New Guidance on OPT Employment and Student’s Major Area of Study
On Sept. 30, 2019, SEVP published new policy guidance titled, “Practical Training: Determining a Direct Relationship Between Employment and a Student’s Major Area of Study.”
Visit the Schools page to view the full guidance.
Curricular Practical Training Reminders
Download the new Curricular Practical Training Fact Sheet for reminders about the federal regulations governing curricular practical training (CPT) and answers to frequently asked questions about CPT.
New and Increased SEVP Fees
On June 24, 2019, new and increased fees for international students, exchange visitors and SEVP-certified schools took effect.
Please read SEVP Final Fee Rule: Frequently Asked Questions for answers to common questions about the new fee rule.
Important Message for ACICS-Accredited Schools
On Nov. 21, 2018, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) permanently restored federal recognition of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS).
SEVP accepts ACICS as an ED-recognized accrediting body for certification. If you have questions about how this development may impact your certification or nonimmigrant status, please contact the SEVP Response Center.
School Alerts
Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified schools are subject to a review of their certification at any time based on federal regulation. Upon this review, SEVP can exercise its authority to withdraw schools and/or terminate certain initial and active student records for noncompliance with SEVP regulations. Visit the School Alerts page for a list of schools that have been withdrawn and instructions students should follow.
SEVP Spotlight
September 2019 – Volume 9, Issue 3: Read the latest SEVP Spotlight on Study in the States. (posted: September 2019)
SEVIS by the Numbers
Read the latest SEVIS by the Numbers report. (March 2018 edition)
Special Student Relief
F-1 Students from Syria: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an extension of employment authorization for certain Syrian F-1 international students who are facing severe economic hardship as a direct result of civil unrest in Syria since March 2011. Read the full notice on the Federal Register to learn more about the extension of employment authorization for Syrian F-1 international students. Visit Study in the States to learn more about Special Student Relief. (updated: Dec. 2018)
F-1 Students from Nepal: DHS announced an extension of employment authorization for certain Nepali F-1 international students who are facing severe economic hardship as a direct result of the April 25, 2015, earthquake in Nepal. Visit Study in the States to learn more about the extension of employment authorization for Nepali F-1 students or read the full notice on the Federal Register. (updated: Sept. 2018)
Notice of Intent to Terminate
SEVP is sending a “Notice of Intent to Terminate” to nonimmigrant students (F-1/M-1), exchange visitors (J-1) and dependents (F-2/M-2/J-2) who fail to comply with the Form I-515A, “Notice to Student or Exchange Visitor,” directive by the specified deadline. Recipients of the “Notice of Intent to Terminate” have 14 days, from the date the notice is sent, to respond to the Form I-515A. Failure to respond will result in the termination of their SEVIS record. For more information, download the Form I-515A Noncompliance Termination Procedure and visit Study in the States.
Student and Exchange Visitor Response Center (SRC) Callback Assist Feature
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program Response Center has implemented a new callback feature for users to schedule a specific date and time for return calls from SRC. To learn more, read the blog post on the new feature on Study in the States.
When an individual enrolls at a U.S. school as an F-1 or M-1 international student or participates in the Visa Exchange Visitor Program, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) captures certain information about that individual in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). The data included on this page has been extracted from SEVIS. It provides an overview of SEVP-certified schools, as well as active international students and exchange visitors during a specific calendar year. This data is updated annually.
For reference, F-1 students pursue academic studies and M-1 students pursue vocational studies in the United States. J-1 exchange visitors participate in the Visa Exchange Visitor Program, which is managed by the U.S. Department of State.
An international student or exchange visitor is deemed active once they enter the U.S. and engage in their program of study or exchange visitor program. Their status is designated as “active” in SEVIS.
International students can participate in various types of practical training related to their field of study.
- Pre-completion optional practical training (OPT) takes place prior to a student’s program end date.
- Post-completion OPT takes place after a student’s program end date.
- Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) OPT is a 24-month extension of OPT for qualifying students with STEM degrees.
- Curricular practical training (CPT) takes place prior to a student’s program end date and is integral to the school’s established curriculum.
Note: To participate in OPT, an international student must receive employment authorization from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
For more information about the different types of practical training available to international students, please read the SEVP Practical Training Overview.
For detailed requests of SEVP data, please visit the SEVP section of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Library. For information on international student trends, please visit the SEVIS by the Numbers report and the Mapping SEVIS by the Numbers interactive tool on Study in the States.
More information about the Exchange Visitor Program can be found on the U.S. Department of State’s website.
School Data
International Student and Exchange Visitor Data
Employer Data

SEVIS by the Numbers is a biannual report on international student trends using data from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). The report includes relevant information about international students studying in the United States and the schools that enroll them. The report highlights where international students come from, what they study and where they go within the United States to study.
Visit Mapping SEVIS by the Numbers on Study in the States to explore some of the raw SEVIS data that the report uses. This information is viewable at the continent, region and country level and includes information on gender and education levels for international students from geographical areas across the globe. You can review the information from a global or U.S. perspective.
You can find previous SEVIS by the Numbers reports in the Freedom of Information Act Library, under Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
SEVIS by the Numbers Media Kits
April 2018
- April 2018 SEVIS by the Numbers Report (PDF | 5 MB)
- April 2018 SEVIS by the Numbers Media Kit (PDF | 752 KB)
- April 2018 SEVIS by the Numbers Social Media Images (ZIP | 3.3 MB)
- High-Resolution Infographics
June 2017
- June 2017 SEVIS by the Numbers Report (PDF | 5 MB)
- June 2017 SEVIS by the Numbers Media Kit (PDF | 301 KB)
- June 2017 SEVIS by the Numbers Social Media Images (ZIP | 4.5 MB)
- High-Resolution Infographics