The Build Fellowship provides higher education institutions in the U.S. with access to the brightest minds from across the globe.
International student departments work with The Build Fellowship to educate students about this option post-graduation.
For international students finishing Optional Practical Training (OPT) post-graduation, the H-1B work visa is the most common next step to work in the U.S. The annual H-1B lottery selects 85,000 registrants at random, often restricting promising founders and highly-skilled talent.
Congress deemed four types of organizations exempt, or cap-exempt, from the annual H-1B lottery system:
- Nonprofit research institutions
- Government research institutions
- Universities
- Nonprofit organizations affiliated with universities
Build Fellows are offered part-time employment at nonprofit organizations affiliated with universities and are in-turn sponsored for cap-exempt H-1B visas. While in part-time employment with a cap-exempt nonprofit, any U.S. employer can then file a concurrent cap-exempt H-1B for a Build Fellow, enabling them to stay and work in the United States.
