How To Apply For A Student Visa In The U.S.

How To Apply For A USA Student Visa

Applying for a USA student visa can be complicated if you are not familiar with the process. – Students from all walks of life wanting to have their studies in any of the Universities in the U.S. would have to possess a student visa to study in America.

Students who apply for a U.S. student visa are mostly issued an F1 visa. In this post, you would be taken through the ranks and files of the processes involved in the visa application process.

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How To Apply For A USA Student Visa

Below are steps to follow to apply for a USA student visa (F1 visa)

Be Accepted at a SEVP Approved School

Applicants of the USAF1  students visa are advised to apply to and be accepted by a school approved by the SEVP.

Pay your SEVIS Fee and Receive your I-20

Applicants are required to pay the SEVIS 1-901 fee to be enrolled in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System after they have been accepted by the scheme. After applicants have successfully paid for SEVIS 1-901, the applicant’s school will then provide the applicant with forms 1-20 which will be part of the documents presented by the applicant to the consular officer during the scheduled interview.

Complete the Visa Application

Applicants are required to complete the application process via the online visa application available, which allows applicants to finish and print the form DS-160 to take to their F1 visa interview.

Schedule and Prepare for your Interview

Applicants are given the nod to schedule their interview at their preferred time and date with the U.S. embassy or consulate. Applicants are to note that interview appointments vary by location, season, and visa category so that visa application can be easily done. F1 visa can be issued up to 120 days in advance of the applicant’s course of study start date. Meanwhile, applicants will have F1 Visa 30 days before their start date before entering the U.S.

Documents Required For  a USA Student Visa Application

Applicants are to provide the following documents in the F1 visa interview;

  • A valid passport
  • The Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160
  • A passport photo
  • A certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F1) Student Status (Form 1-20)

That notwithstanding, applicants may be required to prove their eligibility for the F1 student visa, including academic transcripts, diplomas, degrees, or certificates.

Not that alone, TOEFL, SAT, or GMAT may be required coupled with applicants’ intent to enter the U.S. after their program is complete and proof of their financial stability.

Attend your F1 Visa Interview

Visa applications of applicants are duly approved by the discretion of the consular officer after attending your F1 visa interview. With regard to that applicants may be required to pay a visa issuance fee, digital fingerprint scans will be taken for reference and a passport of which the applicant will be communicated as to when to get the passport back.

Below are links to other scholarships;

In this post, we outlined the procedure involved in applying for a USA student visa.