One-to-one guidance through your American university application. From the Common App and standardised tests through to OPT, the STEM extension, and setting up for what comes next.
General information, not immigration or legal advice. This page draws on publicly available guidance from official government sources. Immigration, visa, and post-study rules change. We are not immigration lawyers, and nothing here is legal or immigration advice for your specific situation. Refer to the linked official government pages for the current position, and consult a qualified adviser for your personal circumstances.
A quick honest read on the American cities where international students actually end up. Each has multiple strong universities and a serious international student community.
One of the densest student cities in the world. Biotech, healthcare, finance, and academia are all strong here. Cost of living is high but the concentration of world-class universities is unmatched.
Universities: Harvard, MIT, Boston University, Northeastern, Tufts, Boston College.
Finance, media, fashion, tech, and the arts, all in one city. The most international student experience you can have anywhere in the world. Cost of living is very high but the network you build is significant.
Universities: Columbia, NYU, Fordham, The New School, CUNY system.
Global tech capital. Venture capital, startups, biotech, and academic research all cluster here. Weather is famously mild, and the cost of living is among the highest in the country.
Universities: Stanford, UC Berkeley, University of San Francisco, San Jose State.
Entertainment, aerospace, and a growing tech scene. The universities are strong across the board and the city is spread out, so having a plan for transport (or campus housing) matters.
Universities: UCLA, USC, Loyola Marymount, Occidental, Caltech (Pasadena).
The Midwest's finance and consulting hub. Serious academic strength, particularly in economics, sociology, and business. Cost of living is moderate compared to the coastal cities.
Universities: University of Chicago, Northwestern, UIC, Loyola Chicago, DePaul.
The United States has world-class universities in almost every state. Michigan, Texas at Austin, Duke, Vanderbilt, Rice, Emory, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, and dozens more all have strong international student communities and specific subject strengths.
Universities: University of Michigan, UT Austin, Duke, Vanderbilt, Rice, Emory, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, and more.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is the main post-graduation work authorisation for F-1 students. It gives you 12 months of work in any field related to your degree. You don't need an employer sponsor to apply. Applications go to USCIS on Form I-765, and you can start the process up to 90 days before your programme end date.
If your degree is in an eligible STEM field, you can extend OPT by another 24 months, taking your total post-study work window to 36 months. Your employer has to be enrolled in E-Verify for the extension, and you have to work at least 20 hours a week per employer on a formal training plan. The list of eligible STEM CIP codes is maintained by the Department of Homeland Security and updated periodically.
Under current F-1 rules, your admission runs for the "Duration of Status" (D/S), meaning you can stay as long as your programme is active. There is a proposed federal rule that would replace this with a fixed four-year admission period requiring extensions from USCIS. As of mid-2026 the rule has completed its OMB review but has not yet been published in the Federal Register, so it isn't in force. We'll flag the current position on your consultation call.
For general information on OPT and STEM OPT eligibility, refer to the official USCIS guidance at uscis.gov. We're not immigration lawyers and this page is educational, not legal advice.
The United States doesn't have a direct route from student to permanent resident. The standard sequence is: F-1 student, then OPT for 12 months (plus 24 more if STEM eligible), then H-1B work visa via an employer, then employer-sponsored green card through the EB-2 (advanced degree or exceptional ability) or EB-3 (skilled worker or professional) categories.
The H-1B is lottery-based. There's an annual cap of 65,000 regular petitions plus 20,000 for US Master's graduates. Selection is beneficiary-centric, meaning one entry per person regardless of how many employers register you. A weighted-selection rule published in December 2025 would favour higher-salary roles by weighting the lottery by DOL wage level, though its effect on future cycles is still being assessed.
For Nigerian nationals specifically, one piece of context matters. Effective 21 January 2026, the US State Department paused issuance of immigrant visas (consular-processed green cards) to Nigerian nationals. This does not affect the F-1 student visa or OPT or the H-1B, which are non-immigrant. It does disrupt the standard green card pathway for graduates planning to consular-process from home. Graduates already in the US applying for status adjustment are less affected. The pause is under review, and we'll flag the current position when you book a consultation.
