Studying in the United States is an intricate process, managed by several government agencies. Even if you understand English well, you may encounter some terms in the international student process that are confusing, but important to understand. To help you understand terms like “F-1 Status,” “designated school official” or “Form I-20,” we have created the Study in the States glossary.

As you use Study in the States, you may see words displayed in green, like Community College here. Hover your mouse over any of these green terms and instantly see the definition. You can also browse the complete list on the glossary page, either as a whole or by filtering terms intended for students and those for schools.

If you are still uncertain about a word, use our translation feature by clicking on the “Select a language” drop-down menu in the upper right-hand corner of any page.