Immigration is an important part of being an international student in the US. This page describes the rules for F-1 and J-1 students. If you are in another visa category, speak to the OIE or to your attorney to understand the rules of your status.

A few basic tips will get you started. To maintain status, all F-1/J-1 students must…

  • Enroll full-time (with a few exceptions)
  • Update the Office of International Education with address changes within 10 days of the change
  • Update the Office of International Education with other changes (change of major, name change, change of degree type) within 21 days of the change
  • Follow all rules for on and off-campus employment/training (which includes work completed from within the US for an organization outside of the US)
  • Maintain a valid passport at all times
  • Know your immigration documents

These are the main rules, though there are also smaller rules about travel, visa renewals, and other important details. Click on the appropriate links below for details.

F-1 Students

F-1 is the most common immigration status for international students in the USA. This is a non-immigrant status. This information applies to F-1 students and their dependents. See the bottom part of this section for information about employment/practical training.

Many students also hope to have employment or training experiences in the US to gain practical experiences in their field of study and/or to make an income to support their time in the US. Any work (paid or unpaid) is highly regulated for F-1 students. The following types of standard work authorization are available for F-1 students in the US. Students are not governed by US immigration rules when outside of the US, but any work completed while physically in the US must follow F-1 regulations. This means that online work for a foreign-based company also would need to be authorized before beginning.

J-1 Students

J-1 exchange visitors are generally at UVM for a short period of time before returning home to complete their degrees. However, some students do come to the USA for a degree in J-1 status. Often, these are students sponsored by organizations such as Fulbright, IREX, or other governmental funding. This information applies to J-1 students and their dependents:

Many students also hope to have employment or training experiences in the US to gain practical experiences in their field of study and/or to make an income to support their time in the US. Any work (paid or unpaid) is highly regulated for J-1 students. The following types of standard work authorization are available for J-1 students in the US. Students are not governed by US immigration rules when outside of the US, but any work completed while physically in the US must follow J-1 regulations. This means that online work for a foreign-based company also would need to be authorized before beginning.

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