Incoming International Students: Obtain F-1 or J-1 Status

Information on this page is specific to students newly admitted to their NYU academic program. If you have already begun your NYU academic program in another status and are now wishing to obtain F-1 or J-1 student status, please refer to our web page specifically for continuing students to obtain F-1 or J-1 status.

If you are currently in the United States in a non-immigrant status (such as H-4, A-1, or L-2 status), you may be able to study in your current status. Find out if you can study at NYU under your current status.

You may, however, want or need to change to F-1 or J-1 status in order to begin your degree at NYU. If you do decide you want to change your status, you’ll find a general overview of the process below. It’s best to discuss your situation with an immigration attorney to help determine the status that is best for you and your available options based on your immigration history and future plans in the United States.

The information contained on this page is for general information purposes only. Due to frequent government updates, NYU OGS may make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents on this page at any time without prior notice.

Please note, these directions are meant to help you in completing your application but should not be considered legal advice. The US Department of State ultimately provides the decision on your visa application, and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services ultimately provides the decision on your change of status application.

Understand the Process

Read all the steps in this process carefully to determine how you will obtain F-1 or J-1 status and which status you will change to. And remember, it’s best to discuss your situation with an immigration attorney to determine which way to obtain the status that will be best for you.

To be eligible for NYU sponsorship of F-1 or J-1 student status, you need to be accepted to a full-time academic program at NYU and have an official admission notice, along with an NYU University ID number. If you are not yet admitted to NYU and have questions about how to apply, please visit NYU Admissions.

There are two ways that you can obtain F-1 or J-1 status:

By first applying for an I-20 or DS-2019 from OGS at NYU, departing the United States, and then reentering the United States in F-1 or J-1 status, or
By first applying for an I-20 or DS-2019 from OGS at NYU and then filing a change of status application with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) within the United States, remaining in the United States until the approval or denial is received.

Important Restrictions

If you are currently in the US in B-1 or B-2 status there is a higher risk that your change of status application may NOT be approved.

If any of the following apply to you, you cannot apply for a change of status within the US:

You are currently in the US under the "visa waiver" program
You are currently in the US as a J-1 exchange visitor or a J-2 dependent and are subject to the 2-Year Home Residency Requirement
You are currently in the US, but are in violation of your current immigration status (e.g., because your I-94 expired or you have remained beyond your authorized period of stay in the US.)

How to Apply

Step 1: Get the I-20 or DS-2019 from OGS

Step 1a: Decide Which Status is Right for You

In order to study at NYU, you will need to obtain a student status for the US. NYU sponsors international students for either F-1 or J-1 student status.

What is F-1?

F-1 status is the most common type of status used to study in the United States. F-1 status is for full-time academic and language students who are pursuing a degree or certificate. If you decide on F-1 status, you will need to apply for an I-20.

If you plan to bring your spouse with you, he or she will need to obtain a F-2 dependent I-20 from NYU. F-2 dependents may NOT work in the US and may NOT enroll in school.

What is J-1?

In order to be a J-1 student at NYU, at least half of your funding must come from a source other than personal or family funds. If you decide on J-1 status, you will need to apply for a DS-2019.

If you plan to bring your spouse with you, he or she will need to get a J-2 dependent DS-2019 from NYU. Please note that J-2 dependents may apply for work permission and may study in the US.

212(e) Home Residency Requirement
Some students in J-1 status are subject to a two-year home-country physical presence requirement which requires you to return to your home country for at least two years at the end of your exchange visitor program. The two-year home residency requirement specifies that an individual who is subject must spend a total of two years in their home country before being eligible for the these visa statuses in the US:

Any H status (including H-1B or H-4)
Any L status (including L-1 or L-2)
US lawful permanent residence

In addition, if you are subject to the two-year home residency requirement, you may not apply to the US government for a change of status to any status (including F, B, or any other status). Instead, individuals who are subject to the requirement may exit the US, apply for a new visa abroad (for any status other than H, L, or lawful permanent resident), and reenter the US in the new status.

Cumulative Funding
DS-2019s are issued based on cumulative funding. We will issue your document based on each full year of funding you show. For students who can show only one year's worth of funding, we will issue a DS-2019 to cover one year. For each subsequent year, a student must show additional funding to extend their program end date.

