If you’re an H1B visa holder and your I-485 (Adjustment of Status) application is pending, you may be eligible to extend your H1B status beyond the typical six-year limit. This…
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CPT vs. OPT: Navigating Work Authorization Options on an F-1 Visa
Gaining real-world experience in your field of study is a game-changer—but as an F-1 student, you must choose the right work authorization. Here’s a deep dive into Curricular Practical Training…
On-Campus Jobs for F-1 Students: How to Find, Apply, and Succeed
Balancing coursework with practical experience and extra income is a win-win—and on-campus jobs are tailor-made for F-1 students. Here’s your complete roadmap to landing and excelling in a campus role…
Mastering the TOEFL iBT in 2025: Your Essential Guide
Whether you’re aiming to study abroad, qualify for a scholarship, or certify your English skills for work, the TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test) is…
Tracking Your USCIS Case by Email & Text in 2025
Want to know the moment your OPT card ships or your H-1B petition moves to “Approved”? You don’t need a paid tracker or mobile app—USCIS offers two built-in, free alert…
Cap-Gap 2025: Keeping Work Authorization Alive Until 1 October
When an employer files an H-1B cap petition for you this spring, the cap-gap rule automatically bridges the time between the end of your OPT/STEM OPT and the start of…
Part-Time CPT in Your Final Semester: Fact vs Myth
Many advisers—and Reddit threads—claim you must register full-time or that CPT is illegal in your last term. The truth is more nuanced: DHS regulations allow part-time Curricular Practical Training (≤…
USCIS Is Issuing More STEM OPT RFEs—Here Are the Top 5 (2025)
A Fall 2024 USCIS Q&A with NAFSA advisors confirmed a “significant increase” in STEM OPT Requests for Evidence (RFEs), chiefly over program codes and training-plan gaps. USCIS An RFE can…
SEVP Portal Not Updating? 7 Fixes Every F-1 Student Should Try (Spring 2025)
A February 27 2025 software release (“Portal 6.3”) promised to squash the notorious “Unexpected Portal Update” bug, yet thousands of OPT and STEM-OPT students still report stale employer data or…
USCIS Fee Hike 2025: What International Students Now Pay
For the first time since 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services overhauled its filing fees. The final rule published 31 Jan 2024 took effect on 1 Apr 2024 and remains…