CIP (classification of instructional programs) CONVERSION 2020

CIP code update 2020; Important concept to get a work visa

Summary: CIP codes have been revised and new CIP codes have been added.
Current STEM major student? If your major has been in the STEM CIP codes list, go to table 1 in the “What is CIP code?” to check if there are any changes. If your major is related to STEM majors but hasn’t been in the STEM CIP code list, go to table 2 in the “CIP codes update 2020” to see if your major is added.
New student? If you would like to take advantage of the STEM OPT extension, read the blog carefully to ensure that you apply for the STEM OPT-eligible program.

If you are planning to study in the USA, one of the many reasons might be to have work experiences upon the completion of the study. Many international students choose to apply for OPT (Optional Practical Training) which authorizes them to work legally during or/and after their studies. Student visa holders, who seek to obtain work visa USA, need to go through the process during their initial OPT period which is a year-long program.

However, as you can imagine, it is not easy to make it to a work visa just in a year. In this light, most foreign students prefer studying STEM majors, as STEM OPT program allows students to have an additional 24 months to stay and work in the United States. To be eligible for STEM OPT extension, international students should have a degree in one of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) majors. Thus, the first important step to get a work visa in the United States is ensuring that your desired major is in the STEM OPT list.

Unfortunately, I have seen many students from abroad who have a brief concept of the 24-month STEM OPT extension. And because of this, there were some cases where students “think” they are in STEM majors but actually they are not. On the other hand, some students don’t realize that they can extend their OPT period because they don’t think their majors are STEM OPT eligible. So how can you make sure that you are in STEM major, therefore, you are eligible to apply for STEM extension? In this blog post, I will touch upon the concept of the CIP code and important changes in 2020 CIP codes.

Contents


What is CIP code?

CIP stands for the classification of instructional programs and it is listed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) at the Department of Education (ED). If you are issued an I-20, you will find the CIP code in your I-20 along with your major. This CIP code is the factor that determines whether you are eligible for a STEM OPT extension or not.

It is worth noting that the school’s program name and CIP Code Title can be different and it is not an issue. For example, as you can see in the table below, each CIP Code has CIP Code Title. Your program might be called something like Agroecology and Agriculture Science, however, your I-20 might say 01.0308 Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture. Designated School Official (DSO) in your school will cross check the CIP code with your school’s program and will put the most relevant CIP code in your I-20. Therefore, as long as the CIP code in your I-20 can be found in the table below and it is relevant to your major, the wording doesn’t have to be 100% matched.

Below is the table which is known as the STEM Designated Degree Program list. As of today (Late August), 2020 CIP code changes are not reflected in the STEM Designated Degree Program list so I updated manually below. You can search your major by ctrl+F to make sure your major is listed in the STEM program list. If you are a current student and if your major is one of the updated majors, you will receive a new I-20 that shows updates once the SEVIS system reflects the updates. In the next paragraph, you will find the newly added CIP codes in 2020.

