One of the popular destinations among Nepalese students is the USA. A lot of students have secured decent jobs and permanent residency in the USA. However, Coming into 2025 the USA has completely shut the door for students. USA has implemented harsh rules for student visa causing dilemma amongst nepalese students planning to study in USA. The F1 visa grant from Nepal right now is very low and changes made by the USA for student visas have caused a dilemma to Nepalese Students. Students were allowed to work part-time in the USA before but only students with on-campus opportunities/ assistantships from the university are allowed to work inside the campus.
Is this new harsh rule causing dilemma for students?
The main reason for implementing this rule by the USA is to allow only genuine students to come to the USA and study. So, this rule has made it very difficult for students from middle class families from Nepal who were planning to study in the USA by working part-time to fund their education and living expenses. A lot of Nepalese students who have already booked their appointments have even canceled their visa interview because of this change. So, This new rule is causing trouble to a lot of Nepalese students.
Should Nepalese Students still consider the USA as their study destination?
The United States is always a great destination for students who are pursuing their studies. Universities in the USA are ranked amongst the best for providing quality of education. The changes in rules doesn’t affect the students who have proper funding sources to complete the course. Additionally, if you get on-campus opportunities/ assistantships from the university you can easily take care of your living expenses yourself. If you are a student who wants better education, focus on studies and excel your career later “USA is the land of opportunities” for you.
Will there be any flexibility in the student visa rules in the future?
This rule was implemented because of the student visa rules breached by the students themselves previously. A lot of students from Asian countries went to the USA for studies but worked illegally, few even quitting their study. This rule was implemented to make sure if students are coming to the USA for studies, they should only focus on what they came for. There might be certain changes for student visas in future (maybe allowed few working hours) but as of yet we are unsure if there will be any changes made.
What can I do after completing the course in the USA?
Most degree comes with Optional Training Period (OPT) which grants international students upto certain year to work in the USA. Most of the students are eligible for 12 months OPT period whereas students with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degree can extend their OPT upto 24 months. Once your post-completion OPT period ends, you need to seek alternative options for continuing your career or leave the US within 60 days of your OPT end date. Whereas, there are a variety of employer-sponsored work visas that may be available to you depending on your employer.
To change your status to H-1B visa your employer must be willing to sponsor and sign the H1-B petition. Additionally, to transition from H-1B visa to Green Card, H-1B holders typically need to pursue an employment-based immigrant visa, which involves securing a permanent job offer, obtaining a labor certification, and filing an I-140 petition with USCIS.
Should Nepalese students should consider following courses if they are planning to apply to the USA?
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) based degrees are considered very highly in the USA. STEM courses have a higher OPT period compared to other degrees making it easier to secure a decent job for students and potential permanent job sponsorship. So, courses like: Data Science, Medical Science, Software engineering, Networking, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics etc. Choosing a STEM based course might have better career opportunities, but it doesn’t guarantee the visa as f1 visa grant depends on so many factors.
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