Can TN visa holders study part time?

Back in the day, I had spoken with admissions at Oregon State University (while on TN-1) about enrolling in online-delivered classes part time that would count towards a B.Sc. in Environmental Science. You could pick up courses as time and funds allowed and they posted a flat-rate (internet delivery) for students local and international, so it sounded great. Once I made the formal application, I received the form to provide proof of funds (32,000USD in the bank) in order to obtain the F-1 (HUH?). Although the website and the admissions counsellor said one thing, the office dictated another. Subsequent phone calls never resolved the issue, so I never did follow through with the enrollment. LOL, they still send me 'it's time to enroll' emails for courses, but after that, I'm keeping it Canadian.

As for studying in the states, just make sure the admissions office is as clear on things as you are so there are no suprises.

This is a great site. Ihavne't seenso much good info all in one spot since I followed grasmick.com a few years ago.....

I'm actually in a similar situation. I'm on TN status and after studying partime while working, I need to show I can handle full-time study to acheive my goals. One opportunity is a special six-week full-time program requiring at leat 36 hours of weekly study. If I'm granted a six week personal/educational leave, could I do the 6 wk program and return to work, all on my TN? Or do I have to get a f1/m1?

Ilm also considering going permanent part-time and studying 4/5 courses, all on the TN. I figure since I'm still working at least 30 hours, I can still get my study game going. But the research biologist's post above has made me unsure.........

Is it directly related to your work, i.e. is this something your employer is expecting you to do?

The 6 wk program is loosely related to the work I do. My employer understands that this is the direction I 'd like to go in, and has been understanding about it. My employer has even offered me a job back after finishing professional school! However, they have denied me a leave of absence now, so I'd have to resign to do this program. (sigh)

What are the rules that determine a program eligible for an f1 visa?

I appreciate your help.

To get F-1, the educational establishment must be registered with the State Dept. and be able to issue an I-20. You need the I-20 to get F-1 status. You can attend a part-time or short course of study as a regular B-2 visitor though. I'm not sure if six weeks is short enough, but it sounds pretty short to me. The regs say it must be "incidental" to a visit for leisure or recreational itself.

Depending on what kind of course it is, it may be M-1 (vocational) or J-1 instead, but the application procedure for all of them is pretty similar, F-1 and M-1 require an I-20 and a J-1 requires a DS-2019.

Thanks for your help, Steve.

Unfortunately, the school officials now tell me they didn't 'realize' I was Canadian, and so they don't believe I can get a F-1 visa for this program. I am still in shock. There is no academic credit, nor transcripts for this program. Its only six weeks, and has over 18 hours of study weekly. The topics are all fast paced pre-med courses. I don't understand how that doesn't make it eligible for an student visa, but I can't really argue with the university, can I?

Just my luck. Thanks again for your help.

Like I said, I don't think you need F-1 for something that short.

The information posted has so far been of great value.

Someone on this thread stated that it was impossible to have both an F-1 and a TN at the same time. I would seem to be the exception. Ten days ago, I went to a Manitoba/North Dakota border crossing to apply for a TN. I teach full-time, but am still finishing my dissertation. The border official did not know what to do with me (the question he had in mind, it seems, was, How do I preserve this guy's student status yet get him his TN?). The result was that he gave me the TN while permitting me to stay in F-1 status. So I now have two I-94s stapled to my passport.

My question is: Since I do not have any good reason to continue to hold onto my F-1 (the TN, as this thread has pointed out, permits one to study part-time, which is what working on my dissertation will amount to), should I just go to CBP and ask them to remove my F-1?

Thank you,
Jim

You may have 2 I-94's, however you can only enter the US physically once, and that is why you can have only one entry status at-a-time.

Since you applied for TN on the last entry, that is your status. Your F1 is dormant, there is no need to do anything to it or with it. As you say, study (regardless of the ammount of time) is incidental to your TN and does not violate it.

If you had, say, an H1-B for one job and a TN for another, you would have to leave/re-enter US each time you went from one job to the other -- possible if you staddled the border, but not very practical.

You can hold eligibility to multiple statuses. However your status is dicated by the one you requested on your latest entry.