2020 CIP CodeCIP Code Title
01.0308Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture
01.0901Animal Sciences, General
01.0902Agricultural Animal Breeding
01.0903Animal Health
01.0904Animal Nutrition
01.0905Dairy Science
01.0906Livestock Management
01.0907Poultry Science
01.0999Animal Sciences, Other
01.1001Food Science
01.1002Food Technology and Processing
01.1099Food Science and Technology, Other
01.1101Plant Sciences, General
01.1102Agronomy and Crop Science
01.1103Horticultural Science
01.1104Agricultural and Horticultural Plant Breeding
01.1105Plant Protection and Integrated Pest Management
01.1106Range Science and Management
01.1199Plant Sciences, Other
01.1201Soil Science and Agronomy, General
01.1202Soil Chemistry and Physics
01.1203Soil Microbiology
01.1299Soil Sciences, Other
03.0101Natural Resources/Conservation, General
03.0103Environmental Studies
03.0104Environmental Science
03.0199Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other
03.0205Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management
03.0502Forest Sciences and Biology
03.0508Urban Forestry
03.0509Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology
03.0601Wildlife, Fish and Wildlands Science and Management
04.0902Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology
09.0702Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia
10.0304Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics and Special Effects
11.0101Computer and Information Sciences, General
11.0102Artificial Intelligence
11.0103Information Technology
11.0104Informatics
11.0199Computer and Information Sciences, Other
11.0201Computer Programming/Programmer, General
11.0202Computer Programming, Specific Applications
11.0203Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Certification
11.0299Computer Programming, Other
11.0301Data Processing and Data Processing Technology/Technician
11.0401Information Science/Studies
11.0501Computer Systems Analysis/Analyst
11.0701Computer Science
11.0801Web Page, Digital/Multimedia and Information Resources Design
11.0802Data Modeling/Warehousing and Database Administration
11.0803Computer Graphics
11.0804Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation
11.0899Computer Software and Media Applications, Other
11.0901Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
11.1001Network and System Administration/Administrator
11.1002System, Networking, and LAN/WAN Management/Manager
11.1003Computer and Information Systems Security/Information Assurance
11.1004Web/Multimedia Management and Webmaster
11.1005Information Technology Project Management
11.1006Computer Support Specialist
11.1099Computer/Information Technology Services Administration and Management, Other
13.0501Educational/Instructional Technology
13.0601Educational Evaluation and Research
13.0603Educational Statistics and Research Methods
14.XXXXEngineering
15.0000Engineering Technology, General
15.0101Architectural Engineering Technology/Technician
15.0201Civil Engineering Technology/Technician
15.0303Electrical, Electronic and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician
15.0304Laser and Optical Technology/Technician
15.0305Telecommunications Technology/Technician
15.0306Integrated Circuit Design
15.0399Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other
15.0401Biomedical Technology/Technician
15.0403Electromechanical Technology/Electromechanical Engineering Technology
15.0404Instrumentation Technology/Technician
15.0405Robotics Technology/Technician
15.0406Automation Engineer Technology/Technician
15.0499Electromechanical and Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians, Other
15.0501Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering Technology/Technician
15.1701Energy Systems Technology/Technician
15.1703Solar Energy Technology/Technician
15.0506Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment Management and Recycling Technology/Technician
15.0507Environmental Engineering Technology/Environmental Technology
15.0508Hazardous Materials Management and Waste Technology/Technician
15.0599Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians, Other
15.0607Plastics and Polymer Engineering Technology/Technician
15.0611Metallurgical Technology/Technician
15.0612Industrial Technology/Technician
15.0613Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Technician
15.0614Welding Engineering Technology/Technician
15.0615Chemical Engineering Technology/Technician
15.0616Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology
15.0699Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians, Other
15.0701Occupational Safety and Health Technology/Technician
15.0702Quality Control Technology/Technician
15.0703Industrial Safety Technology/Technician
15.0704Hazardous Materials Information Systems Technology/Technician
15.0799Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians, Other
15.0801Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering Technology/Technician
15.0803Automotive Engineering Technology/Technician
15.0805Mechanical Engineering/Mechanical Technology/Technician
15.0899Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians, Other
15.0901Mining Technology/Technician
15.0903Petroleum Technology/Technician
15.0999Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians, Other
15.1001Construction Engineering Technology/Technician
15.1102Surveying Technology/Surveying
15.1103Hydraulics and Fluid Power Technology/Technician
15.1199Engineering-Related Technologies, Other
15.1201Computer Engineering Technology/Technician
15.1202Computer Technology/Computer Systems Technology
15.1203Computer Hardware Technology/Technician
15.1204Computer Software Technology/Technician
15.1299Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other
15.1301Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General
15.1302CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician
15.1303Architectural Drafting and Architectural CAD/CADD
15.1304Civil Drafting and Civil Engineering CAD/CADD
15.1305Electrical/Electronics Drafting and Electrical/Electronics CAD/CADD
15.1306Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting CAD/CADD
15.1399Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other
15.1401Nuclear Engineering Technology/Technician
15.1501Engineering/Industrial Management
15.1502Engineering Design
15.1503Packaging Science
15.1599Engineering-Related Fields, Other
15.1601Nanotechnology
15.9999Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields, Other
26.XXXXBiological and Biomedical Sciences
27.XXXXMathematics and Statistics
28.0501Air Science/Airpower Studies
28.0502Air and Space Operational Art and Science
28.0505Naval Science and Operational Studies
29.0201Intelligence, General
29.0202Strategic Intelligence
29.0203Signal/Geospatial Intelligence
29.0204Command & Control (C3, C4I) Systems and Operations
29.0205Information Operations/Joint Information Operations
29.0206Information/Psychological Warfare and Military Media Relations
29.0207Cyber/Electronic Operations and Warfare
29.0299Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations, Other
29.0301Combat Systems Engineering
29.0302Directed Energy Systems
29.0303Engineering Acoustics
29.0304Low-Observables and Stealth Technology
29.0305Space Systems Operations
29.0306Operational Oceanography
29.0307Undersea Warfare
29.0399Military Applied Sciences, Other
29.0401Aerospace Ground Equipment Technology
29.0402Air and Space Operations Technology
29.0403Aircraft Armament Systems Technology
29.0404Explosive Ordinance/Bomb Disposal
29.0405Joint Command/Task Force (C3, C4I) Systems
29.0406Military Information Systems Technology
29.0407Missile and Space Systems Technology
29.0408Munitions Systems/Ordinance Technology
29.0409Radar Communications and Systems Technology
29.0499Military Systems and Maintenance Technology, Other
29.9999Military Technologies and Applied Sciences, Other
30.0101Biological and Physical Sciences
30.0601Systems Science and Theory
30.0801Mathematics and Computer Science
30.1001Biopsychology
30.1701Behavioral Sciences
30.1801Natural Sciences
30.1901Nutrition Sciences
30.2501Cognitive Science
30.2701Human Biology
30.3001Computational Science
30.3101Human Computer Interaction
30.3201Marine Sciences
30.3301Sustainability Studies
40.XXXXPhysical Sciences
41.0000Science Technologies/Technicians, General
41.0101Biology Technician/Biotechnology Laboratory Technician
41.0204Industrial Radiologic Technology/Technician
41.0205Nuclear/Nuclear Power Technology/Technician
41.0299Nuclear and Industrial Radiologic Technologies/Technicians, Other
41.0301Chemical Technology/Technician
41.0303Chemical Process Technology
41.0399Physical Science Technologies/Technicians, Other
41.9999Science Technologies/Technicians, Other
42.2701Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics
42.2702Comparative Psychology
42.2703Developmental and Child Psychology
42.2704Experimental Psychology
42.2705Personality Psychology
42.2706Physiological Psychology/Psychobiology
42.2707Social Psychology
42.2708Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology
42.2709Psychopharmacology
42.2799Research and Experimental Psychology, Other
43.0406Forensic Science and Technology
43.0403Cyber/Computer Forensics and Counterterrorism
45.0301Archeology
45.0603Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
45.0702Geographic Information Science and Cartography
49.0101Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General
51.1002Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist
51.1005Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist
51.1401Medical Scientist
51.2003Pharmaceutics and Drug Design
51.2004Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry
51.2005Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy
51.2006Clinical and Industrial Drug Development
51.2007Pharmacoeconomics/Pharmaceutical Economics
51.2009Industrial and Physical Pharmacy and Cosmetic Sciences
51.2010Pharmaceutical Sciences
51.2202Environmental Health
51.2205Health/Medical Physics
01.8105Veterinary Anatomy
01.8109Veterinary Physiology
01.8107Veterinary Microbiology and Immunobiology
01.8108Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology
01.8011Veterinary Toxicology and Pharmacology
01.8110Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, and Public Health
01.8106Veterinary Infectious Diseases
51.2706Medical Informatics
52.1301Management Science
52.1302Business Statistics
52.1304Actuarial Science
52.1399Management Science and Quantitative Methods, Other
Table 1. Changes in original STEM eligible CIP codes @sevissavvy.com

