F-1 vs J1 vs M-1: Different Visas for Different Reasons
For anyone who yearns to study in the United States but lives in another country, there are student visas that can help make your dream come true. Different types of US visas allow students from abroad to participate in almost all levels of the U.S. educational system. International students can apply for specific US visa types depending on their educational interests. F1 visas permit students to enroll in full-time academic courses, M1 visas are for full-time vocational study and J1 visas offer cultural and academic exchange opportunities.
There are a lot of details to keep in mind when deciding which student visa you need, how to apply for it and what the requirements are. Here’s a run-down of the questions you might have.
Who Is Eligible for a Student Visa in the US?
The first step in determining eligibility for an F-1 or M1 visa is to be accepted to an academic, language-learning or vocational program of study that is SEVP-approved. Another option for potential J1 visa recipients who are students is to be accepted into a sponsoring exchange program. If you aren’t currently a US resident, don't travel to the US during the visa application process. You can remain in the US if you have a different type of nonimmigrant visa and wish to switch over to F or M status.
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How to Get a Student Visa for the USA
Some of the requirements for a student visa in the USA include:
- Demonstrating ties to your home country to prove you plan to return there
- English proficiency (unless the purpose of your course of study is to learn English)
- Enough financial support to pay for tuition, a place to live and other day-to-day expenses
You don’t have to show proof of health insurance to get a US student visa, though your academic or vocational institution may require you to sign up for some kind of health insurance. However, you can also find budget-friendly student plans on your own. Whether or not health insurance is required by your institution, for your own peace of mind, sign up for a policy that offers U.S. coverage before you leave for your studies. Healthcare is expensive in the United States, and an illness or accident can happen at any time.
Read More: StudentSecure Insurance by WorldTrips
F-1 vs J1 vs M-1: Different Visas for Different Reasons
For anyone who yearns to study in the United States but lives in another country, there are student visas that can help make your dream come true. Different types of US visas allow students from abroad to participate in almost all levels of the U.S. educational system. International students can apply for specific US visa types depending on their educational interests. F1 visas permit students to enroll in full-time academic courses, M1 visas are for full-time vocational study and J1 visas offer cultural and academic exchange opportunities.
There are a lot of details to keep in mind when deciding which student visa you need, how to apply for it and what the requirements are. Here’s a run-down of the questions you might have.
Who Is Eligible for a Student Visa in the US?
The first step in determining eligibility for an F-1 or M1 visa is to be accepted to an academic, language-learning or vocational program of study that is SEVP-approved. Another option for potential J1 visa recipients who are students is to be accepted into a sponsoring exchange program. If you aren’t currently a US resident, don't travel to the US during the visa application process. You can remain in the US if you have a different type of nonimmigrant visa and wish to switch over to F or M status.
Get our monthly newsletter filled with tips and information for people living, moving, and traveling outside of their home country.* *By submitting your email, you agree to receive monthly updates for expats, digital nomads, retirees, and more.
How to Get a Student Visa for the USA
Some of the requirements for a student visa in the USA include:
- Demonstrating ties to your home country to prove you plan to return there
- English proficiency (unless the purpose of your course of study is to learn English)
- Enough financial support to pay for tuition, a place to live and other day-to-day expenses
You don’t have to show proof of health insurance to get a US student visa, though your academic or vocational institution may require you to sign up for some kind of health insurance. However, you can also find budget-friendly student plans on your own. Whether or not health insurance is required by your institution, for your own peace of mind, sign up for a policy that offers U.S. coverage before you leave for your studies. Healthcare is expensive in the United States, and an illness or accident can happen at any time.
Read More: StudentSecure Insurance by WorldTrips
The amount of time it will take for you to get an appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate will vary by location. The F1 and M1 visa processing times can also vary with the time of year. It should take about a month, but can be longer depending on which location is issuing your visa.
Try to apply as soon as possible and don't make any travel plans until you have your visa in hand. These visas can be issued up to one year prior to your course start date, so you should have plenty of time to plan.
When you get your visa, don't forget to look it over for spelling mistakes or errors in your birthdate. You don't want to get to the airport and discover your visa is invalid due to an error.
Some international students who arrive in the USA bring along their spouses and/or children under a dependent visa. Children must be unwed and under the age of 21 to be eligible for a dependent visa. Please note that F1 visa requirements don’t allow the parents of young students to obtain dependent visas.
Whatever type of visa a family member applies for, it will be linked to your visa. If you entered the country under the USA's F1 visa, your husband would apply for the F2 visa. If you are a M1 visa holder, your young children would be eligible for M2 visas. There is also a J2 visa for the dependents of J1 visa holders.
