US DHS Added 8 New STEM Fields for F-1 Students

On July 11, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the addition of eight (8) STEM fields to its STEM Designated Degree Program List.  This list is used to determine F-1 students' eligibility for the 24-month extension of the post-completion Optional Practical Training.  Only students with a STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) degree are eligible for the extension.  

Effective July 12, 2023, the following eight fields will be added to the STEM degree list:

• Composite Materials Technology/Technician (CIP code: 15.0617).
• Demography and Population Studies (45.0501).
• Developmental and Adolescent Psychology (42.2710).
• Geospatial Intelligence (43.0407).
• Institutional Research (13.0608).
• Landscape Architecture (04.0601).
• Linguistics and Computer Science (30.4801).
• Mechatronics, Robotics and Automation Engineering Technology/Technician (15.0407).

In January 2022, DHS already added 22 fields to the STEM Designated Degree Program List. 

(Immigration laws and policies change regularly.  If you have any questions regarding this article, please visit www.1visa1.com to schedule a legal consultation.) 

 

‌