The United States has become known for its outstanding universities and high educational standards. As a result, many international students apply each year to study in the United States. You will need either the F-1 or M-1 student visa to study full-time as an international student. Each of these student visas is a nonimmigrant visa that allows you to study in the United States if you meet certain requirements.

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Eligibility Requirements for Student Visas

To qualify for an F-1 or M-1 visa, USCIS states that you must:

• Enroll full-time in a “academic” educational program, a language training program, or a vocational program.
• Acceptance into a school recognized by the Student and Exchange Visitors Program, Immigration and Customs Enforcement
• Be proficient in English or be enrolled in classes that will lead to English proficiency
• Proof of sufficient of  funds to support yourself for the duration of the proposed course of study.
• Maintain residence abroad and have no intention of giving it up

This blog post is originally from Study in the US with F-1 M1 Student Visa and written by silvercloudtravels

Are you thinking about studying abroad in the United States of America? In this article, we’ll examine your possibilities of working while studying in the USA and how to gain work experience after you graduate.

Consider the degree you want to obtain first. In the US, colleges and universities provide bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Less popular alternatives include diplomas and graduate certificates.

We’ve outlined your study abroad timeframe and the potential evolution of your employment prospects below. We’ll start with your enrollment as an international student and wrap up with some tips on how you might prepare to apply for citizenship in the future.

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 Working and Studying in the USA

You’ll first sign up for a post-secondary course of study. F-1 visas (for academic students) or M-1 visas are typically used by foreign students to enter the US (for vocational students). You must apply to a college or university that has been authorized international student admission by the US government.

Students on F-1 visas may not work off-campus during their first year of studying in the USA. But students on F-1 visas are permitted to work:

• Up to 20 hours a week during ordinary full-time semesters,
• Up to 40 hours per week during regular holidays like the winter and summer break,

Here are the three categories of off-campus work available to F-1 students after the first academic year is over:

• Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
• Optional Practical Training (OPT) can be completed either during or after a student has finished their program
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Optional Practical Training Extension (OPT).

However, any student that holds an M-1 visa can only start practical training after their graduation. Off-campus training must be related to the field of study for both F-1 and M-1 students. The Designated School Official of their institution and USCIS must authorize all training.

We advise looking for jobs long before graduating because international students only have a short window of time to find post-graduation work.

ALSO READ: 5 Types of Exams You Need to Study in the USA

How Does OPT Operate Before/ or After Studying in the USA?

Before or after studying in the USA you have the right to participate in OPT (Optional Practical Training) for up to 12 months before and/or after completing your academic degree if you are able to find full-time employment in your field. In other words, you don’t need a new visa to work in the United States for a short while.

However, the maximum of 20 hours of work per week still applies when school is in session. Any time spent on OPT while still in school counts towards the maximum 12-month allowance. When is on break for the summer, you are permitted to work full-time 40 hours a week.

As a student, you have the option of finishing your OPT full-time or part-time during and/or after your academic program. Whatever option you select, keep in mind that you will lose your right to OPT after graduation if you use up all of your OPT time while studying.

Did you complete a study program from one of the STEM Designated Degree Programs List? You can be eligible for a 24-month extension to your post-graduation OPT. For further information, see the US Citizenship and Immigration Services’ STEM OPT page

Applying for Work Visas Before/ or After Studying in the USA

While you are on an F-1 student visa, your employer has the opportunity to file for an H1-B visa on your behalf. They might carry out this action while you are on OPT or afterward.

They might carry out this action while you are on OPT or afterward. For new foreign workers, the H1-B visa is a visa lottery.

There is a yearly cap of 65,000 H1-B visas granted, and graduates with a master’s degree (or higher) from a US academic institution are eligible for 20,000 additional. However,  there are more applicants than the available spots. A lottery is used to issue H1-B visas because 308,613 people registered for the financial year 2022.

After studying in the USA you can stay and work in the US for up to three years if you are granted an H1-B visa. Although this period may be extended, it typically cannot exceed six years. Your employer has can take other visa routes if your H1-B is not granted.

It’s important to note that you might be able to obtain a cap-gap extension if you currently hold an F-1 student visa, and have filed an H1-B petition and change-of-status request, but your F-1 status will end before your request for change of status is approved.

Deciding to Stay After Studying in the USA

Your employer may submit an application for a Green Card on your behalf while you are employed in the US on an H1-B visa (Permanent Resident Card). You can remain permanently and work if you have a green card after studying in the USA. Individual Green Cards, on the other hand, must be renewed after 10 years.

Patience is key when applying for a Green Card. The processing time ranges from four to seven months. You can stay in the US while your status is pending.

As you prepare for your journey as an international student, we hope that this timeline and the information on working and studying in the USA will be helpful. If you need help with your study abroad application processing kindly click here.