Every part of the US-specific application process, undergraduate or postgraduate.
Building the right shortlist across private, public, and state-system universities. Balancing ambitious, realistic, and safe choices, and handling multiple portals in parallel.
American personal essays are story-driven, distinct from the subject-focused UK style. We coach you through drafts of the Common App main essay and any supplements until each one lands.
Working out which of your target universities require tests, which are test-optional but reward strong scores, and when to sit. Test-optional is contracting at the top tier, and strategy matters.
The US takes recommendation letters and extracurricular activities seriously. We help you brief teachers, present activities in the right format, and choose which two or three to lean on.
From day one we build your shortlist with OPT, STEM eligibility, and post-graduation career options in mind. Programme choice can meaningfully affect what comes after.
General visa information, I-20 review, SEVIS fee, DS-160, embassy interview prep, opening a US bank account, and getting settled in your first week.
Most private and many public universities accept the Common Application, which lets you apply to multiple schools with one core application. Some large public university systems have their own portals: the University of California uses its own UC application, the University of Texas uses ApplyTexas, and Georgia has its own system. Postgraduate applications almost always go directly to the specific programme. We handle the right route for each university on your shortlist.
It depends on the university, and the picture has shifted recently. Harvard, Yale, MIT, Stanford, and Dartmouth have all reinstated the SAT or ACT requirement for the 2026-27 cycle. Columbia has confirmed a return for the 2027-28 cycle. Many other universities remain test-optional but are increasingly signalling that strong scores help competitive applications. If you're aiming at the top tier, plan to sit at least one of the tests.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) gives you 12 months of work authorisation after graduation, in any field related to your degree. You apply through USCIS and can start the application up to 90 days before your programme end date. If your degree is in an eligible STEM field, you can extend OPT by another 24 months (36 months total) through the STEM OPT extension. Your employer needs to be enrolled in E-Verify for the extension. The list of eligible STEM CIP codes is published by the Department of Homeland Security and updated periodically.
There's no direct route from student to permanent resident in the US. The most common path is: F-1 student → OPT (12 months, plus 24 more if STEM eligible) → H-1B work visa via an employer sponsor → employer-sponsored green card (EB-2 or EB-3). The H-1B is lottery-based with an annual cap of 65,000 regular plus 20,000 for US Master's graduates. The lottery is competitive, and a new weighted selection rule (published December 2025) may favour higher-salary roles, though the effect on future cycles is still being assessed. Overall this is a longer and less predictable pathway than the UK, Canada, or Australia.
Yes. Effective 21 January 2026, the US State Department paused issuance of immigrant visas (permanent green cards processed through embassies abroad) to Nigerian nationals. This does not affect the F-1 student visa, which is a non-immigrant visa, so studying in the US is not blocked. But it does disrupt the standard green card pathway for Nigerian graduates who plan to consular-process from home. Graduates already inside the US applying for status adjustment are less affected. The pause is under review and the situation may change. We'll flag the current state on your consultation call.
F-2 spouses of F-1 students cannot work in the US. They can accompany you and enrol in part-time academic study, and F-2 children can attend school. If your spouse wants to work, they'd need to secure their own work-authorised visa independently.
TOEFL, IELTS, and the Duolingo English Test are the three most widely accepted. Duolingo has become mainstream at many universities including UCLA, Boston University, and USC. Nigerian students whose secondary schooling was English-medium may be exempt from testing at some universities, but this varies by school. We check the specific requirement for each university on your shortlist.
F-1 students can work on-campus up to 20 hours a week during term time and full-time during breaks. Off-campus work is generally not permitted in the first academic year. After that, Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and OPT are the routes into off-campus paid work related to your studies. Working without authorisation puts your F-1 status at risk.
Book a free consultation and we'll help you build an American university shortlist that fits your goals, your grades, your budget, and your plans for after graduation.
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