International F-1 and Form I-20

F-1 and Form I-20 Information

This page provides information on how to apply for a Lesley Form I-20. The I-20 will allow you to apply for an F-1 student visa. Visit the US Department of State, Study in the States website for general information on the Form I-20 and F-1 compliance requirements.  

Please note that not all Lesley programs are I-20 eligible. Students must be accepted into a Lesley full-time, in-person program. Additionally, I-20s for full-time in person programs are never issued with a summer or spring or fall session II start date. This is because these sessions consist mostly of online courses, and the F-1 student’s first semester must comply with the F-1 enrollment requirement which limits online credits. Review the Maintaining Legal F-1 Status of our site for more details and contact iss@lesley.edu for advice.

The Lesley Admissions Counselor assists you with your application and academic related questions. Contact International Student Services at iss@lesley.edu with all F-1, I-20 and overall immigration questions. 

This page provides a general overview of the I-20 application process. The final review of I-20 eligibility happens after depositing and when the Lesley International Student Advisor reviews a completed I-20 request application.  

If you are currently in the US in a status other than F-1, please check with your immigration attorney to determine if your status allows you to study, work, or receive scholarship funds. Also, simply being in the US may not necessarily mean that you are immediately eligible for a Form I-20. Contact iss@lesley.edu with any questions or for immigration resource information.

The purpose of F-1 status is for “study in the US.” It is not for employment. F-1 regulations are extremely strict when it pertains to “any” off-campus activity including employment, internships, practicum, and fieldwork (paid or unpaid). All will require prior approval through issuance of a new I-20. Most of the Lesley internships are unpaid, and on-campus employment opportunities are limited. F-1 status students are not eligible for Federal Work-Study (FWS) on-campus jobs. Only US citizens or US permanent residents are eligible for FWS funds. Please note that most of the on-campus jobs are FWS jobs. Additionally, the Lesley University I-20 does not permit study outside of Lesley, including any online programs. Visit the Lesley University Financial Aid, Bills & Payments webpage for detailed costs.

Lesley Student Health and Dental Insurance is required by ALL students. To request a waiver, the student must first register for classes, then submit documentation to the Gallagher insurance provider that proves they have comparable insurance coverage from another source. Low-residency students will be required to have their own comparable insurance coverage during their brief low-residency periods on campus (which are typically less than 14 days) per year.

After a student is accepted into a Lesley I-20 eligible program and pays their enrollment deposit, they include financial documentation with their I-20 request form. The Lesley acceptance packet will contain both the I-20 request process and the international student estimate of expenses specific to the accepted program. Visit the Maintaining Legal F-1 Status section of our site to familiarize yourself with the F-1 compliance requirements. If you are a low-residency student, please refer to the below-mentioned low-residency section on this page for your requirements.

Lesley scholarships are based on full time enrollment. F-1 status students are legally required to maintain full-time enrollment while making good academic progress, each fall and spring semester. From an F-1 perspective, if in your final semester you no longer have a full courseload remaining for degree completion, you can apply to our office for a Last-Semester Reduction of Course Load I-20. However, please note that any scholarship remaining during a part-time semester will be prorated to a lesser amount. Contact help@lesley.edu if you have questions on this. Also, check the Maintaining Status section of our website for more detailed information on the F-1 enrollment requirements, which limit you to a maximum of three online credits.

Low Residency programs require minimal physical presence on campus of 5-14 days per year. Students requesting F-1 status to participate in a low residency program will only be issued a short-term I-20 for each residency period. The Lesley F-1 low residency student departs the US after each residency. F-1 low-residency students will not be eligible for any F-1-related benefits, including on-campus employment, Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Optional Practical Training (OPT). Additionally, any low-residency program internship, practicum or thesis and dissertation research can only be done from outside of the US. If you are currently in the US, please note that Lesley does not support a Change of Status I-20 or a Transfer between F-1 schools I-20 for low-residency programs. Additionally, Lesley does not issue F-2 I-20s for low-residency programs.

Switching between low-residency and traditional in-person programs: Because of the strict program sequencing within each in-person or low-residency program models, AND the strict F-1 enrollment requirements for in-person programs, if a student decides to start with a low—residency I-20, they cannot be guaranteed eligibility to switch to an in-person I-20 later. In fact, such requests are usually denied. Please review your decision carefully before requesting your first low-residency I-20. Contact iss@lesley.edu to address any questions.

The Lesley Threshold Programs are designed to provide neurodiverse individuals with independent living and working skills to help prepare them to live strong, independent lives. Of the various Threshold programs offered, only one the Threshold Core Program is I-20 eligible. Threshold Core program students on the Lesley I-20/F-1 sponsorship must maintain 18 classroom clock hours per week each Fall and Spring semester for the duration of the two-year program. The 18 clock hours will include instruction, mentoring and independent living courses, as well as internship hours in the second, third and fourth semesters. The Core Threshold programs are considered a post-secondary non-degree certificate program, and therefore, not eligible for F-1, post-completion optional practical training (OPT) work authorization. Additionally, Lesley University does not issue Reinstatement or Change of Status I-20s for the Threshold Programs. Contact iss@lesley.edu for more detailed information on the Core program I-20 application process.

None of the Lesley graduate programs in education are currently I-20 eligible.

Students accepted into a Lesley low-residency graduate program may apply for a low-residency I-20. This type of I-20 will only permit students to remain in the US in F-1 status for the brief annual residency period of 7-14 days. The student departs the US after each residency and is issued a new short-term period I-20 for each subsequent residency. Refer to the "Lesley Low-Residency Programs" section of this web page for additional details.

