on time | You may stay until the H-1B is approved, or until 1 April of the year the H-1B is for, whichever date is earlier. |
Papers to Keep
Keep these safe for your whole stay.
Papers for your stay
Form I-20
Signed by you and the university official.
Passport and visa
Keep them in your hand luggage when you travel.
Arrival record (Form I-94)
Print it from the arrival record website.
Papers for work
Updated Form I-20
Your DSO adds work approval for CPT or OPT.
Work permit card (EAD)
Needed before you start OPT.
Papers for an extension
Updated Form I-20
With your DSO's extension advice.
Form I-539
Filed with USCIS with the fee.
Your Stay, Step by Step
From the airport to the end of your course.
From Arrival to Finishing
Before you travel
Your visa lets you travel to the US and ask to come in.
Key Activities:
- You cannot enter more than 30 days before your start date
At the airport
A border officer from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) decides if you can enter.
Key Activities:
- Your arrival record (Form I-94) is made online
- Your passport gets a stamp with your Admit Until Date
At your university
Contact your DSO as soon as you arrive.
Key Activities:
- Report to the university by the start date on your Form I-20
During your course
Follow your visa rules by studying full time.
Key Activities:
- Attend all classes
- Talk to your DSO before you drop a class
After your course
Leave the US, start approved work after study, or extend your stay.
Key Activities:
- Students get 30 days to leave. This replaced 60 days. Students already in the US on 15 September 2026 keep 60 days.
Keep Your Student Status
Small steps help you follow your visa rules.
Good Habits
Check your arrival record
Make sure it matches your record in SEVIS.
A mismatch can cause problems, for example when you apply for a Social Security number, the number you need to work in the US.
Talk to your DSO first
Before you travel, move or change course, ask your DSO.
If your DSO cannot help, you can email the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
Study full time
Keep a full course load each semester.
You can take a break (annual vacation) only after you finish one full year of study.
Mistakes to Avoid
Plan Ahead
Questions About Your Stay in the US
Short answers about your stay, your visa rules and work after study.
Frequently Asked Questions
Useful Links
Need More Help?
Your DSO is the first person to ask about your stay. You can also email the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), the US office that watches over student records.
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