USA student visa requirements
The visa you need will depend on the type of study you want
to do in the United States.
The U.S. Government offers three different student visa
types:
- F
Student Visa: used to study at an accredited U.S. college or
university or to study English at an English language institute
- J
Exchange Visa: for participation in an exchange program,
including high school and university study
- M
Student Visa: for non-academic or vocational study or training in
the U.S.
You must first apply and be accepted by a U.S. institution
that is certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Once
accepted, you will receive a Form I-20 from the institution's international
student office, which is a paper record of your information in the database
called the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
You will need the following documentation for your visa
application:
- A
valid passport that is valid for at least six months beyond your period of
stay in the U.S. (unless exempt by country-specific agreements)
- Acceptance
at a SEVP approved school and your Form I-20
- Application
fee payment for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System
- Non-immigrant
visa application and the Form DS-160 confirmation page
- One or
two photographs in the requested format
Additional documentation may also be required:
- Academic
preparation documents such as transcripts, diplomas, degrees or
certificates
- Evidence
that you have sufficient funds to maintain your living expenses throughout
the period of your stay in the U.S. This may include: bank statements, a
financial undertaking by a sponsor to cover your accommodation and living
costs or a scholarship program.
- Evidence
that you will leave the U.S. once you have completed your course of study.
This can be in the form of an air ticket out of the U.S. to your home
country.
You may also have to appear for a personal interview at the
U.S. embassy or consulate.
You can find out more about each type of visa on the
U.S. Government’s Department of State website.
When you arrive in the U.S., you must:
- Not
enter the U.S. more than 30 days before your study program begins
- Contact
your designated school official when you first enter the U.S.
- Contact
your designated school official again, no later than the program start
date listed on your Form I-20
Making sure your visa remains valid
Once you get your visa, there are a number of things you
need to do to ensure it remains valid, including:
- Fulfilling
the purpose for why the Department of State issued the visa
- Following
the regulations associated with that purpose
While studying in the U.S., you will need to observe the
following rules:
- You
must attend and pass all of your classes. If you are finding your studies
too difficult, you should speak with your designated school official (DSO)
immediately
- If you
think you will be unable to complete your program by the end date listed
on your Form I-20, you must talk to your DSO about requesting a possible
program extension
- You must take a full course of study each term. If you cannot study full-time, contact your DSO immediately