An international student’s guide to staying in the United States post-college

In my last blog, Coming to America for Undergrad: Persie Edition, I walked through how I applied for and got into a top college in the United States as an international student. Although my goal was (and still is) to ultimately work in global health with underserved communities in the developing world, I knew that to achieve that goal, I had to stay in the U.S. for some time after graduation to build my education, work experience, and network. What I did not know at the time, though, was how to most effectively position myself to accomplish this goal. But lucky for you, through my trials and tribulations, I have come up with a blueprint to help you set yourself up for a career that can either keep you in the U.S. or propel you to success back in your home country or somewhere else.

As an international student, preparing for post-college life should start the moment you breathe your first breath of American air. Unlike your American classmates, you cannot afford to wait and enjoy your first few years of college before planning for your future. Most of them already have the connections and infrastructure they need to navigate their career aspirations, some have rich parents who can support them if their plans don’t pan out, and for a majority, their worst-case scenario entails going back to the comfort of their parents’ homes. However, yours is getting kicked out of the country if you do not have a valid and legal plan to stay after you graduate.

So how can you make sure your worst-case scenario doesn’t come to fruition? I have outlined five strategies you can implement to ensure you are ready when graduation day comes around.

Strategy 1: Make Your First Month in College Count: As soon as you get acquainted with your new home and surroundings, contact your International Students Office and Career Center to set up an appointment to introduce yourself, understand the resources they offer, and start thinking about how those resources will help you achieve your goals. This proactive nature will help you create a long-term plan that you can begin working on right away and develop a great working relationship with your advisors. The earlier you start this process, the better they will know you and your specific situation and the more time they will be able to spend with you. Additionally, office hours are usually less busy at the beginning of the semester. Ask them about their thoughts and advice on picking majors, the different paths people with your background and interests have taken, and any tips and tricks they might have for first year college students.

Strategy 2: Understand Your Legal Options to Stay in the U.S.: This can be part of your conversation with the International Students Office. To prepare you for that conversation, I will outline some of the most common ways international students can legally stay in the U.S. after graduating.

• Optional Practical Training (OPT): This allows international students to work in the U.S. for up to 12 months after graduation in a field related to their major while still on a student visa. Additionally, the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) extension to OPT can add an additional 24 months for students who earned a degree in a STEM field from an accredited U.S. institution. You can review the STEM Designated Degree Program List and see if your intended major is covered. 

• H-1B visa: This is a type of work visa for foreign individuals in specialty occupations that require a higher level of expertise. There is a cap of 65,000 H-1B visas per year for regular applicants, and an additional 20,000 petitions for individuals with advanced degrees at a master’s level or beyond. H-1B visas are available through a competitive application process, with a limited number available each year, and not all employers sponsor this type of visa. Some employers, typically non profit or higher education institutions, are cap exempt meaning they are not subject to the cap limits listed above.

• L-1 Visa: This is a visa category that allows companies to transfer employees from a foreign office/subsidiary to work in the U.S. The way this might work for you is if you do not get the H-1B work visa, your company can transfer you to a foreign office for at least 1 year then bring you back on an L-1 visa that is not subject to a cap. If the companies you are applying to are multinational, be sure to explore if this might be an option for you as a safety net if you do not get an H-1B.

• F-1 student visa extension: If you continue your education, you may be eligible to extend your F-1 student visa. I took this route after college, and you can read all about it in my prior post, To grad school or to work straight after college – that is the question.

• J-1 visa: This is a type of exchange visitor visa, which is available for a variety of programs, including work-and-travel, internships, and training programs.

• Green card: If you have a job offer from a U.S. employer and meet certain eligibility requirements, you may be able to obtain a green card and become a permanent resident of the United States. This is usually a long process and usually very difficult to get straight out of undergrad.

It is important to note that the specific eligibility requirements and application processes for each option can vary, so please consult your International Students Office and/or a qualified immigration attorney or other authorized representative for guidance on your specific circumstances.

Strategy 3: Make Your Choice of Major Count: There is a lot of literature out there on how to choose majors, and you will have multiple professors, mentors, friends and parents in your ear to guide (or misguide) you on this one so I will not add to the confusion. My only advice to you as an international student is simple: a STEM major will automatically give you an extra 2 years of work eligibility (in addition to the 1 year that everyone gets) while still on a student visa–so if your career and life goals can be achieved with different majors and some of those are STEM majors, you should seriously consider a path that includes a STEM major.

Strategy 4: Make securing a good internship a priority: Both Aubrey and I have written about how internships were very important in setting us up for a career after college. Make sure you make time to secure a good internship. In addition to your career center and international students office conversations, you can read the Applying for a Technology Internship, Why did I study Computer Science and Applied Mathematics in undergrad? and To grad school or to work straight after college –that is the question. posts on how internships lead to full time job offers that allowed us to stay in the U.S. after graduation

Strategy 5: Make Networking Early and Often a Priority: Start with reaching out to any contacts the International Students Office or Career Center might have, then do some digging in your school’s alumni directory or on LinkedIn and begin setting up time to connect with alumni in the industries that interest you. Start with international alumni but quickly broaden your search, as you never know which avenue will yield the best results. In those conversations, tell them your story, ask them about their college and post-college experiences, find out if they have any tips and advice for you, and ask them if you can keep in touch as your college career progresses. Keep in touch with these folks as they might become instrumental when the time comes to reach out to them for internships or referrals, because trust me, the last thing you want to do is reach out to new people when you need a favor!

So there you have it! These are the strategies I think will set you up for a successful transition from college after graduation. At First Xperience, we understand this might be an overwhelming process. As such, we are happy to offer you one free one-on-one session to answer your questions. Feel free to reach out to us here or send us an email at [email protected] with the subject line: Free College Transition Info Session and we will contact you to schedule a session. Looking forward to connecting with you and helping you in your journey!