International Students and Scholars

Student Visa Types

Most international students will attend Brown as F-1 students, while some will be eligible for J-1 students. Read below to understand the differences.

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Student Visa Types: F-1 versus J-1

Most international students admitted to Brown will need to obtain documents in order to apply for a student visa. The two most common student visas are the F-1 student visa and the J-1 exchange visitor visa.

The vast majority of students will go through the F-1 student visa process, while the J-1 visa is usually reserved for exchange students or students with government or institutional funding.
Both visas are non-immigrant visas that require students to maintain ties to their home country that they will not abandon after coming to the U.S.
Both visas require students to study on a full-time basis; part-time study is permitted only in specific situations and only with the authorization of ISSS or your J-1 sponsor.

	F-1 Student Visa (Most Common)	J-1 Student Visa (Less Common)
Visa Certificate	Form I-20, issued by ISSS for Brown	Form D-2019, issued by ISSS or J-1 sponsor (e.g., Fulbright)
Funding / Program Requirement	Any funding source permitted	Primary source of funding must be U.S. government, home government, or institutional funding; or student is participating in a formal exchange program
Employment	On-campus permitted up to 20 hours per week during school year; full-time during vacations	On-campus permitted up to 20 hours per week during school year; full-time during vacations; must be authorized in writing by ISSS
Training	Benefits include Curricular Practical Training (CPT), Optional Practical Training (OPT), and STEM Extension OPT for certain majors Benefits may vary by program and degree type	Up to 18 months of Academic Training allowing training related to field of study, with exact time varied according to program length PhD students granted an addition 18 months up to 36 months total
Grace Period	Allowed 60 days to depart U.S. following completion of program	Allowed 30 days to depart U.S. following completion of program
Home Residence Requirement	Not applicable (N/A)	Some J-1 students may be subject to Section 212(e) home country residence requirement; if subject, J-2 dependents are also subject
Bars on Future Return	Not applicable (N/A)	Some J-1 students may be subject to a 12-month bar on future participation as a J-1 research scholar or professor
Dependents	F-2 legal spouse and/or unmarried children under 21 F-2 dependents may study in K-12 education; part-time only at the college / university level No U.S. work authorization allowed	J-2 legal spouse and/or unmarried children under 21 J-2 dependents may study full- or part-time J-2 dependents are eligible to apply for U.S. work permits after arrival in J-2 status

Already in the U.S. with a Different Visa Type?

Some students admitted to Brown may already be in the U.S. with another type of non-immigrant visa classification. For example, students may have dependent status as a J-2, H-4, TD, or E-3. It is up to each student to decide, with their current sponsors, whether or not to maintain their current status or change to F-1 (or J-1) student status under Brown. Contact your school's designated advisor at ISSS for more information. Please also keep in mind these restrictions:

In most cases, children on dependent visas (e.g., J-2, H-4) lose visa eligibility when they turn 21
B-1 / B-2 visitors are not permitted to engage in academic study
F-2 dependents of F-1 students are not permitted to study at the college / university level on a full-time basis; only part-time study is permitted

SEVIS Fee

All new students applying for a F-1 or J-1 visa must pay the I-901 SEVIS fee prior to applying for initial F-1 or J-1 visa.

Apply for Your Student Visa

The student visa process will include pre-application forms and fees, an online application and preparation for your visa interview.