International Student Life & Work
International Student Life & Work in the USA
Practicalities for international students in the US — maintaining F-1 status and SEVIS, work rules, travel, taxes and banking — neutral facts, not immigration advice.
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Tests this hub covers
TOEFL iBT
ETS (Educational Testing Service) · Offered more than 170 times a year at test centres (Home Edition: 24 hours a day, 4 days a week)
IELTS
British Council / IDP IELTS / Cambridge University Press & Assessment · Year-round (test dates and session times vary by test centre)
Duolingo
Duolingo, Inc. · On demand, online at any time, though not in every country (up to 3 test purchases in any 30-day period; wait for your result before retesting)
What this hub covers
- How to Maintain F-1 Status and Stay in Good Standing on SEVISWhat "maintaining status" means · Maintain a full course of study · Reduced course load (RCL) exceptions
- Off-Campus Work Authorization for F-1 Students: CPT, OPT, and Economic HardshipWhy off-campus work is tightly regulated · Curricular Practical Training (CPT) · Optional Practical Training (OPT)
- Travel and Re-Entry to the US as an F-1 StudentPlan re-entry before you leave · Get a valid travel signature on your I-20 · Check passport and visa validity
- Taxes and Tax Filing for International Students in the USWhy international students have tax obligations · Nonresident vs resident for tax purposes · The annual filing requirement — even with no income
- Settling In: Banking, SSN, and Cultural Adjustment for International StudentsYour first weeks on campus · Opening a US bank account · Applying for an SSN — only if you're work-authorized
Guides for United States
5 of 5 guides in this hub are for the United States.
How to Maintain F-1 Status and Stay in Good Standing on SEVIS
What F-1 students must do to keep status active: full course load, reporting changes to your DSO, reduced course load, and avoiding violations.
Read guideOff-Campus Work Authorization for F-1 Students: CPT, OPT, and Economic Hardship
How off-campus work differs for F-1 students — curricular practical training, optional practical training, and severe economic hardship — and who approves each.
Read guideTravel and Re-Entry to the US as an F-1 Student
What F-1 students need before leaving and returning: a valid travel signature on the I-20, passport and visa validity, port-of-entry documents, and OPT notes.
Read guideTaxes and Tax Filing for International Students in the US
Basic US tax obligations for F-1 students: nonresident vs resident for tax, the annual filing requirement, SSN/ITIN basics, and tax-treaty awareness.
Read guideSettling In: Banking, SSN, and Cultural Adjustment for International Students
First-weeks logistics for new international students in the US — opening a bank account, applying for an SSN if eligible, campus support, and culture shock.
Read guideStudying in the United States
Continue exploring the United States
Universities, entrance tests, costs and visa facts for the United States — all in one place, each linked to its official source.
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