Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Updates STEM Designated Degree Program List to Include 22 New CIP Codes

On January 21, 2022, the Secretary of Homeland Security published a notice in the Federal Register that amended the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program by adding twenty-two (22) qualifying fields of study and corresponding Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes. This list is used to determine which fields of study in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics qualify as STEM degrees for students on F-1 visas, thereby allowing them to take advantage of an additional 24 months of post-graduate employment authorization reserved for students with designated STEM degrees.

Notable additions to the STEM designated degree program include Data Science, General; Data Analytics, General; Financial Analytics; and Business Analytics. Please refer to the Federal Register for a complete list of the added CIP codes and field descriptions.