How a Hybrid Professional Ph.D. Helped Me Stay, Work, and Grow in the U.S

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1

Hey everyone,
I’m sharing my friend’s story, who found a smart way to extend his stay in the U.S., continue working, and earn a Ph.D.—all while staying on F1 visa.

Rahul came to the U.S. in 2020 for his Master’s. After OPT started, he didn’t want to gamble every year on the H1B lottery. Instead of doing another Master’s, he found a Hybrid Professional Ph.D. Program.

:student: What’s a Hybrid Ph.D.?

It’s a mix of:

  • :laptop: Online learning – Zoom classes, assignments, and projects
  • :school: Mandatory on-campus sessions – 3–5 days per semester
  • :briefcase: Day 1 CPT – He kept working full-time from day one!

Because he attended in-person classes, he maintained F1 visa status legally.

:books: What’s the Ph.D. Experience Like?

  • 1–2 live classes/week + recorded lectures
  • Weekly assignments, discussions, group work
  • A real research project + dissertation (100–200 pages)
  • Final defense in front of faculty (online or in person)

Rahul’s program was in Data Science. But there are many options:

  • Business, IT, Cybersecurity, Education, Psychology, etc.

:school: Universities That Offer Hybrid Ph.D. with CPT:

  • Westcliff University (CA)
  • Harrisburg University
  • National Louis University (IL)
  • Monroe College (NY)

All are SEVP-approved and offer Day 1 CPT.

:airplane: Tips from Rahul:

  • Book flights early for on-campus visits
  • Share Airbnbs with classmates (Desi groups help!)
  • Never skip campus sessions – it can break your F1 status
  • Talk to real students before you apply

:white_check_mark: Final Take

Rahul is now in his final year. He’s still working, published 2 papers, and even got promoted. This route helped him stay legally, grow his career, and avoid second Master’s stress.

Hope this helps someone here exploring long-term options after OPT.
Feel free to tag Jyoti or ask questions – happy to connect you with Rahul directly!

2

Wow, this is super helpful—thanks for sharing!

I’ve been stressing about what to do after OPT ends, and honestly didn’t know hybrid Ph.D. programs like this were even an option. The fact that Rahul could keep working full-time while staying in status and actually earn a legit degree? That’s a game-changer.

Really appreciate the detailed breakdown too. I’ll definitely look into these schools and maybe reach out—especially if it helps avoid another expensive master’s just to stay.

If Rahul’s open to chatting, I’d love to connect!

3

Hello, do you have any ideas about what’s the difference between DBA and Professional PHD?

4

A Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) and a PhD in Business Administration are both doctoral-level degrees, but they differ in focus and career goals. The DBA is practice-oriented, designed for professionals who want to apply research to solve real-world business challenges, while the PhD is research-oriented, aimed at those seeking to advance theoretical knowledge and pursue academic or scholarly careers.

5

What question do you have, I’ll pass it my friend he can use to answer you.

6

Awesome, can’t believe he actually published two papers while working, amazing!

7

The Westcliff PhD program is what I was considering, but I heard a lot of people saying this program is very research-intensive compared with the master-level program and it’s very time consuming to complete classes and assignments and homeworks. Just wanted to know what your friends’ experience was.