If you want to study in the United States, start by researching schools and programs of study that best suit your needs and qualifications. Only schools that are SEVP-certified may enroll F and M students. You can use our School Search page to make sure the school or program you are interested in is SEVP-certified.

For more comprehensive information about the programs available for international students and opportunities to finance your education, visit an EducationUSA advising center near you and explore their online resources.

If you are already in the United States on a valid nonimmigrant visa for a purpose other than attending school (such as for tourism) and are interested in studying in the United States, you can change your status in order to enroll in school.

After you are accepted to SEVP-certified school(s), each school will send you a Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Status.” The Form I-20 is a paper record of your information in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and is required for completing subsequent steps in the international student life cycle.

Multiple schools that accept you may mail you a Form I-20; you must only use the Form I-20 received from the school you will attend. Visit the What is the Form I-20? page for more information about this immigration form and its uses.

Check your Form I-20 against your passport information to confirm that your name and date of birth are correct. If the information on your Form I-20 does not match the information on your passport, contact the designated school official (DSO) who sent you the Form I-20, ask them to correct the information and send you an updated form.

After you verify that your Form I-20 is correct, you must:

Please visit the above links for more information about how to successfully complete each of these steps.

You and your dependents may enter the United States up to 30 days before your official program start date recorded in SEVIS, as it is listed on your Form I-20. Visit the Getting to the United States page for more detailed information about what to expect at a U.S. port of entry.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) admits travelers, including international students, to the United States at U.S. ports of entry. Make sure you hand carry and present all required documents to the CBP officer when you arrive at a U.S. port of entry. Do not put them in a checked bag. It is a good idea to make at least two copies of all your travel and immigration documents—one copy to leave with your family before you depart your home country and one copy to give to your school officials in the United States. After arriving in the United States, make sure to keep the originals of all documentation in a safe, secure location.