can I stay in the US after college?

<p>After I finish college, I would like to take a semester/year off to do an internship/coop or just research. Meanwhile, I will be working on my grad school application.</p>

<p>I have an F-1 Visa. What are the details that I should know about? Can I stay in the US after I graduate college? Can I get an internship? What if I just do part time jobs related to my field of study?</p>

<p>After college, you can stay for a year, maximum. By the end of that year you will need an HB-1 or maybe another F-1 (I don’t know about this, actually, whether you can enroll into graduate school and get another I-20 and F-1 with no problems). If you don’t have any, you will have to leave the states, and wait for two years before getting another visa.</p>

<p>You should look into it, or wait for another answer because this may not be accurate.</p>

<p>F-1 visa allows one year practical training. It is also allowed for applying for graduate school. Please check with your international center at your school for details.</p>

<p>any ways of settling down?</p>

<p>You can work in the US for the time allowed for Optional Practical Training (OPT) for your particular field of study. After that, you will need to be in college again with a new I-20, or you will need to have a work visa (H-1B). You can’t just “settle down” here unless you marry a US citizen or legal permanent resident. The H-1B is no guarantee of long-term residence in the US.</p>

<p>well that kind of sucks :(</p>

<p>But aren’t you glad you learned it now instead of later?</p>

<p>If your goal is to get out of wherever it is that you live now (rather than to live in the US), check out Australia and Canada. In the past they have been more generous with work permits while students are in university, and with working visas after graduation.</p>

<p>I definitely agree with happymomof1. Australia and Canada have far less stricter laws in terms of permanent immigration for college graduates.</p>