The International Playbook
The Playbook

For international students in the US

Build a US career from day one.

Free, practical and verified resources for international students, from freshman year through your first offer. Real company names, real links and real templates. No gatekeeping.

Get the free H-1B sponsor guide Explore all resources

Resources last checked October 2026.

Start where you are

FreshmanExplore and build relationships SophomoreGet real experience JuniorLand the internship SeniorOffer or grad school Grad studentStart in week one

Our mission

To give every international student in the US the roadmap, resources and unwritten rules to build a career here, freely and accurately, from their first semester to their first offer.

Free resources

Everything from our videos, in one place

Tap any card to open the full list. Every resource is sourced and dated, because visa and funding rules change often.

Free tools to check if an employer sponsors

OpenClose

Public data on who filed H-1Bs, what they paid, and whether a job qualifies for STEM OPT.

JUNIORSENIORGRAD
USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub (official)Which employers filed H-1B petitions, with approvals and denials. Search by company, location and year.
uscis.gov H-1B Employer Data Hub
MyVisaJobsFree sponsorship data by employer, industry and job title. Good for building a target list.
myvisajobs.com
H-1B Salary DatabaseWhat a company paid in its H-1B filings for your job title and city. Useful before you negotiate.
h1bdata.info
Department of Labor Wage Search (official)Official wage levels for each job and area. The H-1B lottery now gives higher wage levels more entries.
flag.dol.gov wage search
E-Verify Employer Search (official)The 24-month STEM OPT extension requires an employer enrolled in E-Verify. Check before you accept a STEM job.
e-verify.gov employer search
STEM OPT Hub (official)The rules for the 24-month STEM OPT extension and the list of qualifying degrees.
studyinthestates.dhs.gov

Handshake tip: under Work Authorization, filter for "Will sponsor or doesn't require US work visa" and "Accepts OPT/CPT". Past sponsorship is not a promise, so always check the job posting.

Employers that skip the H-1B lottery

OpenClose

Universities, many university hospitals and research institutes are "cap-exempt" and can sponsor any time of year.

SENIORGRAD

Who is cap-exempt

  1. Universities and colleges
  2. Nonprofits affiliated with a university, including many university hospitals and medical centers
  3. Nonprofit research organizations
  4. Government research organizations, like NIH and national labs

You don't have to be a professor. These employers also sponsor data analysts, engineers, IT, finance, communications and program managers.

Top cap-exempt H-1B filers (last 3 years of Department of Labor filings, via MyVisaJobs)

Universities: University of Michigan (672), Stanford (560), Washington University in St. Louis (547), Johns Hopkins (522), University of Pennsylvania (481), Columbia (450), Emory (431), University of Florida (393), Purdue (374), Yale (358), University of Iowa (354), University of Chicago (348), Northwestern (336), Texas A&M (325), Ohio State (317), UC San Diego (316), Harvard (309), Princeton (307)

Hospitals and medical centers: Mayo Clinic Rochester (586), University of Pittsburgh Physicians (414), UC San Francisco (374), St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (373), University of Minnesota Physicians (332), UT MD Anderson Cancer Center (307)

Research organizations: National Institutes of Health, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Know this before you apply

  • You still need a job offer, and the employer still pays the required wage.
  • If you later move to an employer that is not cap-exempt, you will usually have to go through the lottery then, unless you were already counted in a past lottery.
  • Time on a cap-exempt H-1B counts toward the 6-year H-1B limit.
  • Ask HR: "Is this position cap-exempt for H-1B?" Some employers are only exempt for certain roles.

More employers: MyVisaJobs cap-exempt list. Not legal advice: confirm with the employer and your DSO.

H-1B sponsors outside tech

OpenClose

Real 2025 sponsors for teachers, environmental, food science, urban planning and landscape architecture.

JUNIORSENIORGRAD

From 2025 Department of Labor filings (via MyVisaJobs). Numbers are H-1B filings for that exact job title, so they undercount.

TeachersPortsmouth City Public Schools, VA (35), Wayne County Public Schools, NC (29), Nash County Public Schools, NC (24), Vance County Schools, NC (19), Los Angeles Unified (17), plus placement agencies such as Knowledge Resources Group (38). You usually need a state teaching license. Never pay an agency a recruitment fee.
Environmental engineering and scienceCarollo Engineers (12), Langan (6), WSP, Stantec, Arcadis, Haley & Aldrich, TRC, Washington State Department of Ecology (5), Caltrans (3). National labs can be lottery-exempt.
Food scienceGriffith Foods, Schwan's, Niagara Bottling, Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds, Plumrose USA, Fiberstar, Climax Foods, North Dakota State University. Large food companies often file under "Scientist" or "R&D Scientist".
Urban planningRKG Associates, Houseal Lavigne, Stantec, Civilitude, Modern Land Seattle, Lionheart Places, Link Lab. Also search "Planner" and "Urban Designer".
Landscape architectureSasaki Associates (5), EDSA (3), SCAPE (3), Prime AE Group, Anderson Krygier, Field Operations, HOK, Kimley-Horn, Stantec, Raymond Jungles. Also search "Landscape Designer".
Every fieldUniversities are exempt from the H-1B lottery and sponsor in every field, at any time of year.