CIP code update 2020

According to the Study in the States, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) at the Department of Education (ED) officially revises its list of programs of study in every ten years. This year, there are several updates as you saw above and new CIP codes have been added as well. Among 496 new CIP codes in the NCES 2020 CIP, 17 of these are qualified for the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program list. Pasted below are new STEM CIP codes that can be found in CIP conversion 2020 page.

Update: The updated DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List was released on February 1, 2021. International students can check this official CIP code list to confirm their STEM OPT eligibility.

CIP CodeTitle
14.0103Applied Engineering
14.0202Astronautical Engineering
14.0299Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, Other
14.4700Electrical and Computer Engineering
14.4701Electrical and Computer Engineering
14.4800Energy Systems Engineering
14.4801Energy Systems Engineering, General
14.4802Power Plant Engineering
14.4899Energy Systems Engineering, Other
26.0509Infectious Disease and Global Health
26.0913Biomechanics
26.1311Epidemiology and Biostatistics
27.0600Applied Statistics
27.0601Applied Statistics, General
40.0512Cheminformatics/Chemistry Informatics
40.1100Physics and Astronomy
40.1101Physics and Astronomy
Table 2. New STEM eligible CIP codes from Study in the States

All the STEM OPT information and updates that STEM OPT applicants should be aware of for successful STEM OPT filing can be found on the STEM OPT page. To learn COVID impacted F-1 visa information and OPT regulations, click the F-1 visa info page and OPT page respectively.

One thing that Chinese students should be mindful of is that graduate Chinese students who study in the Military civil fusion technology field cannot receive a student visa. For details, click the related blog post below:

Related blog post: Chinese students and researchers visa ban by Trump

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