After youArrive
Landing is the easy part. The real work is keeping your F-1 status, following the rules, and building a good life there. Here is how to stay legal and thrive.
Getting inis step one.
The visa got you to the door. Staying in status keeps you inside. An F-1 comes with rules, and a small misstep, the wrong job, too few classes, a missed report, can quietly end it.
None of it is hard once you know it. Your school's international office and your DSO are your real authority on the ground, and the rules can change, so this is your map, not the final word. When in doubt, you ask them.
Land, then move.
The opening weeks set everything up. Tap each step to see what to do, and why it matters more than it looks.
Check in with your DSO
Report to your school's international office as soon as you arrive so they can register your SEVIS record as active. This is the single most important arrival task, and your DSO becomes your go-to for everything status-related.
Go to orientation
International student orientation is usually required, not optional. It covers the rules, your responsibilities and the support on campus. Skipping it is a bad first move.
Register full-time
Enroll in a full course load from your first term. Staying full-time is a core condition of your status, so confirm what counts as full-time for your program with your DSO.
Set up the essentials
Get your student ID, sort a bank account, a local phone line and somewhere to live. These make daily life work and are needed for almost everything else.
Report your address
You must keep a current US address on file, usually within a set window of arriving or moving. Your DSO will tell you exactly how and when, so ask early.
Stay in status.
Your F-1 rests on a handful of rules. Tap each to see what it means and what it costs to break it.
Stay full-time
Enroll in and complete a full course load every required term. If you ever need to drop below full-time for a valid reason, you must get your DSO's approval first, never just do it.
Dropping below full-time without authorization can put you out of status immediately.
Keep your I-20 valid
Your I-20 has a program end date. If you need more time to finish, you must request an extension through your DSO before it expires, not after.
Letting the I-20 lapse means falling out of status, which is far harder to fix than to prevent.
Work only when allowed
On-campus work has limits, and any off-campus work needs proper authorization like CPT or OPT, approved in advance. Never assume a job is fine.
Unauthorized work is one of the most serious violations and can end your status outright.
Report changes
Tell your DSO about changes to your address, major, funding or plans, within the required time. Your SEVIS record has to stay accurate.
Failing to report can quietly put your record out of compliance without you realising.
Do not overstay
You have an authorized period to be in the US. Before it ends, you either leave, move to approved training, or change status. Plan the exit as carefully as the entry.
Overstaying can trigger bars on returning to the US for years. Take the dates seriously.
Keep documents current
Keep your passport valid, and get a travel signature on your I-20 before leaving and returning. Treat your documents as living things to maintain.
Expired documents or a missing travel signature can leave you stranded or refused re-entry.
Working on an F-1.
You can work in the US as a student, but only in specific ways, with permission, and within limits. Tap each to see how it works.
F-1 students can usually work on campus within an hour limit during term, and more during breaks. It is the simplest route, but it still has rules. Confirm the current limits with your DSO.
Work or an internship that is part of your program, authorised in advance through your school. It happens before you finish, and must be tied to your studies. It must be approved before you start.
Temporary work in your field, commonly used after you complete your program, applied for through your DSO and the government. There are time limits and deadlines. Eligibility and timing change, so confirm the current rules.
Graduates in eligible science, technology, engineering and maths fields may extend their OPT for additional time, with extra conditions. The rules shift often, so this is one to verify carefully.
Work rules change and are enforced strictly. Treat everything here as a starting map. Your DSO and the current government guidance are the authority, always check before you act.
Tap to find out.
Some everyday situations are fine. Others quietly break your status. Guess each one, then tap to see the rule.
General guidance, not legal advice. Rules vary and change. Your DSO and current government guidance decide your case, so confirm before acting on any of these.
Travel without drama.
Going home and returning is normal, but re-entry is its own checkpoint. Get these right before you fly.
Get a travel signature
Your I-20 needs a recent signature from your DSO for re-entry. Ask for it well before you travel, not at the airport.
Valid visa and passport
Your passport must be valid, and you need a valid visa to re-enter. If your visa has expired, you may need to renew it while abroad, so plan for that.
Bring your documents
Travel with your signed I-20, passport, and proof of enrollment and funds. Have them ready rather than packed deep in a bag.
Mind the calendar
Avoid travelling right before key dates or while paperwork like OPT is pending. Check with your DSO before booking if anything is in motion.
Actually thrive.
Staying legal is the floor, not the goal. These are the habits that turn a stressful first year into a strong start.
Lean on the international office
They exist for you, from status questions to settling in. Build the relationship early, not only when something goes wrong.
Find your people
Join clubs, student groups and your department's community. The friends and contacts you make are half of what makes it worth it.
Use academic support
Office hours, writing centers and tutoring are normal and free. Strong students use them, they are not a sign of struggling.
Protect your wellbeing
It is a big move, far from home. Most campuses have counselling and health services. Looking after yourself is part of doing well.
Track your key dates
Your I-20 end date, visa validity and any work deadlines. Put them in a calendar so nothing sneaks up on you.
Keep copies of everything
Scan and store your I-20, passport, visa and admission documents. If anything is ever lost, you will be glad you did.
Ready beforeyou land.
We cannot be your school's office abroad, but we can send you off knowing exactly what to do, so the first weeks are calm instead of confusing.
Know the rules first
Before you fly, we walk you through your status, the first-week tasks and the lines you must not cross, so nothing is a surprise.
Documents in order
We make sure you travel with the right papers and understand what to do on arrival and at the international office.
A point of contact
If something is unclear once you are there, you have people who know your journey to talk it through with.
Once you are in the US, your school's DSO is the authority on your status, and we are not immigration lawyers. For status and legal questions there, they are who you trust, and the rules can change. Our job is to send you in fully prepared.
Once you're there.
Who keeps track of my status in the US?
You do, with your school. Your record lives in a government system called SEVIS, and your DSO at the international office manages it. Your job is to follow the rules and report changes so it stays accurate and active.
Can I work while studying on an F-1?
Yes, within limits. On-campus work is generally allowed up to a set number of hours during term. Off-campus work needs prior authorization through CPT or OPT. Always confirm what you are allowed to do with your DSO before taking any job.
What is a DSO?
A Designated School Official: the person at your university responsible for international students and your SEVIS record. They are your first call for anything about your status, work authorization, travel signatures or changes to your plan.
What happens if I fall out of status?
It is serious, but not always the end. Speak to your DSO immediately, do not ignore it. Depending on the situation there may be a path to reinstatement, but the longer you wait the harder it gets. Acting fast and honestly is everything.
Can I travel home during my studies?
Yes. You need a current travel signature on your I-20 from your DSO, plus a valid passport and visa to re-enter. If your visa has expired you may need to renew it abroad, so plan ahead and never travel with paperwork pending without checking first.
What is the difference between CPT and OPT?
CPT is work or training that is part of your program, done during your studies and authorized through your school. OPT is temporary work in your field, most often used after you finish, applied for through your DSO and the government. Both need authorization before you start, and the rules change, so confirm the current ones.
Do you handle my immigration paperwork after I arrive?
We prepare you thoroughly before you go and stay available to guide you, but once you are there your school's DSO manages your SEVIS record and status, and we are not immigration lawyers. For legal matters on the ground, your DSO or a qualified attorney is who you turn to.
Landready.
Whether you are still applying or about to fly, we will make sure you arrive knowing exactly how to keep your status and settle in well.