Opportunities in the United States

The United States has no single national scholarship system for international students. Admission and funding decisions are mostly made school by school, and each school sets its own test and English-proficiency expectations. The best-known government-backed route is the Foreign Fulbright Student Program, run by the US Department of State, where non-US citizens apply through the Fulbright Commission or US Embassy in their home country. Candidates are placed by an administrator or apply to universities themselves.

Most international students enter on an F-1 visa. The sequence is acceptance at a school certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, an I-20 form from that school, payment of the SEVIS fee, and then the visa application. Work is tightly limited. Most employment needs authorization, with Curricular Practical Training tied to the study programme and Optional Practical Training normally available for up to 12 months per education level. Graduates in STEM fields can apply for a further 24-month extension if their employer meets specific requirements.

Typical mistakes include applying for the visa before paying the SEVIS fee, starting off-campus work without authorization, and beginning Optional Practical Training work before the Employment Authorization Document has arrived. Using 12 or more months of full-time Curricular Practical Training can remove eligibility for Optional Practical Training. Fulbright deadlines are set country by country, so applicants should check the local office early and leave enough time for both admission and visa steps.