The student was detained in Houston on arrival from Buenos Aires aboard a Continental Airlines flight, US officials said.
Howard McFarland Fish, 21, was charged with carrying an explosive aboard an aircraft and was being held without bail.
A federal court hearing is due to be heard on Monday.
A statement from the US Attorney's Office in Houston says he could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
US bound plane diverted
A security scare on board an American Airlines flight from Manchester to Chicago has caused the plane to be diverted.
The FBI said AA flight 55 landed in Bangor, Maine at 1257 local time after the authorities learned of a "reported threat" to the aircraft.
American Airlines said 167 passengers and 12 crew members were on board and all passengers would be interviewed and the plane would be searched.
The FBI said the decision to land the Boeing 767-300 in Maine was made by the pilot.
The US Transportation Security Administration described the decision as prudent action to assure the safety of the passengers and crew.
The incident was the third time a flight from the UK had been diverted since British police revealed an alleged plot to use liquid explosives to blow up US bound flights.
An Excel Airways plane from Gatwick to Hurghada in Egypt was diverted to Brindisi in Italy after a note was found saying a bomb was on board.
A United Airlines' flight from London's Heathrow to Washington DC landed in Boston after concern over the behaviour of a female passenger.
Bomb scare in Ireland
Irish police have questioned 239 passengers after a security alert on an Aer Lingus flight from New York to Ireland’s Shannon airport.
Police received an emergency phone call about some potential explosives on board but the Airbus A-330 landed normally.
All the passengers were taken off and have been interviewed by police in the terminal building.
A senior Aer Lingus official says the caller had mentioned a liquid explosive on board and indicated he was a member of al-Qaeda.
Officials say the man had a strong Dublin accent.
India summons Dutch diplomat
A government minister says the Dutch ambassador to India has expressed regret for the arrest of 12 passengers whose behaviour diverted a plane to Amsterdam.
The men were arrested on Wednesday from a US Northwest Airlines flight after they apparently behaved suspiciously.
The 12 men, all Muslims, have since been cleared of any wrongdoing.
Their families said they were victims of racial discrimination.
The Indian government said it was upset and conveyed its views to the Dutch ambassador who was summoned to the foreign ministry.
"It's an incident which is not only unfortunate, it should have never happened," said India’s junior foreign minister Anand Sharma.
Dutch authorities have confirmed that they had no evidence to suggest that the men were planning a terrorist attack.
12th person denied bail
The 12th person charged in Britain over a suspected plot to blow up US-bound airliners has been remanded in custody at his first appearance in a London court.
Umair Hussain is charged with failing to disclose information which could help prevent an act of terrorism and was remanded until September 1.
His lawyer Timur Rustem says he is surprised by the charge which relates to disclosing information about Hussain's younger brother Nabeel.
British media have reported that Nabeel is one of eight people still being questioned by police over the plot and has not been charged with any offence.
On Monday, prosecutors charged eight British Muslims with conspiracy to murder and preparing acts of terrorism.
They were accused of plotting to smuggle explosives components on to planes which could then be combined and detonated.
Three other people have been charged with terrorism related offences over the plot and eight others are still being questioned.
Britain sued over security upgrade
Ryanair says it plans to sue the British government for lost earnings caused by extra security measures imposed after an alleged translatlantic plot was foiled.
The airline had issued the government a 7 day ultimatum to restore normal airport security measures or risk legal action.
Ryanair is Europe’s biggest low cost airline and has been one of the most vocal critics of the new security measures.
At the expiry of the deadline, Ryanair submitted a claim for compensation to the UK Department for Transport.
"The value of the claim is just over 3 million pounds (A$7.5m)," Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said in a statement.
"(It) reflects Ryanair's losses from cancellations and lost bookings over the week of 10-16 August only," he said.
Mr O'Leary added the airline would donate all proceeds to charity if the claim were successful.