Not all Lesley graduate certificate programs are Lesley I-20 eligible. Graduate certificate in-person course selection fluctuates on a per semester basis. For this reason, I-20 issuance is not a guarantee with a graduate certificate acceptance. The I-20 will only be issued to eligible students who will be able to fulfill the F-1 enrollment requirement for the requested I-20 program dates (of nine credits per semester, of which only 3 credits can be online). Please note that Lesley does not authorize Curricular Practical Training (CPT) or Pre-Completion Optional Practical Training for graduate certificate programs. Post Completion Optional Practical Training (Post OPT) will only be considered for students who are eligible based on their previous F-1 immigration history. Lesley does not issue Change of Status or Reinstatement I-20s for graduate certificate programs. Contact iss@lesley.edu with any additional questions.

CAGS is a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies degree. This is a “post” master’s degree. Applicants need to hold a master’s degree to be eligible for this program. As a result, students having already used Optional Practical Training (OPT) based on a previous master’s program will not be eligible for any additional OPT time at the completion of this program. Please consult with iss@lesley.edu with any questions about this at the beginning of your program to help you strategize moving forward.

International students who are non-US citizens or US Permanent Residents: Please note that there is not a specific post-graduation immigration status to allow someone to fulfill their post-graduation professional licensure work requirements. Review the Lesley Licensure & Credentialing Information and discuss the option of completing all or part of your post-graduation licensure requirements from outside of the US with your Lesley academic advisor before starting your Lesley graduate program.

  • In addition, students on the Lesley F-1 sponsorship through a Lesley issued I-20, should also contact International Student Services at iss@lesley.edu to evaluate your eligibility for post-graduation work authorization. Since F-1 benefits are limited to per academic level, Lesley’s International Student Services will evaluate your previous US F-1 status history to determine your eligibility. In general, the F-1 student may be eligible to apply for twelve (12) months of optional practical training (OPT) work authorization if they have never used OPT in the past for a Master’s level educational program. If this is not possible or if the F-1 student needs more than 12 months to fulfill the licensure requirement, they may ask their US employer to sponsor them for the H-1B specialty work status. The H-1B sponsorship, however, has a cost for the employer and is subject to a limited annual cap for jobs in the for-profit sector. For these reasons, H-1B sponsorship is not guaranteed.

If you are already in the US, maintaining legal F-1 status, including OPT or STEM OPT, and wish to transfer to the Lesley I-20 sponsorship, please contact iss@lesley.edu to schedule a zoom meeting to discuss your case. There are strict timelines associated with an F-1 SEVIS transfer between schools. The Lesley International Student Advisor will review your case for SEVIS Transfer eligibility. This transfer option only applies for students accepted into a Lesley full-time in-person program. It does not apply to Low Residency programs. For students currently in the US wishing to transfer their F-1 SEVIS record to Lesley University, please note that Lesley DOES NOT ACCEPT TERMINATED SEVIS RECORDS.

Tourist or business statuses do NOT permit study in the US, including participation in a low-residency program of study. Tourist visas are for temporary stays for tourism, recreation, and visiting friends/family, and not intended for academic study. US immigration law mandates that a person enter the US in the correct status for their intended activity. The Lesley low residency programs are full degree programs, which means that when the student enters the US to attend the residency, for which they are registered for, their main purpose is to participate in the residency which involves intensive academic activity, it is not tourism. F-1 students are given a brief grace period before and after each residency participation to allow them to do tourism if they choose, but they should not enter on the tourist visa for the main purpose of attending the residency.

Lesley has issued one-semester Exchange Student I-20s with its partner schools in the past. These exchange programs are currently on hold until further notice.

The SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) prohibits schools from issuing a Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status) for students who have been conditionally admitted. Lesley’s International Student Services can only issue an I-20 AFTER the student has met all the standards for admission, and no longer has any conditions listed on their official acceptance letter. If you have been accepted to a Lesley degree program with conditions, please contact iss@lesley.edu to help you set the most effective I-20 strategy.

Withdrawal or Deferral Requests, even if due to visa denials or delays: Students seeking to begin their Lesley program at a later term from which they were originally accepted, will be withdrawn from the university, and any I-20 issued will be cancelled accordingly. Students can contact their Lesley admissions counselor to assist them with the reapplication process. Once the student’s application has been reactivated for a new fall or spring semester, International Student Services (ISS) can assist with re-issuance of a new I-20. The student may need to repay the $350, Form I-20, SEVIS fee. Additionally, the Lesley enrollment deposit and all I-20 and F-1 visa related fees are non-refundable, regardless of the visa outcome.

Once you are accepted into an I-20 eligible Lesley program and have paid your enrollment deposit, complete this form:

Complete the Immigration and Financial Declaration Form to request an I-20. This form is automatically submitted to iss@lesley.edu upon completion for the official review of your Lesley I-20 request. Detailed information on the visa application and interview process will be provided with the I-20. As previously stated, students currently in the US wishing to transfer their F-1 SEVIS status to Lesley, should schedule a zoom meeting at iss@lesley.edu before completing this form.

If you are currently in the US in a non-immigrant status other than F-1, please check with your immigration attorney on whether your status permits study from within the US, including low-residency study. You should also check if it allows you to receive scholarships or for you to participate in any on or off-campus employment or program required internship, practicum, or fieldwork.