Look up your own field in 30 seconds

  1. Go to myvisajobs.com/reports/h1b/job-title/
  2. Add your job title at the end of the address, lowercase with dashes. Example: myvisajobs.com/reports/h1b/job-title/urban-planner/
  3. Try two or three versions of the title. Each one only counts exact matches.
  4. List the firms and apply to them directly.

Scholarships for graduating seniors

OpenClose

Grad school funding that doesn't require a US passport, with what each pays and who can apply.

SENIORJUNIOR
Yenching Academy (Peking University)Fully funded master's in China Studies: tuition, housing, stipend, one round-trip flight. Non-Chinese citizens, any major, bachelor's by Aug 2027. Deadline Nov 30, 2026.
yenchingacademy.pku.edu.cn
Gates CambridgeFull cost of a master's or PhD at Cambridge. Citizens of any country except the UK. Deadline Dec 8, 2026 or Jan 6, 2027 depending on the course.
gatescambridge.org
P.E.O. International Peace ScholarshipUp to $12,500 a year, based on need, for grad study in the US or Canada. Women from outside the US and Canada; you don't need to be enrolled yet; you must plan to return home after your degree. Eligibility form Sept 15 to Dec 15, 2026.
peointernational.org
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (Europe)Fully funded master's across two or more European countries. Any nationality; final-year students can apply. Deadlines set by each program, mostly Oct to Jan.
Erasmus Mundus catalogue
DAAD Study Scholarships (Germany)Funding for a master's in Germany in any field. Rules and deadlines depend on your country.
DAAD scholarship database
Rhodes Scholarship (Oxford)Fully funded graduate study at Oxford. You apply through a country constituency, usually your home country; the Global route is suspended. Deadlines differ by country.
rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk

Knight-Hennessy (Stanford) is open to all nationalities, but its 2026 deadline passed on Oct 6. Juniors: plan for next year's cycle. Also ask every grad program about paid teaching and research assistantships.

Scholarships you can still win after you enroll

OpenClose

Many university "international scholarships" are for new students only. Here's where enrolled students still find money.

FRESHMANSOPHOMOREJUNIOR
  1. Your school's scholarship portal. Awards for current students, often open Dec to Mar. Search "[your school] scholarship portal" and filter for no citizenship requirement.
  2. Your international office. Many run their own scholarships and emergency funds for continuing international students.
  3. Your department. Major-specific awards, often less competitive. Email the department office.
  4. Society of Women Engineers. For women in ABET-accredited engineering and computer science programs, sophomore year and up. Opens Dec 1, 2026. Check the FAQ for international eligibility. swe.org/scholarships
  5. Databases for international students. IEFA, IIE Funding for U.S. Study, Bold.org
  6. Your home country. Government and foundation scholarships for citizens studying abroad.

Many big US scholarships require US citizenship or permanent residency, so read the eligibility line first. Never pay a fee to apply for a scholarship.

Free career tools your tuition already pays for

OpenClose

AI resume feedback, mock interviews, free courses and job simulations, most of them free through your school.

FRESHMANSOPHOMOREJUNIORSENIOR
HandshakeYour school's job board. Use the Work Authorization filters.
VMockInstant AI feedback on your resume. Search "[your school] VMock".
Big InterviewPractice interviews on video, free through many schools.
LinkedIn LearningThousands of courses, often free through your library or tech fee.
GoinGlobal and InterstrideBuilt for international students, with visa sponsorship data. Ask your career center which one your school has.
Forage (free for everyone)Free job simulations from companies like Bank of America, BCG, Goldman Sachs and PwC. theforage.com
GitHub Student Developer PackFree developer tools for verified students. education.github.com/pack
Your career centerFree resume reviews, mock interviews, career fairs, alumni networks, and at many schools a career closet with free interview clothes.

Networking templates for alumni on LinkedIn

OpenClose

Who to message, copy-paste templates, and the five questions to ask in a 15-minute coffee chat.

FRESHMANSOPHOMOREJUNIORSENIORGRAD

Find people who will reply

  1. Open your school's page on LinkedIn and go to the Alumni tab.
  2. Filter by where they work and what they studied.
  3. Type your home country in the search bar to find alumni who made the same journey.
  4. List 10 people and message 2 a week.
Connection note (under 200 characters)

Hi [Name], I'm a [year] [major] student at [School]. I'd love to learn how you got into [field] at [Company]. Would you be open to connecting?

