NEW! The SEVIS Fee will increase from $100 to $200 for F-1 students. It will increase from $100 to $180 for J-1 Exchange Students and Scholars. The date of increase is October 27, 2008. We recommend that anyone who needs to pay a SEVIS Fee, pay it before October 27, 2008. More information about the fee, also called the I-901 fee, can be found here.
There are two types of visas issued to non-immigrant students who intend to study full-time at the University of Oklahoma (OU) -- the F-1 student visa and the J-1 Exchange Visitor visa. Dependent accompanying spouses and/or children are given F-2 or J-2 visas.
Source of Funding - J-1 Exchange Visitor status is available to students who are substantially supported by funding other than personal or family funds. Such funding may include that which comes from the US government or the student's home government, an international organization, or OU. Students who are supported by personal or family funds are ineligible for J-1 status, and must apply for an F-1 visa to study in the US in F-1 status.
Foreign Residence Requirement - Students in J-1 immigration status and their J-2 dependents may be subject to the two-year home country physical presence requirement. This applies to those who have received funding from the US or from their home country, or those who are on the "Country Skills List." If you are subject to the two-year home country physical presence requirement (as indicated on Form DS2019 and your J-1 visa), upon completion of your studies in the US, you must reside in your country of last legal permanent residence for two years before you are eligible to apply for entry into the US on a non-student visa, including specialized work visas (H or L) or immigrant visas ("green card" or "permanent residency.").
J-1 students who receive direct or indirect US or home government funding, or who are studying in fields for which personnel are considered in short supply in their home countries (most developing nations have "Country Skills" lists of varying lengths), are ineligible to apply for a change to another nonimmigrant status (except A or G) or permanent residency in the US until they have satisfied the two-year home country physical presence requirement.
There is no foreign residence requirement for F-1 student status. Click here for additional information on the Exchange Visitor Program.
Medical Insurance - Students in J-1 status and their J-2 dependents are required to maintain comprehensive medical coverage to fulfill US government regulations governing the J Exchange Visitor status. Currently, the medical insurance offered by OU covers all federal requirements. If you purchase insurance other than the insurance offered through the university for your dependents or yourself, it may cost as much as $3,000 per year in excess of the estimated living expenses to maintain healthcare coverage.
Employment Authorization - Degree-seeking students in either F-1 or J-1 status may work part-time (up to 20 hours per week) on campus without express work authorization, as long as they are maintaining status. Exchange students in J-1 status are not eligible for employment authorization either on or off-campus during their exchange program participation. For further information about this policy, consult with your Education Abroad advisor. For both statuses, permission to work off-campus based on severe economic hardship may be requested from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) only after the first full academic year of student status, and only under extraordinary circumstances. The USCIS, and the University of Oklahoma International Student Services (OU ISS) office in the case of Curricular Practical Training (CPT), authorizes F-1 students to work off-campus. J-1 degree-seeking students must submit an application for employment authorization to their visa sponsor (the agency or school that issued the DS2019 form).
Practical or Academic Training - Students in F-1 and J-1 status may be eligible to engage in differing lengths of practical training or academic training both during their studies and at the completion of their academic programs.
Practical Training, a benefit of F-1 status, is authorization for an off-campus internship in the field of study. F-1 students may be eligible for CPT, authorized by the OU ISS office during their programs, in addition to a year - or more, in some cases - of Optional Practical Training (OPT) that may take place during or after the program of study. Permission to engage in practical training may be granted only after you have been in valid student status for one academic year. The OU ISS office recommends you for OPT based on your completed application, and the USCIS approves it. Click here to refer to the Practical Training Overview for complete information on both CPT and OPT.
Academic Training, a benefit of J-1 status, is granted for employment experience which is integral to your field of study. You may be eligible to apply for permission to engage in academic training after one academic term in valid student status. The period of time allowed for academic training cannot exceed the length of the program of study. In most cases, there is a maximum of 18 months permitted, with the exception of some postdoctoral research and teaching positions that may qualify for up to 36 months of academic training. An application for academic training is made to the J-1 student's Exchange Visitor program sponsor. Click here to refer to Academic Training Authorization for Those in J-1 Exchange Visitor Immigration Status for complete information.
Dependent Employment - Under no circumstances do US immigration regulations allow the spouse or child (F-2) of an F-1 student to apply for work permission while in the US. The spouse (J-2) of a J-1 Exchange Visitor, however, may apply to USCIS for employment authorization, if s/he can demonstrate a need for supplemental support for him or herself or for the children. The spouse cannot obtain employment authorization in order to support the J-1 student. Form I-765, required to apply for J-2 work permission, may be filed electronically. The form may also be obtained from the OU ISS office.