Health Insurance
By federal law, J-1 students must have adequate health insurance for both themselves and their dependents.

Minimum insurance requirements:

medical benefits of at least $100,000 per accident or illness
payment for repatriation of remains in the amount of $25,000
payment for medical evacuation to home country in the amount of $50,000
a deductible not to exceed $500 per illness or accident

Academic Training
J-1s have a special type of employment authorization called Academic Training which is for both paid and unpaid work off-campus.

Step 1b: Activate your NYU NetID and NYU email.

If you don’t already know your NetID, learn your NYU NetID.
If you already know your NetID, go to start.nyu.edu to activate it.
Enter your NetID and click the “Start!” button.

Step 1c: Complete your I-20 or DS-2019 Application.

Fill out the I-20/DS-2019 Application for Newly Admitted Students online. To access the application you will need to have your NYU ID number. This is the number you received from NYU that starts with "N" and is followed by 8 numbers, for example, N12345678. You will also need your NYUHome/email address password. Review the application checklist information to ensure you have all you need to successfully complete the online application.

Application Checklist

In order to complete your application, you will need to have:

A copy of your NYU admission letter (an electronic version is fine)
A copy of the photo page of your passport
Financial documents that prove you can pay for the estimated expenses at NYU. To see the amount of money you will need to show for one year of your academic program visit this estimated expenses page. You must be able to pay for your tuition, fees, health insurance, and living expenses while at NYU.
- You need to show proof that you can pay for the first year’s expenses. If your academic program is for less than a year, then provide proof that you can pay for all expenses for the duration of your program.
- The kinds of financial documentation we accept at the OGS include:
  - Personal funds: a bank statement dated within the last six months.
  - A personal loan: a pre-approval letter confirming amount for which the loan is approved. A loan application is not sufficient.
  - An individual sponsor: the OGS Affidavit of Support plus a bank statement and/or letter from employer confirming annual salary and sponsor's position. (The sponsor's annual salary should be at least 3 times the amount of money they are providing to the student).
  - If you will be staying somewhere where you will receive free room and board: you need to provide a letter from who you are staying with indicating the amount of support they will provide for you and the duration of time you will stay with them. The value of room and board is estimated to be $10,000 per year.
  - An organizational sponsor: a copy of an award letter from a sponsoring organization specifying the amount of the award, its duration, and the terms of renewal, or NYU funding: a copy of an NYU award letter for an NYU scholarship, assistantship, or fellowship.

*You must be logged into your NYU email account in order to access the application. If you're logged into your NYU account and you still have problems, please:

Make sure you have paid your tuition deposit to the NYU school you were admitted to.
If you have paid the deposit, wait 2 business days and try to access the application again at that time.
If you are still unable to access the application, please email newinternationalstudents@nyu.edu. Be sure to include your NYU ID number, NYU school of admission, and country of citizenship in your email message.

Step 1d: Receive your I-20/DS-2019.

Approximately 2 weeks after submitting a complete application, you will receive your I-20 or DS-2019.

Step 2: Pay the SEVIS fee.

Once you’ve received your I-20 or DS-2019, you will need to pay a SEVIS fee. In order to pay, complete the Form I-901 along with the payment via mail or the Internet (dependents in F-2 or J-2 status are not required to pay the fee). The SEVIS fee must be paid at least 3 business days prior to a visa interview or the filing of the change of status application in the US.

Step 3: Get F-1 or J-1 Status

Remember, if you change your mind on how you will obtain your F-1 or J-1 status (for example, when you applied for your I-20/DS-2019 you indicated you would be traveling outside of the US and you are now planning to apply for a change of status with US Citizenship and Immigration Services in the United States) you MUST contact OGS as you will need a new I-20 or DS-2019 to reflect your current plans.

Option 1: Obtain Status By Reentering the US

Travel outside of the US, get an F-1 or J-1 visa, and reenter using the new visa. This option would allow you to immediately have F-1 or J-1 status when you reenter the US. It also gives you the visa you will need for any future entry to the US.

Once you successfully reenter the US as an F-1 or J-1 student, complete the OGS arrival form. We will review your documents and remind you of requirements you must fulfill as an international student in F-1 or J-1 status.

