STEM is an acronym that refers to disciplines classified as Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. This special designation gives international students who have earned degrees in STEM-accredited programs a pathway to remain and work in the US for an extended period of time.
What degrees are designated STEM?
STEM-accredited majors have changed a lot in recent years – both the variety of what’s available and the ways these subjects are taught. Today, STEM disciplines span many academic departments and undergraduate, graduate and PhD programs. For students, this means a wide range of available majors. The list below is just an example of more obvious STEM majors offered at colleges all around the US:
- Astronomy
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer science
- Engineering
- Geology
- Information technology
- Mathematics
- Physics
Within each of these disciplines, students might pursue specializations in a variety of subfields, like Marine Biology within Biology, or Aeronautics within Engineering. However, despite these splintering specializations, STEM students are not pigeonholed within their respective concentrations and can expect to utilize interdisciplinary approaches in their learning, often incorporating technology or computer programing as a tool and aid in their studies.
For career-minded students, this kind of education equates to better job prospects. With strong sector growth projected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, career options are abundant and wages are promising for STEM graduates.
Employment opportunities through STEM
In hopes of attracting and retaining skilled applicants to these in-demand occupational fields, the United States Department of Homeland Security offers F-1 and M-1 visa holders opportunities to work in the US. Students with STEM degrees who finish their program of study and participate in an initial period of regular post-completion OPT (often for 12 months) have the option to apply for a STEM OPT extension of 24 months. As mentioned in one of our previous blogs, this three-year visa extension also makes hiring STEM graduates much more cost-effective for employers who have concerns about sponsoring work visas.
Participating in STEM OPT allows international students to have a chance to launch their careers right after graduating and build up valuable work experiences early on. With these professional opportunities, it’s no surprise that over 50% of international students studying in the US are in STEM-accredited programs.
Expanding STEM-accredited programs
In January of 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that 22 new fields of study had been added to the STEM OPT program “to enhance the contributions of nonimmigrant students studying in the fields of (STEM) and support the growth of the US economy and innovation.” The newly incorporated fields include competitive and growing disciplines like climate science, bioenergy, economics and computer science, data visualization and financial analytics. With such a wide range of disciplines to choose from, finding a STEM program that aligns with one’s career goals is more likely than ever. Use this DHS search tool to find more schools and STEM-accredited programs.
Applying to a STEM undergraduate program
While some degrees are experiencing a slump in enrollment, STEM programs are attracting more candidates each year, which means admissions to these competitive programs can be challenging, even at an undergraduate level. Ideally, applicants should possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills, a curiosity to learn about the latest technology and excellent math skills.
High school students seeking a STEM major in college should keep their grades up but also participate in extracurricular activities, like clubs, research opportunities or competitions related to STEM, to develop leadership and communication skills and further explore their own interests. Showing strong abilities in STEM outside the classroom setting also helps demonstrate a passion and commitment which helps applicants stand out to admissions committees for these competitive programs.