Kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) schools are the fastest growing user group in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Currently, there are over 600 public high schools that enroll approximately 1,000 F-1 and M-1 students, and nearly 3,400 private K-12 schools that enroll more than 47,000 F-1 and M-1 students.

Like U.S. colleges and universities, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) must certify K-12 schools that wish to enroll F-1 or M-1 international students at the K-12 grade levels. These schools must abide by all rules and regulations that govern the international student process. 

To ensure this growing group of program participants understands the rules and regulations, three new resource pages were added to the Schools section of Study in the States:

• K-12 Schools: This main resource page provides an overview of SEVP-rules and regulations for U.S. K-12 schools that enroll F-1 and/or M-1 international students. This page explains how private schools at the elementary and secondary grade levels (i.e., K-12) are eligible for SEVP-certification, but public elementary schools are not. Only public schools at the 9th through 12th grade levels are eligible for SEVP-certification. Since different rules apply to each category of schools, we added additional pages to ensure school officials understand the rules that apply to their respective programs. 
• Private K-12 Schools: On the private school page, you will find information about summer English as a Second Language programs as well as information for dioceses. 
• Public Grade 9 to Grade 12 Schools: On the public school page, you will find information regarding the one-year enrollment limits F-1 and M-1 students have at public high schools. There is also an explanation about the cost of attendance for international students that enroll in a U.S. public high school. 

Be sure to explore the above pages and provide your feedback through the “Was this Helpful?” comment box at the bottom of the page.  Also, continue to check the Study in the States blog for more K-12-related information.