SEVP Certification

US educational institutions complete the SEVP ​​​​Certification for the enrollment of international students with M1 and F1 visas to attend on-campus classes. Once certified, schools are granted access to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and allowed to issue Form I-20 visas. Are you considering starting the SEVP certification process? You have come to the right place. This page includes the information to get you started in the right direction

Certification is the process schools go through to receive authorization from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enroll F and/or M nonimmigrants. Within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), SEVP reviews schools that desire to enroll nonimmigrant students to determine denial or approval of certification. Schools must submit their petition online for certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), the database which compiles the data for the Form I-17, “Petition for Approval of School for Attendance by Nonimmigrant Student,” and must submit a nonrefundable certification fee of $3,000 for filing the petition and $655 for a site visit per location listed on the Form I-17. 

Vocational and trade schools require a state license to operate. Each US state has a designated Department of Education office responsible for the licensing of postsecondary educational institutions. The application process varies by state. Need help finding the contact information for your home state? Visit our page with the list of state approval agencies and their contact information. 

SEVP certification application documents vary depending on the type of institution presenting the application. Below you will find a list of documents for each one of the six scenarios.  SEVP may request additional documents via a Request for Evidence (RFE) through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), outlining additional information to be provided by a specified due date. All documents are subject to verification. ​Review the  Evidence Guidelines provided by Homeland Security. 

The best approach to confirming your institution is ready for the SEVP Certification process is reviewing the list of exhibits required for your school's specific scenario (see listed above). Once that assessment is completed, prepare a to-do list with all pending items and get to work!  Unless you are able to provide all evidence documentation, your application will not be approved. 

Interested in opening a career school, college, or university with the plan to one day enroll students with international student visas I-20? Here are the three milestones that you will need to complete:

Obtaining a State License to Operate

Applying for a license to operate in your home state is your first step. Make sure the programs included for initial approval will qualify: programs offered 100% online are not approved for international student visas. Visit our list of state-approval agencies for career schools and colleges.

Achieving Accreditation Status
Once licensed and operating for about two years, your institution may be ready to apply for institutional accreditation with one of the approved accrediting agencies as per the US Federal Department of Education. Visit our accreditation page for an introduction to the eligibility requirements and process. 

Receiving the SEVP Certification

Now that your institution is accredited, you can start the SEVP Certification process. Make sure to do your homework well in advance to confirm you will be ready to meet all SEVP requirements. 

Visit the following pages by the Department of Homeland Security to learn more about the SEVP certification process:

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• What to know about SEVP certification

• Getting started with SEVP certification

• ​SEVP school certification life cycle

• SEVP certification FAQ

• School and program regulations

• Evidence Guidelines

• ​Updates to Form I-17

• ​DSOS and the Form I-20

• ​SEVP approved schools

• ​SEVP certified schools search

We provide SEVP Certification consulting services to accredited postsecondary institutions such as universities, colleges, vocational schools, and trade schools. Need help with your institution's accreditation? We can help you with that, too! Schedule a complimentary consultation to learn more.

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• SEVP Certification for Postsecondary Institutions

• ACCSC, COE, ABHES, TRACS Accreditation

• Compliance and Best Practices