ALSO READ: HOW TO APPLY AND STUDY IN CANADA

This blog post is originally from Work While Studying in the USA and After Graduation and written by silvercloudtravels

Banking degrees come in a variety of levels. Each degree provides unique advantages to students preparing for careers in the banking and financial industries. The financial services industry is one of the world’s largest employers. Millions of people work to provide financial products and services to retail customers like us or businesses all over the world. These individuals come from a variety of backgrounds and academic fields. MBAs, for example, typically dominate investment banking. More people with a mathematical or computer science background work in trading. Look around and you’ll see economists, engineers, computer programmers, lawyers, mathematicians, accountants, doctors, and even former air force pilots!

However, just because something is possible does not imply that it is simple. With relevant academic credentials, you are far more likely to land a job in banking or finance. While unusual moves are possible, they are uncommon. Having a bachelor’s or master’s degree that closely matches your preferred banking role’s skill set is still the most likely way to get in. But what is the appropriate degree? Which majors should you pursue? The following is a list of the best degrees/majors for various banking roles and career paths.

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Degrees to Help you get into Banking

Here are the best degrees/majors for various banking roles and career paths are listed below.

1.     Finance

Certain banking positions almost always require a finance degree. Anything that requires a lot of numbers or a lot of analysis would benefit greatly from a finance degree. Treasury management, financial planning, credit analysis, and even more specialized roles in capital markets and investment banking are some examples.

As a business degree, a finance qualification is another requirement for banking. The main distinction is that a finance degree is better suited for roles with a more analytical bent, whereas a business degree is better suited for more sales-oriented roles. This is not an absolute rule, and your skillet and experience are usually more important deciding factors.

More advanced Finance degrees would allow you to pursue more senior positions in more desirable divisions. While a basic degree is ideal if you simply want to gain some experience before pursuing further studies.

2.    Economic

Apparently. This may appear to be the most obvious degree at first glance, but it is also the one that eventually leads to the most banking positions. however, economics is a much broader degree than one that only directs people toward banking.

An economics degree from a reputable university will most likely open many doors in the financial field, from stockbroker positions to statisticians, investment banking to accountancy. If you aren’t sure which path to take, economics may be the best middle-ground option. This article from Essex University provides a good overview of job opportunities with an economics degree. Find the Best Economics Courses in the UK as well.

3. Business

Business is another degree option that probably not surprising to those reading, but one that offers something a little different than economics. While an economics degree provides a more comprehensive picture of the entire economic world, a business degree is much more concerned with what is profitable and feasible. In reality, the two overlap on many topics, but it’s worth remembering.

Entrepreneurs are drawn to business studies courses, which may explain why it has become one of the most popular courses in the UK. A business degree provides you with a comprehensive understanding of the business world, and if you want to open your own business one day, this could be a good option. And the financial aspects of a business degree are a sure-fire way to get the banking industry’s attention.

4.    Banking

Some universities offer business/finance degrees with a focus on banking. This essentially means that certain banking-related courses, such as risk management, accounting, corporate finance, banking regulations, and so on, are added on top. This is also a viable option because such a degree will undoubtedly better prepare you for some retail/commercial banking positions.

The curriculum for such courses is similar to that of business and finance courses, but with a greater emphasis on banking concepts, terminologies, risk management, compliance, financial regulations, and so on. This excellent online Corporate Finance program from Columbia University lays the groundwork for what you need to know. You can also look for Banking programs here.

5.    Accounting

Accounting degrees are better suited to roles in banks that are inward-looking rather than client-facing. Financial reporting, taxation, and auditing, for example, would be ideal roles for accounting degree holders. Accounting and audit roles in banks are generally similar to those in other large corporations. The only difference is that the balance sheet would look very different.

Accounting and audit specialists, on the other hand, can move into a variety of other fields. Risk and treasury management are obvious favorites, but based on your aptitude and experience, you could even work in sales.

6.     STEM

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. STEM degrees range from physics to engineering to computer science and chemistry. These are areas that are constantly changing, and studying such topics that appear to be at the cutting edge of so much of what we do today can be a truly exhilarating experience.

Banking may not be the first job that comes to mind when considering a STEM degree, but you’d be surprised how many people choose that path. But the beauty of a STEM degree is that it keeps your options open – wide open!

STEM jobs include biomedical engineering, computer programming, and statistics, to name a few. If you do decide to pursue a career in banking, the math and engineering components of the course will be invaluable. Check out Stem Graduates for more information on your STEM degree options.

7.    Investment Banking and Finance

If you want to work in a bank, this is probably the most specific course you can take. However, when compared to other degrees on this list, the number of available courses is significantly lower. This is also the type that, if you take it, limits your future options.

While a STEM course can prepare you for a wide range of jobs, a degree in Finance and Investment Banking prepares you for a very specific set of jobs. Maybe that’s exactly what you’re looking for. If you want to work in investment banking, why waste your time on courses that include a large number of non-related components? If you know exactly what you want, this is the one for you.

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This blog post is originally from 7 Best Degrees to Help you get into Banking and written by silvercloudtravels