According to my lawyer dependent visa can be changed into F-1. Could you also please verify it and share the info here ? My free advice: If your friend is (or will be) in the US on F-2 dependent visa, why should she try to go to F-1? Waste of resources (time [2-3 months for admission procedure, 2-3 months for changing status] and money [application processs, tuition fee to maintain status]). If she spends time wisely preparing for NCLEX-RN and TOEFL (anyway, TOEFL is required for college admission too) or IELTS and gets hold of VisaScreen certificate within 6-9 months of arriving in the US, I wouldn't even think of F1 [twice the trouble to maintain separate status for both husband and wife). I hope this retrogration (at least for the Healthcare professionals) will be over by that time. If she is still in Nepal, she can start the state board of nursing licensure by examination application process and cgfns visascreen process from Nepal while waiting to get visa to US. Honestly, F2 is the best way to the path of RN. If someone wants to pursue higher degrees, RN to BSN online programs are available from many accredited colleges after getting through green card procedure. Well, I have multiple family members and friends taking separate paths (Start to finish within US as F2 and H4; NCLEX-RN and VisaScreen completed from Nepal and came to US; F1 finished degree/licensure; Frustrated F1 converted to F2; B2 - started the process from Nepal completing licensure). I need to see my transcript what degree I finished.