People with a J2 visa can work in the United States without having to get a separate work visa. However, the money they earn can’t be used to support the primary J1 visa holder. M2 and F2 visa recipients don’t have work authorization.
Children under the age of 18 who arrive in the United States with F-2 or M2 visa status can enroll in a public or private K-12 school. If these children go to public school, they can attend free of charge. There's also no time limit on their K-12 public school attendance. And a school does not have to be SEVP-certified for F-2 and M2 students to enroll.
F1 visa holders can apply for a U.S. driver's license, as long as they meet state licensing requirements. Bring your I-20 form when you go to get your license.
Also Read: International Student Health Insurance
What Is an F1 Visa Student?
The most common type of student visa, the USA's F1 visa lets international students enroll at public or private U.S. universities at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels. The F visa is also the right visa for students who want to take language courses in the United States, as long as they'll be learning for 18 or more hours per week.
Foreign students with F1 visas are expected to attend school full-time. The school an international student attends must be registered with the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). You are allowed to transfer between eligible schools.
Students with F1 visas can attend a public high school in the US, but only for one year (twelve months). Public schools receive funding from local, state and federal governments. According to US student visa requirements, people with F status also cannot enroll in publicly funded adult education classes.
Private school enrollment with an F visa is allowed at all grade levels, from kindergarten to grade 12. International students can attend privately funded schools for multiple years. For example, an international student could attend a private K-12 school from kindergarten through the 12th grade. A student could also go to a public high school for one year and complete the rest of their K-12 education at a private institution.
F1 visa holders should already be proficient English speakers. The only exception is for students who are traveling to the United States to learn English.
Your educational institution has to let the U.S. government know about your class attendance via the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Per US student visa requirements, you have to attend class. If you don't go to school or choose to drop classes, you could lose your visa and face deportation.
Going to a public high school in the USA is usually free — but international students with F status have to pay for their public school education. Even if you live with U.S.-based friends or relatives, the requirements of this student visa say you must cover the costs of your public high school attendance. You must either cover this expense yourself, apply for scholarships or find an outside group that will pay these fees. The school district will calculate this price, but it's usually around $3,000 to $10,000 per year. Outside groups can fund international students at public schools as long as the group doesn’t use U.S. public funds.
International students have to pay full tuition at both public and private universities and other institutions of higher learning. Tuition and fees are usually lower at public institutions.
At U.S. public and private universities, international students with F status can stay in the country for the time it takes to get an undergraduate and/or graduate degree, or for the length of your language training program. Your visa needs to be renewed every year.
The F1 visa is valid for twelve months of education at a SEVP-certified public high school in America. This visa can be used to attend private school at all K-12 grade levels, so long as the school is registered with SEVP. Students need to renew their visa every year.
You can enter the United States with an F status visa up to 30 days before your courses begin. After completing your first year on this visa, it's okay to take a vacation. You should be able to take an annual vacation every year you're in the U.S. with F status.
F visa holders have nonimmigrant status, which means they are not expected to stay in the United States permanently. In most cases, you should leave the United States within 60 days after graduating from your program of study.
There are some ways F status students can extend their time in the US. F visa holders who graduate from high school can go on to enroll in a U.S. university with another F visa. After you graduate from university, students with F-1 status are eligible to remain for up to a year of Optional Practical Training (OPT). Those who go on to graduate studies can do another year of OPT. If your degree was in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM), you can extend your OPT for up to another two years.
You can also switch from F visa status to a work visa if an employer wants to sponsor you for an H-1B visa. If you're interested in making this switch, or if you have other questions, get advice from a student visa attorney.
Also Read: US Work Visas for Foreigners
What Is the M1 Visa?
What is a student visa with M status? The USA's M1 visa is for people who want to pursue a full-time course of study at a vocational or nonacademic setting. For example, M1 visa courses in the USA include subjects like plumbing, carpentry, cooking and cosmetology. Keep in mind that if you want to take language classes, you'll need an F1 visa, not an M1.
The courses you take with this visa will be more career-oriented and designed to teach specific skills. The nonacademic institution where you take classes has to be registered with the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to meet M1 visa requirements.
Just like the US's F1 visa, your school will track your attendance via SEVIS as part of your US M1 visa. You can transfer schools during the first six months of your program. Under USA student visa requirements, if you stop going to your classes, you could potentially lose your visa and get deported.
Your initial visa will be valid for the length of your program of study. If you need more than one year to complete your program, you can renew this visa. However, among the USA's M1 visa requirements is that it will not be valid for more than three years plus 30 days.
