If your school wants to enroll F and/or M status nonimmigrant students in your programs, you first need to apply for and be granted Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification. You do so electronically by using the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) to complete the Form I-17, “Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student.”

If you are preparing to apply, here is a brief overview of what you need to know:

• First, you should read the detailed information on what is required for certification on SEVP’s website.
• The application process includes filling out the Form I-17 in SEVIS, responding to requests for evidence, and participating in an SEVP site visit.
• There is a $1,700 application fee and $655 site visit fee for each instructional site listed on the Form I-17.
• To access SEVIS and submit a Form I-17, one person will be designated as the temporary user for the school. This person will be responsible for entering, editing, and submitting all information during the entire certification process.
• There is no set timeline for the certification process because it is different for every school; however, most schools complete the process three to six months from the time of filing (not submission).

You can watch our tutorial, A Guide to Completing the Form I-17 to walk through the form and learn more about how to prepare to fulfill all requirements. Find out more about the certificaiton process and ongoing responsibilities for certified schools in the Schools portal.

If you have questions about the certification application process, please contact the SEVP Response Center at 703-603-3400 or email at sevp@ice.dhs.gov.