Students Visa USA
The United States is the most popular destination for international students. It has a long history of welcoming foreign students and offers some of the best universities in the world. The US Student Visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows foreign nationals to pursue academic studies, language training programs or other types of vocational or technical training.
The challanges that comes with student visa is generally the interview process. In this post, we will tell everything that you need to know about for applying a study visa and the tips for the interview.
What is a US Student Visa?
A (F or M) Student Visa is required for foreign nationals to study in the United States. Foreign nationals will not be able to study in the US if they have entered through the visitor (B) visa or through the VWP (Visa Waiver Program). You can however undertake recreational studies on a tourist visa.
Types of Student Visas in the United States
The F1 visa is issued to international students for academic studies. It is issued to students attending a regular academic or an English language program.
It is the most common of all the USA student visas.
- F1 student visa holders are required to maintain their full-time student status and are allowed to work part-time to a maximum of 20-hours per week.
- International students holding an F1 visa are required to complete their course before the expiration of their I-20 form (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status).
A J1 Visa is issued to international students who require to obtain practical training that is unavailable in their home country for completion of their academic program.
- This student visa allows part-time employment limited to 20-hours per week. However, international students need to obtain permission from the exchange visitor program sponsor for employment.
An M1 visa is issued to international students attending a vocational or a non-academic school in the United States.
M1 student visa holders cannot work during the course of their studies.
- Also, students applying for an M1 visa need to provide proof of funds which can cover their cost of studies and living expenses during the course of their stay.
Annual Intakes
There are three intakes available in US universities.
This is a popular intake among Indian students. It starts in the month of September.
This intake starts in January. This intake is ideal if you have missed the September intake.
This intake starts in January. This intake is ideal if you have missed the September intake.
Top 10 Universities in the US (SEVP Approved)
|
Rank |
Name of the University |
| 1 | Stanford University |
| 2 | Princeton University |
| 3 | University of California, Berkeley |
| 4 | Carnegie Mellon University |
| 5 | New York University |
| 6 | Harvard University |
| 7 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| 8 | Columbia University |
| 9 | University of California, Los Angeles |
| 10 | University of Michigan |
Eligibility to Apply to US Universities for Studies
Here are the eligibility criteria you need to meet to apply to US universities:
- Have a completed application form
- Proof of Secondary School completion (12 years)
- Certificate of English language proficiency (IELTS or TOEFL)
- Evidence of financial support (with the I-20 form)
Documents Required for US Students Visas
You would generally need to provide the following documents along with your application for a student visa:
- Requisite application form duly filled and signed
- I-20 showing that you are enrolled in a US universities
- Valid passport for at least 6 months beyond the period of stay
- Recent passport size photographs
- Receipt of payment of visa processing fees
- Confirmation page of DS-160
- Documents to show you are a bonafide student
- Payment of application fee for SEVIS
- Documents to show sponsorship
- Documents to show availability of funds
How to Apply for a US Student Visa?
After determining which type of US student visa you need to apply, you can begin with your US Student Visa application.
Irrespective of which category of student visa you apply for, you will need to undergo the following steps:
An international student needs to be enrolled in a US school before they can apply for a student visa. However, your school needs to be accredited by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) of the Government of the United States.
- Accreditation is critical to ensure that your diploma or degree is recognised by other colleges and universities, professional associations, government institutions and ministries and employers all over the world.
- You will be required to apply to each individual institution or university as the United States does not have a centralised university application system like many other countries.
- This means you will need to fulfil the admission requirements of each institution, which will include providing proof of funds.
- Only institutions approved by SEVP can accept and enrol international students. Once you have been accepted by an institution, you will be enrolled in the SEVIS system and issued a Form I-20 or a Form DS-2020.
- Students who are eligible for an F1 or M1 international student visa are issued a Form I-20, and international students eligible for a J1 student visa are issued a DS-2020
Once you have made your SEVIS-fee payment, you are required to fill the online application DS-160 form. It is advised that you fill this online application form at least 3-4 months before the commencement of your course.
While filling the online DS-160 form, you need to ensure that you have all proper documentation for the details you are filling in your application.
You will be required to provide the following personal details while filling our online application DS-160 form.
- Your Full Name
- Date of Birth
- Details of your Passport.
- Details of your previous visits to the United States, if any.
- Details about your travel plans and travel companions, if any.
- Your point of contact in the United States.
- Details about your family, including their names, occupations and other personal information.
- Your education details.
- Details about your previous work experience, if any.
- Your SEVIS ID
- Address of the school/program/college/university you intend to enrol as mentioned in your I-20 or DS-2020 form.
Kindly ensure that you fill all the details correctly without any mistakes.
Also, ensure you have valid documentary proof for all details you have filled and mentioned in your application form as any discrepancy can lead to rejection of your student visa applicatio
The last step towards earning your US student visa is attending your interview. You should be able to answer questions asked during the interview.
Most questions are designed to check whether:
- Your primary purpose of going to the United States is to study.
- You have the required skills to complete and pass your course.
- You can pay your expenses in the United States.
- You intend to return back to the home country post completion of your studies.
- You do not pose a security risk to the United States.
You should ensure that you carry valid documentation which will help to validate and support your answer. The chances of student visa rejection drastically fall when you can satisfy your interviewer with your answers and relevant documentary evidenc
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