Option 2: Obtain Status by Filing a Change of Status Application with USCIS and Remaining in the US

In order for this option to work for you, you must be in status and eligible for F-1 or J-1 status at the time you apply and remain eligible for F-1 or J-1 status at the time the application would be approved.

Please note that applying for a change of status in the US leads ONLY to a change in your immigration status. You will NOT obtain a new entry visa by this method. If you receive a change of status while remaining in the US, you MUST still obtain a new visa the next time you travel outside of the United States if you wish to reenter as an F-1 or J-1 student.

Getting approval for a change to F-1 or J-1 status is NOT a guarantee that you will get an F-1 or J-1 visa when you apply at an embassy or consulate outside of the US. It also carries some risks if your change of status request is delayed too long, is denied, or if you fail to maintain your current legal status throughout the change of status process.

Expedited Processing for Change of Status Application with USCIS

Premium processing is available for Change of Status applications. Premium processing is a way for you to pay extra money to USCIS so that they will expedite processing your application.

If applicants pay $1750 to request premium processing of the Change of Status application (this is separate and in addition to the $455 application fees for the Change of Status itself), USCIS will review the application within 30 calendar days for a Form I-539 for applicants seeking a Change of Status to F-1 or J-1 within the United States. Please keep in mind that this does not mean the application will automatically be approved within 30 calendar days, it just means that the application will be reviewed within 30 calendar days. For Form I-539 applicants, the processing clock will not begin until all applicants and co-applicants have completed the required biometric services appointment. This review means that USCIS will take one of the following actions on the application within 30 calendar days:

issue an approval notice
issue a denial notice
issue an intent to deny
issue a request for evidence
open an investigation for fraud or misrepresentation

Full details on how to request premium processing is on the USCIS webage for the Form I-907, the form needed to request premium processing.

Please keep in mind that premium processing is not a requirement for the Change of Status application. You can file the I-539 for a Change of Status on its own without requesting premium processing.

Steps for Option 2: Obtain Status by Filing a Change of Status Application with USCIS and Remaining in the US

Step 1: Discuss your change of status application with an immigration attorney.

In particular, you will want to meet with an experienced immigration attorney if you are unable to maintain your current nonimmigrant status until your change of status application is received by USCIS. You will also want to find legal help if you have previously filed a permanent resident application or if you have had a previous arrest or other interaction with US law enforcement.

Step 2: Submit your change of status application to USCIS.

USCIS Application Checklist (the final checklist will be determined in consultation with your lawyer)

Minimally, your application to USCIS will need to include:

A copy of your new I-20 or DS-2019 from NYU (also signed by you) that specifies your intent to change your status within the US via USCCIS
A copy of your SEVIS fee receipt
2 separate checks or money orders for $370 and $85 made out to “US Department of Homeland Security”
Completed form G-1145
Completed form I-539
A copy of your passport ID page
A copy of your current I-94 record
A copy of your latest/current visa
A copy of your admission letter from NYU
A copy of your financial documents
Evidence that you have maintained lawful status while in the US prior to submitting your application for change of status
A letter of explanation for why you would like to change your status to F-1 or J-1. This letter should clearly explain:
- Your current status
- Why you entered the US in that status and not in student status
- How your plans have changed since entering the US, so that you now want to study full-time in F-1 or J-1 student status
- Your plan for study at NYU
- Your long-term, non-immigrant plans after you finish your studies in the US
- Your ties to your home country
- The date you want your F-1 or J-1 status to be effective

Step 3: Notify OGS with any update or change to your change of status application.

Once you have been issued an initial receipt notice from USCIS, please email a copy to ogs.records.update@nyu.edu. OGS will need to maintain your initial SEVIS record status until the Change of Status is approved.
Once your petition has been approved, please also email a copy of the approval receipt notice to ogs.records.update@nyu.edu. OGS will need to add the Change of Status approval to your SEVIS record and issue you an updated I-20.

Step 4 (Final Step): Apply for your F-1 or J-1 visa the next time you leave the US.

If and when you travel outside of the US, get an F-1 or J-1 visa, and reenter using the new visa.