Apply for an ESL International Student Visa

Hello! You’ve made the decision to study in the USA, and have chosen a great school that fits your needs. The next thing to consider is applying for a student visa. Your student visa is the ticket to access into the USA. The purpose of a visa is to explain your intention for traveling and living in the United States while you are studying. Showing that you will be attending classes while you are here is the main purpose of the student visa.

What can you expect while applying for your visa? Below you will find some tips to help the process go smoothly from start to finish.

When you are accepted by the school you plan on attending, they will send you the 1-20 form. The 1-20 is the actual application for your student visa and is the proof of acceptance that will confirm your intention to the US consular officials.

TIP: Double check to make sure you have included all the proper information… your name, passport info and date of birth. Also double check to make sure you’ve spelled everything out on the form properly.

You will need to make a visa interview appointment with the local US consular or embassy next. After the visa interview you will need to pay the visa application fee of $131.00. Don’t forget to keep a copy of your receipt! A list of embassy and consular offices can be found by visiting www.usembassy.state.gov.

TIP: allow yourself enough time for the appointment before you plan on traveling. This is more important during peak times like during the summer. The interview process is the part of applying for a student visa that will take the most time, and the wait time for an interview can be different with each country.

Prepare for your interview.

The interview with the US official might only last a minute or two, so you should be quick and efficient when explaining to them why you require the student visa. US officials are very busy people, so if you cannot easily explain to them your purpose for the student visa, they may quickly reject you.

In order to give yourself the best chance of getting your student visa, keep all of these valuable tips in mind before applying!

TIP: dress nicely. It may seem like common sense, but first impressions are extremely important in this case. Do not overdress or wear anything that would be a distraction – dress professionally as if it were a job interview.

TIP: state specifically why you want to study in the US. Perhaps you want to assimilate the American accent, or study US Business English – ‘whatever the reason, you need to make a case of why this is better done in the US than at home.

TIP: bring a letter from your bank. This letter will show the official that you have had a long standing relationship with your bank and provide them with the minimum balance information that they require.

TIP: you may be rejected if the official feels that you intend on staying in the US long after your schooling has completed. If they feel that you intend to stay and work (illegally) in the Us, your application will most likely be declined. Make sure you let them know that you have family, own a business or own real estate in your home country if any of this is the case.

Most of all, stay relaxed and know that the US NEEDS international students in our schools and universities. So, we wish you luck and hope to see you here!

(No Ratings Yet)