F-1
Academic student visas
Full-time study at a SEVP-certified college, university, high school or language program.
Which visa fits depends on your program — a free consult confirms your route.
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We connect you with independent, licensed immigration attorneys and qualified student-visa advisors for a free consultation — you compare, and you decide.
General information, not legal advice — your options come from the professional you choose.
Full-time study at a SEVP-certified college, university, high school or language program.
Which visa fits depends on your program — a free consult confirms your route.
Get a free consultationTrade schools, technical training and other non-academic programs.
Eligibility varies by program and is reviewed with your attorney or advisor.
Get a free consultationMaking sense of the Form I-20 from your school and the SEVIS I-901 fee.
Your school's DSO issues the I-20 — we help you line the paperwork up first.
Get a free consultationThe DS-160, the documents to bring, and the questions you'll be asked.
A consular officer decides your visa. Preparation is what you can control.
Get a free consultationOptional Practical Training and the 24-month STEM extension for eligible grads.
Working without proper authorization can jeopardize your status — confirm first.
Get a free consultationChanging to F-1 from inside the U.S., or reinstatement if you've fallen out of status.
Fact-specific, time-sensitive and never guaranteed — get advice promptly.
Get a free consultationOne field. No passport number, no SEVIS ID, nothing sensitive.
To an independent, licensed attorney or qualified advisor who handles F-1 and M-1 cases.
They review your situation, explain your options and quote their fees.
Work with whoever fits, on terms you agree in writing.
ScholarGate is an independent referral service. We give no legal advice; the professional you choose does the work.
Only licensed immigration attorneys and qualified student-visa advisors — never an “agent” charging for advice they can't give.
A consular officer or USCIS decides your case. Be cautious of anyone who promises you a visa.
I got into my dream master's program with no idea how to handle the F-1 visa. One free consultation walked me through the I-20 and my interview — I walked into the consulate calm.
I almost paid an “agent” who promised approval. Instead I spoke with a licensed attorney who explained the OPT rules honestly and promised nothing she couldn't deliver.
I dropped below a full course load and panicked. The advisor explained reinstatement clearly and helped me understand my options.
Composite, illustrative examples — not statements from identified students. Individual results vary, and nothing here predicts or promises a result.
One email connects you with an independent, licensed immigration attorney or qualified student-visa advisor for a free, confidential consultation. No obligation.