If you share a home country

Hi [Name], I'm an international student from [country] studying [major] at [School]. Your path to [Company] inspires me. Would you be open to connecting?

Ask for a coffee chat (after they accept)

Thank you for connecting, [Name]! I'm exploring careers in [field] and would really value your perspective. Would you have 15 minutes for a quick call in the next couple of weeks? Happy to work around your schedule.

Follow up once (after about a week)

Hi [Name], just following up on my note. I know you're busy, so no worries if now isn't a good time. Thank you!

Thank you (within 24 hours)

Thank you so much for your time today, [Name]. Your advice about [specific thing] really helped, and I'm going to [next step]. I'll keep you posted!

5 questions to ask

  1. What does a typical week look like in your role?
  2. What do you wish you had known as a [year]?
  3. What skills or experiences helped you most to get hired?
  4. How did you find your first role?
  5. Who else would you recommend I talk to?

Unwritten rules

  • Ask for advice, not a job or a referral.
  • Don't open with your visa status.
  • Keep it to 15 minutes and end on time.
  • Follow up once, then let it go.
  • Send an update a few months later.

Top 20 H-1B sponsors in 2025

OpenClose

The 20 companies with the most H-1B filings, with their industry. The full 87 are in the free guide.

JUNIORSENIORGRAD
#CompanyIndustry2025 filings
1AmazonTech and software22,907
2CognizantIT services11,091
3EY (Ernst & Young)Accounting and consulting9,565
4MicrosoftTech and software9,275
5GoogleTech and software8,798
6Tata Consultancy ServicesIT services7,792
7AppleTech and software7,004
8DeloitteAccounting and consulting6,666
9MetaTech and software6,625
10InfosysIT services5,756
11WalmartRetail4,020
12JPMorgan ChaseBanking3,516
13HCL AmericaIT services2,892
14AccentureAccounting and consulting2,865
15IntelChips and hardware2,797
16TeslaCars and industrial2,698
17CapgeminiIT services2,678
18LTIMindtreeIT services2,644
19IBMTech and software2,613
20WiproIT services2,186

Certified H-1B labor filings, Oct 2024 to Sep 2025 (US Department of Labor, via MyVisaJobs). Filings include renewals, so they overstate new hires. Past sponsorship is not a promise.

The roadmap

Know it before you need it

Most senior-year struggles come from things nobody explained in freshman year. Here's what to focus on at each stage.

Freshman

Explore and protect your status

  • Learn your F-1 basics: full course load, on-campus work limits and a valid I-20.
  • Check whether your major is STEM-designated. It changes how long you can work after graduation.
  • Get one on-campus role: a job, research or club leadership.
  • Build five relationships by May: a professor, an advisor, an upperclassman, a career advisor and your international student advisor.

Sophomore

Turn exploring into experience

  • Learn how CPT works at your school before you need it.
  • Get real experience: research, leadership or a project with results.
  • Start coffee chats with alumni, one or two a month.
  • Learn your industry's recruiting calendar. Finance and consulting recruit earliest.

Junior

Land the internship

  • The junior internship often becomes the full-time offer. Finish CPT paperwork before day one.
  • Build a target list of employers that sponsor, including lottery-exempt ones.
  • Prepare an honest answer to "Will you require sponsorship?"
  • Decide on grad school: now, later or never.

Senior

Offer or grad school

  • Lock in a full-time offer, a grad program or a fellowship.
  • Plan your OPT application timing with your international student advisor.
  • Understand the H-1B lottery: a US master's adds extra reserved slots, and wage level now matters.
  • Thank your network and ask for recommendation letters before you graduate.

Grad student

A short timeline, so start in week one

  • You may have only one or two recruiting seasons. Meet your career center in month one.
  • Ask about paid teaching and research assistantships.
  • Find alumni from your home country at your target companies.
  • Remember that universities can sponsor any time of year, outside the lottery.

About The Playbook

The playbook nobody hands you

Mission

To give every international student in the US the roadmap, resources and unwritten rules to build a career here, freely and accurately, from their first semester to their first offer.

Vision

A future where every international student starts their US career with the same knowledge, network and confidence as anyone else.

The Playbook is created by Jeddy. Follow along on Instagram at @jeddyngarah for new resources every week.

Real resources, no gatekeeping

Actual company names, links and templates, free.

Accuracy first

Every resource is sourced and dated, because immigration and funding rules change.

Start early

Freshman year is the best time to start building a career.

Every major, every year

STEM and non-STEM, freshman to grad student.

Contact

Ask a question or invite us to your campus

The fastest way to reach The Playbook is a direct message on Instagram. We also offer free workshops for international student offices and student organizations.

Message us on Instagram
Students: send your question, and it may become our next video.
Universities and student organizations: ask about a free workshop.