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Choose a Visa Type

International students can apply to study under an F-1 or J-1 visa, but most study with an F-1 Student visa. We have provided information below that distinguishes between these two visa types.

Students may also be in the U.S. in another visa status that allows study, but these two visa types are student specific and allow students to access post-graduation employment authorization benefits. Students may not enroll in classes at the University with a B1/B2 or WB/WT visa status.

Contact International Student & Scholar Affairs at issa@nd.edu with questions about visa types.

F-1 Student Visa

J-1 Exchange Visitor (Student Visa
ISSA issues the student a Form I-20 ISSA issues the student a Form DS-2019
  • Usually degree seeking, but some non-degree students may apply for an F-1 visa
  • Most students study with an F-1 visa
  • The J-1 visa is used for many kinds of exchange visitors, including student, professor, and researcher
  • Student category includes can be degree seeking, non-degree seeking, or non-degree seeking (research only)

Enrollment
  • All students must be enrolled full-time
  • All students must be enrolled full-time, per requirements of program

Funding
  • Funding can be personal (including family funds or approved loans) or external (government, employer, or organizational)
  • Must demonstrate funds for first year of the program
  • More than 50% of student’s funding is from institutional or governmental sources in form of scholarship, fellowship, assistantship, stipend, tuition waiver, or other direct support for education
  • Regulations require student to demonstrate funds for duration of program

Employment
  • Eligible for on-campus employment
  • Off campus employment requires prior authorization and must be related to student’s major
  • Curricular Practical Training (CPT) for off-campus employment that is an integral part of the degree program; requires a job offer
  • Optional Practical Training (OPT) for work that is optional; does not require a job offer
  • Students in non-STEM fields are eligible for 12 months OPT; students in STEM fields are eligible for 36 mths
  • All employment requires prior authorization
  • Eligible for on-campus employment once written authorization received from ISSA
  • Academic Training (AT) for off-campus employment related to degree
  • AT may be used during and/or after the academic program ends
  • Length of available AT depends on program type
  • AT always requires an employment offer letter and dates of authorization are linked to the offer dates; 

Dependents
F-2 Dependents J-2 Dependents
  • may study part time
  • not eligible for any employment authorization
  • F-1 student must provide evidence of funding for dependents for one year of program; $550 per month for each dependent
  • may study full time
  • may apply to USCIS for employment authorization
  • income from the dependent’s employment cannot be authorized to support the J-1 visa holder
  • J-1 student must provide funding for dependents for entire program; $550 per month for each dependent

Other
 
  • May be subject to two-year home country physical presence requirement based on country of citizenship, funding source, and major. If the student is subject, this impacts an individual's ability to apply for an H-1B and requires them to be present in their home country for a cumulative two years before being eligible to be a beneficiary of an H-1B, L or immigrant petition.