Study on H4, later convert to F1

[SoniaH]

Hi,

 

I am currently on H4 and wanted to pursue master's. Is it ok to study for 2 semester on H4 and then later convert to F1? As I heard from people that, courses studied on H4 visa will not count to the Degree.. is that true? Please respond, your reply is very much needed.

 

Thanks,

Sonia

[omshiv]

That's not true. Dont listen to people.

[jairichi]

Yes, you can study on H4. You will be subject to home student rate and you will not get OPT. To get OPT you have to study for a year on F1 status.

 

Who are these people who give you such kind of excellent information??

[JoeF]

It is perfectly ok to start studying while on H4 and later change to F1.

And the courses all count, regardless if you are on H1 or F1. Don't listen to rumors.

[pontevecchio]

That's not true. You can study in H4 status. The only thing is you will not be able to work in OPT status.

[rahul412]

Hi,

 

I am currently on H4 and wanted to pursue master's. Is it ok to study for 2 semester on H4 and then later convert to F1? As I heard from people that, courses studied on H4 visa will not count to the Degree.. is that true? Please respond, your reply is very much needed.

 

Thanks,

Sonia

No that's not true. You can study on H4 but the only difference is that you cannot work in school and not eligible for OPT.

[SoniaH]

Thanks a lot for the replies.. it really helped.

 

Also, if I start on H4 and then convert to F1.. will I be eligible for OPT?

[omshiv]

Thanks a lot for the replies.. it really helped.

 

Also, if I start on H4 and then convert to F1.. will I be eligible for OPT?

 

Yes you will.

[rahul412]

Thanks a lot for the replies.. it really helped.

 

Also, if I start on H4 and then convert to F1.. will I be eligible for OPT?

Eligibility for OPT is that you have to be full time F1 student for One year. It's better if you contact your school DSO for more information.

[MikuIyer]

1. You can study on H4 like a full time student. All the courses will count towards final degree.

 

2. But you cannot work even on-campus with H4.

 

3. Getting converted to F1 asap is better as every school has a condition that the student must complete 2 semesters (1 year) on F1 to be eligible for CPT/OPT.

[1ndian]

Yes, you can study on H4. You will be subject to home student rate and you will not get OPT. To get OPT you have to study for a year on F1 status.

 

Who are these people who give you such kind of excellent information??

 

Here is authentic first hand information: 

 

I did my masters online for 2 full semesters on H4, converted to F1 - on-campus during the last semester with just one course remaining from a public university in Illinois state capital. The course work completed on H4 counts towards the degree and the OPT requirement.  My OPT has been approved (July 2013).

 

This requirement may differ from university to university but the USCIS does not require a student to be full time on F1 visa. H4 will do. Please spread the knowledge. 

[1ndian]

Hi,

 

I am currently on H4 and wanted to pursue master's. Is it ok to study for 2 semester on H4 and then later convert to F1? As I heard from people that, courses studied on H4 visa will not count to the Degree.. is that true? Please respond, your reply is very much needed.

 

Thanks,

Sonia

 

You are certainly eligible for OPT as long as you are on F1 status while filing your OPT application. All coursework on H4 (full-time) counts towards OPT 1 year academic requirement. Some universities might impose additional restrictions over USCIS. Please check with your DSO.

 

I did 2 semesters full time on H4 and converted to F1 in my last semester with one course remaining. My OPT got approved in July 2013. Good luck!

[rahul412]

Please go to page 3

 

http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Outreach/Upcoming%20National%20Engagements/Upcoming%20National%20Engagement%20Pages/2012%20Events/June%202012/Form_I-765_OPT_Overview_06-19-2012.pdf

[chakrakr]

Please go to page 3

 

http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Outreach/Upcoming%20National%20Engagements/Upcoming%20National%20Engagement%20Pages/2012%20Events/June%202012/Form_I-765_OPT_Overview_06-19-2012.pdf

Good info  but it does not clarify whether one can do the one year full course on H4 and then convert to F1 just before OPT and still qualify.    From what I am reading,  different school interpret it in different ways.

[jairichi]

Here is authentic first hand information: 

 

I did my masters online for 2 full semesters on H4, converted to F1 - on-campus during the last semester with just one course remaining from a public university in Illinois state capital. The course work completed on H4 counts towards the degree and the OPT requirement.  My OPT has been approved (July 2013).

 

This requirement may differ from university to university but the USCIS does not require a student to be full time on F1 visa. H4 will do. Please spread the knowledge. 

Thanks for the info. Different schools interpret it in different ways.

[rahul412]

Good info  but it does not clarify whether one can do the one year full course on H4 and then convert to F1 just before OPT and still qualify.    From what I am reading,  different school interpret it in different ways.

But one thing is for sure, we have to very clear. If not USCIS will simple rejects the petition or application and then our life will be in trouble. In my opinion, USCIS is the one which creates the rules and breaks the rules.

[JoeF]

But one thing is for sure, we have to very clear. If not USCIS will simple rejects the petition or application and then our life will be in trouble. In my opinion, USCIS is the one which creates the rules and breaks the rules.

 

But one thing is for sure, we have to very clear. If not USCIS will simple rejects the petition or application and then our life will be in trouble. In my opinion, USCIS is the one which creates the rules and breaks the rules.

 

But one thing is for sure, we have to very clear. If not USCIS will simple rejects the petition or application and then our life will be in trouble. In my opinion, USCIS is the one which creates the rules and breaks the rules.

USCIS goes by the law, which means that you have to be in good standing for a year, which doesn't necessarily all have to be in F1 status.

Some universities, however, will simply not allow OPT if the student hasn't been on F1 for a year. And they are free to have that additional requirement. It may be an interpretation by the DSO, or it may be explicit university policy.

[rahul412]

USCIS goes by the law, which means that you have to be in good standing for a year, which doesn't necessarily all have to be in F1 status.

Some universities, however, will simply not allow OPT if the student hasn't been on F1 for a year. And they are free to have that additional requirement. It may be an interpretation by the DSO, or it may be explicit university policy.

That means no need to maintain F1 status for one year to get OPT, even if the student has maintained F1 status for one semester only.

[JoeF]

That means no need to maintain F1 status for one year to get OPT, even if the student has maintained F1 status for one semester only.

By law, yes.

But as I said, some universities insist on one year on F1. And they are free to do so.

[1ndian]

By law, yes.

But as I said, some universities insist on one year on F1. And they are free to do so.

 

Agreed.

 

If your university has issued you an I20 for OPT after 2 semesters of H4 and last semester of F1; thats a good sign. It means the university is OK with you availing OPT. And like already mentioned several times, USCIS must honor such OPT requests by law. If for some reason they reject your request, I am sure you can reopen your case this time with an attorney backing it. I have heard of a case where such a denied->reopened request was approved by USCIS.