The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) delegated the school certification process to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and ICE assigned this responsibility to its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).

SEVP certification allows institutions to issue Forms I-20, "Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status," to prospective international students after admitting them for a program of study. Prospective international students then use the Form I-20 to apply for a visa to enter the United States.

SEVP certification also authorizes the institution to enroll these international students after they enter the United States on an F or M student visa. Schools may petition to enroll:

• Only F students (i.e., academic students).
• Only M students (i.e., vocational students).
• Both F and M students, if the school has both academic and vocational courses of study. 

Eligibility 

SEVP’s governing regulations for school certification are found in 8 CFR 214.3(a)(2). These regulations stipulate the types of academic and vocational programs that are eligible to petition for SEVP certification. Listed below are the types of institutions eligible to petition for SEVP certification, as well as a list of school types that are ineligible for SEVP certification. 

The following academic institutions are eligible to submit their petition to SEVP to enroll F students:

• Colleges or universities (i.e., institutions of higher learning that award recognized bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate or professional degrees).
• Community colleges or junior colleges (i.e., institutions providing instruction in liberal arts or in the professions and awards recognized associate degrees).
• Seminaries.
• Conservatories.
• Academic high schools (grades nine–12).
• Private elementary schools (grades kindergarten–eight).
• Institutions providing:
  • Language training, if accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body.
  • Instruction in liberal arts or fine arts.
  • Instruction in the professions.
  • Instruction or training in more than one of these disciplines.

The following schools are eligible to enroll M students:

• Community colleges or junior colleges that provide vocational or technical training and award recognized associate degrees.
• Vocational high schools (grades nine–12).
• Institutions that provide vocational or nonacademic training other than language training (culinary schools, cosmetology schools, flight training schools, etc.).

Please note that the following school types are ineligible for SEVP certification:

• Home school.
• Preschool or day care.
• Public elementary or middle school (grades kindergarten–eight).
• School whose programs are primarily distance or online and do not require the student's physical attendance for classes, examination or other purposes integral to completion of the class (per 8 CFR 214.2(f)(6)(i)(G) and 8 CFR 214.2(m)(9)(v)).
• Adult education programs funded in whole or in part by a grant under the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act, or by any other federal, state, county or municipal funding.
• Flight schools that are not Part 141 or Part 142 certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Certification Responsibilities

In obtaining SEVP certification, a school makes a legally binding commitment to comply with applicable federal laws, regulations and DHS requirements. School officials should carefully consider the decision to petition for certification. It is a business decision that requires a financial commitment, significant personnel commitment and strict adherence to reporting and record keeping requirements. School officials should consider this decision within the context of the school’s strategic direction, long-term planning and ability to conform to regulatory requirements.

SEVP-certified schools accept certain reporting obligations:

• The PDSO must update the Form I-17 when material changes occur (e.g., a change of mailing address, change of leadership, etc.).
• The PDSO or a DSO at an SEVP-certified school must regularly register student records in SEVIS and report changes in student information (e.g., student address and employment information, etc.).
• SEVP may conduct an on-site review at any time.
• Schools must apply for recertification every two years.

Certification Process

SEVP certification is the result of an adjudication process that includes a review of the Form I-17, "Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student," application, submission of supporting documentation, payment of the application fee, site visits, research and federal adjudication.

To succeed in submitting their application, school officials must be able to prove the following about the institution and any programs that they wish to certify:

• The school is already operational and has been instructing students in the courses/programs for which it is seeking approval.
• The school has the necessary facilities, adequate finances and qualified personnel required to teach and operate the program.
• The school meets all state requirements to operate as an institution of learning or is exempt from all such state requirements.
• The school provides instruction in programs that lead to a degree or a professional, educational or vocational objective.

 

Please note this is not an exhaustive list of all requirements for SEVP certification.

If an institution meets the above requirements, the school official may wish to begin the certification process but will need to provide additional evidence to SEVP. SEVP details that process below.

Form I-17, "Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student"

Complete the Form I-17 and upload the required evidence for filing online using the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), as well as pay all required fees at pay.gov. Currently, the filing fee is $3,000, and the site visit fee is $655 per physical location listed on the Form I-17.

