What type of visa do I need to study in the US?
To study in the US, you’ll need to apply for an F-1 student visa. An F-1 student visa is issued to international students who are studying an academic or English language program at a college or university in the US.
How to get a US student visa?
1. Receive your Form I-20
After you’ve received your offer of admission from a university, you’ll need to provide financial documentation (bank statements) and an affidavit of support to the university where you’ll attend. Once received, your information is recorded in SEVIS and your I-20 is issued and sent to you by a university official. You need Form I-20 in order to complete the remaining steps.
2. Pay the $350 I-901 SEVIS fee
Make sure to create an account via the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) portal in order to learn how to pay the fee in your country.
3. Complete your online DS-160 visa application and pay the MRV fee of $160
Once you successfully submit the DS-160 visa application, make sure to print out the confirmation page you receive, which has a barcode and your details. You will need this page for your visa interview. You must pay the $160 booking fee in order to book an interview.
4. Schedule your US visa interview
Check the US Embassy or Consulate website where you plan to interview to get up-to-date information. Wait times can vary significantly by country and can take months. Schedule your visa interview as early as possible.
5. Prepare all of your documents to take with you to your US visa interview:
- Passport + US visa size photograph (51 mm X 51 mm)
- DS-160 confirmation page
- MRV Fee payment receipt ($160 fee) and appointment booking confirmation
- SEVIS Fee payment confirmation ($350 fee)
- Form I-20 (printed, and signed by the student)
- Financial documents
- Transcripts/proof of degree completion
- Offer letter from the university
6. Join a PASS session with a US visa specialist at Educhampionservices for interview preparation:
PASS is included in your program and is available to all Educhampionservices students at no extra cost. All confirmed students are contacted directly to book a PASS session.
7. Attend a virtual information session:
Join our virtual sessions to learn more about studying in the US and how to apply for an F-1 visa interview.
8. Attend your visa interview!
Visit the US State Department website for more details on studying in the United States and to learn if there are additional specific documents required for your visa interview.