You can engage in Optional Practical Training (OPT) if you have an M1 visa. However, you can only do this after completing your course of study, and you're limited to six months of work. You need to get an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) from U.S. Customs and Immigration, a sort of M1 visa work permit, before you can begin your OPT. If you have more specific questions, a student visa lawyer should be able to answer them.
The U.S. expects M1 student visa recipients to return to their home countries once their vocational or nonacademic courses have finished. It is technically possible for an employer to sponsor you for an H-1B visa, but there's a catch: your job can't be related to the vocational training you received while in the country with an M status visa. In practice, having an M1 visa means it's difficult to get an H-1B visa.
F-1 student visa holders are more likely to obtain employer sponsorship for an H-1B visa, and they can use the education they received in the U.S. to obtain a job. If you wish to remain in the United States, you might be better off studying under F status. As an M1 student, you can change your status, but you have to leave the U.S. to do so. While outside the United States, you would apply to a school with SEVP certification. Upon acceptance, you would go through the application and consular visit steps once again in order to obtain your new F status visa.
You might be able to go from an M1 visa to a green card if you marry a U.S. citizen. Yet you should be aware that U.S. immigration authorities will investigate your marriage to determine if it's a valid relationship. It's against the law to marry a citizen solely to obtain a green card, and you can face stiff penalties if this fraud is discovered.
How to Apply for a Student Visa for the USA
For prospective USA F-1 and M1 student visa holders, the first step in how to apply for a student visa in the USA is to pay your tuition fees. You'll need to show proof of payment when you go to the U.S. embassy or consulate. You next need to register with SEVIS and pay a I-901 SEVIS Fee.
Making an appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate, preferably in the country where you currently live, should be next on your application checklist. Fill in Form DS-160, which is your student visa application. Pay your visa application fee prior to your appointment. You will need to upload an ID photo as you complete Form DS-160, the student visa application.
Bring your unexpired passport with at least six months of validity and a separate ID photo to your appointment. Arriving with school transcripts or diplomas is also recommended, though not among the official requirements. You may be fingerprinted during the appointment.
After this appointment, your application will be processed and then a visa will be sent to you. You may enter the U.S. with your visa up to 30 days before your program's start date. The start date will be noted on your Form I-20.
What Is a J1 Visa?
The J1 visa is for people who are participating in an educational or cultural exchange. People who are eligible for the program include secondary and university students, au pairs, camp counselors, physicians, visiting professors and research assistants.
Your responsibilities while on a J1 visa will vary depending on the type of exchange you're taking part in. A student will attend high school or university, but a visiting professor will usually teach classes. Physicians, camp counselors and au pairs will have job responsibilities. Other than the responsibilities related to your exchange program, J1 visa holders cannot work.
How to Apply for a J1 Visa for the USA
Prospective J1 visa recipients should receive Form DS-2019, Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status, from their sponsor organization. Once you've filled in this form, you can make an appointment at a nearby U.S. embassy or consulate. You can enter the United States up to 30 days before your program start date.
You are required to have appropriate health insurance for the length of your stay in the United States on a J1 visa. Your program sponsor may provide health insurance, or you may have to find a policy yourself. Even if your sponsor offers health coverage, buying your own health coverage might be more cost-effective. Research your options!
Is Form I-20 a Visa?
This form is not a study visa, but it's necessary to have it in order to get your F1 or M1 student visa. The designated school official (DSO) at the school or nonacademic institution that accepted you will provide you with either:
- Form I-20, "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) Student Status – For Academic and Language Students."
- The Form I-20, "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (M-1) Student Status – For Vocational Students."
What is an I-20 F-1 vs an I-20 M1? The only difference is the type of visa noted, but otherwise they contain the same information. If you are younger than 18, your parents or legal guardian will need to sign your I-20 form.
Having this form is part of the visa application process. You can only pay your I-901 SEVIS fee once you have information listed on the I-20. Form I-20 also notes the start date of your academic or vocational program. You're only allowed to enter the United States up to 30 days before this start date, so having this form is important.
This form will show that you have the financial resources to cover your expenses while in the United States. This includes being able to pay educational fees, tuition, housing and other living expenses.
The form I-20 documents that you've paid your school's tuition, so it's very important to have it during the visa application process and when you arrive in the US. You will also need separate I-20 forms for any dependents who plan to travel to the US with you.
You must show your I-20 to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol when you arrive in the United States. Keep the form with you during your travels and do not pack it in checked luggage!