After completing the Form I-17 in SEVIS, but prior to submitting it, school officials must print, sign and scan the Form-17. Schools seeking initial certification with SEVP must also provide all required evidence at the same time they submit their initial petition update in SEVIS. Petitioners must ensure that all required documentation is ready at the time of filing the petition. Petitions belonging to schools that fail to submit evidence with their petition filing will be canceled. Failure to submit all of the required evidence for filing may also result in the cancelation of the petition. Once a petitioner completes the petition in SEVIS, they must then upload the scanned Form I-17 and supporting evidence into SEVIS. The evidence required for initial SEVP certification depends on the type of school and the school’s accreditation status. Refer to the checklists found in the Certification tab in the Schools and Programs section of ICE.gov/SEVP for more information about the minimum required evidence schools must submit. For step-by-step instructions on how to file an initial Form I-17 petition and upload the required evidence in SEVIS, please visit the SEVIS Help Hub.

To get access to SEVIS and complete the online petition, register for a temporary user ID at https://sevis.ice.gov. After submitting a Form I-17 to SEVP, school officials are unable to amend any data on the petition or SEVIS school information until its adjudication. Carefully cross-check the entire petition for completeness and accuracy prior to submission.

If changes occur in the information collected for the petition during adjudication, school officials should report them immediately to SEVP. SEVP will determine if the changes are substantive. SEVP will not enter non-substantive changes until completion of the adjudication. SEVP may enter substantive changes if they might influence the adjudication. School officials should anticipate that substantive changes to an initial SEVP certification petition may significantly increase the time until completion of adjudication.

Form I-17A

The president, owner or head of school or school system must sign the Form I-17A, “Record of Designated School Officials” to nominate designated school officials (DSOs). This signature certifies that each individual listed is an employee of the school, qualified for the position, and will be provided the resources and training needed to perform the responsibilities.

Each individual nominated to be a DSO must sign the Form I-17A certifying familiarity with relevant regulations of admission and maintenance of status for F and M students and school certification. A DSO nominee’s signature also affirms that individual will comply with these regulations.

Evidence

SEVP requires that school officials filing an initial Form I-17 petition upload the required evidence for adjudication at the same time they submit their petition in SEVIS. The evidence a school needs to provide to SEVP depends on the program(s) of study offered and the school’s accreditation status.

For checklists designed to help school officials determine the necessary evidence to submit for adjudication, please visit the Certification tab in the Schools and Programs section of ICE.gov/SEVP. Please note that these guides are not exhaustive, and SEVP may ask your school to provide additional evidence for adjudication.

Site Visit

SEVP will not begin processing the petition or schedule the required site visit until after payment and receipt of the signed Form I-17 are verified.

The site visit will be scheduled with an inspector within 20 days of the date SEVP verifies payment and receipt of the signed Form I-17. The inspector will contact school officials to schedule and conduct the site visit.

During the visit, the inspector will gather evidence on school eligibility for certification, review the facilities and interview personnel nominated on the petition to become DSOs, including the person nominated to be the principal designated school official (PDSO). All nominees must be available to the inspector.

As SEVP reviews the initial certification package for completeness, the on-site inspector conducts a site visit and submits a report to SEVP. SEVP has the discretion to submit an electronic request for evidence (RFE) to the school if any required information is missing. However, school officials are responsible for ensuring the completeness of the submission. Further evidence from school officials sent in response to an RFE will be added to the package. Then the petition moves forward to an adjudicator.

Adjudication

The adjudicator reviews the petition and supporting documentation to decide school eligibility. The adjudicator may email an RFE to school officials if any of the information is unclear.

Based on the evidence provided by the school officials, the adjudicator will make a decision to approve or deny certification.

Notification

Schools will receive a notification from SEVIS that details the decision. This notification is sent to all designated school official's email addresseses listed on the school’s Form I-17. If the petition is approved for SEVP certification, each approved DSO nominee receives a permanent user ID and password for SEVIS by email within seven business days.

If the petition is denied for SEVP certification, the desginated school officials listed on the school's Form I-17 will receive an email from SEVP that will detail the reasons for the denial and will indicate if the school can appeal the denial and the process for doing so.