The Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs successfully launched its “Lives without Limits" campaign last December to highlight stories of students with disabilities who have participated in international exchange. If you want to study in the United States and have a disability, you should not let it dissuade you from applying. Many schools have entire departments that work towards accessibility for disabled students on campus.

The same can be said for international student athletes. If you want to participate in sports at your school, research your options—from varsity athletics to club sports. If you play a sport on a varsity team, you are considered a student athlete and should keep the following in mind:

• You can only attend a Student and Exchange Visitor Program-certified school — find one on the School Search page
• You can enter the United States no more than 30 days prior to the program start date on your Form I–20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status”
• You must enroll in a full course of study each semester
• You must make normal academic progress towards completing your program of study by attending and passing your classes

If you have questions about being an international student athlete in the United States, talk to your designated school official. To find examples of athletes succeeding despite challenges, check out results from the 2014 Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia.