M1 Vocational Student Visa

The M-1 Academic Student Visa is for non-immigrants. It is for those wishing to come to the United States to enter non-academic or vocational studies. The alternative is the F1 Academic Student Visa, which is for non-immigrants who want to pursue academic studies and/or language training programs.

Both of these options are provided by the Immigration and Nationality Act. The law treats them as non-immigrant visas because the people who receive them are not intending to stay in the United States permanently. Their stay is as long as their study; as dictated by the Department of State, who manage these applications.

M-1 Student Visa

The M-1 Visa is for students enrolled in non-academic or "vocational study". Vocational studies include mechanical studies, technical studies, cooking classes, a language program, flight school or cosmetology program.

Unlike the F-1 Visa, the M-1 Visa is valid for only one year. Students may apply for cumulative extensions for up to three years. M-1 Visa holders are only authorised to reduce their course of study below full-time for medical reasons and for a maximum aggregate period of six months.

M-1 Visa students are typically only free to transfer schools within the first six months of the program. The M-1 gives the student the opportunity to earn paid practical experience after graduation. USCIS employs a formula whereby it authorises one month of employment for every four months in which the M-1 Visa student was enrolled in the vocational program. A maximum of six months of employment authorisation for practical training is available. This means that the maximum time students could stay in the U.S. on an M-1 Visa is three and a half years.

The M-1 Visa does not, however, allow students to work while they are in school. The M-1 Visa also allows students 30 days after the completion of their program in which to prepare to leave the U.S.

Qualifications for M-1 student visa status

The student must be enrolled in a "vocational” or “non-academic" educational program. This must be proved to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and then the program/school must be approved by the same authority, too.

The student must be enrolled as a full-time student at the institution. They must be proficient in English or be enrolled in courses leading to English proficiency, and have sufficient funds for self-support.