I’d like to know if a bachelor’s degree is strictly required to apply for H-1B.
I came to study abroad through a dual-degree program, spending 2 years at a Korean university and 2 years at a U.S. university to earn degrees from both.
I’m currently working on OPT, but I still need to go back to Korea to complete my final semester before finishing my degree.
In this situation, I’d like to apply for H-1B — I’d like to know if a bachelor’s degree is strictly required. If not, can I substitute 5 years of relevant experience to be treated as equivalent to a bachelor’s degree?
Yes, a bachelor’s degree is required without exception. There is a path to argue equivalency through 5 years of documented experience, but in practice, this often isn’t well accepted. If your work was very precisely in the same field, and you can document that experience thoroughly through various means, it may be worth exploring whether your experience could be recognized as equivalent to a bachelor’s degree.