The United States offers two types of visas to students who wish to study in the U.S. temporarily: "F" visas, which are designed for academic studies or language training; and "M" visas, which are provided for nonacademic or vocational studies.

What Schools Are Approved For M Student Study?

Schools that are eligible to accept M visa holders are those that provide vocational or nonacademic training. Generally speaking, public schools operated by the local, state, or federal government and nationally accredited schools are approved to offer studies to M visa holders. If a school of higher education is not nationally accredited or if it is not a public institution, it must submit evidence to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of acceptance, by at least three accredited schools, of its coursework. Similarly, if a private elementary or a secondary school does not meet the general criteria, it must make three showings: (1) it meets state compulsory attendance criteria; (2) its graduates are qualified for acceptance by higher education schools that are accredited; and (3) that it is properly accredited, if it is a private elementary or secondary school.

Generally speaking, community and junior colleges that award associate degrees in vocational or technical fields, vocational high schools, and trade schools are eligible to accept M visa students.

Are There Limitations On Attendance At Public Schools?

Although there are strict limitations on F-1 students attending publicly funded schools, those limitations do not apply to M students.

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