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Applying For A Student Visa From Abroad. 

To get a student visa you have to apply from a country you are a citizen of. If you have several citizenships, remember that you will have to prove strong ties to your home country and that it's much easier to get an American visa from a developed country. It's almost impossible to get a visa from a "third" country (not your home country, that is).

1. Find a school

First thing you need to do is to find an American school that would issue you an I-20 form. Refer to our School section to get an idea where to start. Also check general information sites listed in our Links section, some of them are useful.

 

Keep in mind that admission to colleges is a complicated process and takes a long time (up to more then a year).

ESL schools are easy to get into and International ESL schools are likely to have offices in your home country, it can speed up the process of admission.

If you live in a country from which it's difficult to get any kind of American visa it makes sense to apply to a more respectable school (like a college or college ESL) even if it's more expensive. Remember that you can transfer schools later on.

2. Get a proof of finances

As a rule, you will need to show the school a proof of finances such as your bank statement or an Affidavit of Support with a bank statement from your sponsor. You will need it during the admission process and, later, when you apply to the Embassy for a visa. You will have to send your proof of finances to your school before they can give you an I-20, make copies of all documents you send. Later on you'll have to show the proof of finances to the American Consulate, so get several (at least 2) originals of your affidavit of support an the bank statement.

3. Get an I-20 form from the school

After the school admitted you as a student, it should issue you an I-20 form. You will take this form to the Embassy to apply for a visa, along with a proof of finances and proof of strong ties to your home country.

4. Get some proof of strong ties to your country

You are expected to prove that you are not going to stay in America as an immigrant (you are not going to, right?... right?). So get whatever proof you might have. It may include facts on your close family staying in your country, letters from your job (that they expect you back) or a job offer, proof that you own an apartment or a house. Get as many papers as you can, take it very seriously.

We can tell you right now that from some countries it's really difficult to prove. You may consider taking a short ESL course so it's easier to prove that you're coming back, even if it costs you more.

Or just try to get into America as a tourist an change your status later (in this case do not under any circumstances mention that you are planning to study in the USA). When applying from within the USA you don't have to prove ties to any countries.

5. Get an OF-156 form

You can get this form from any Embassy or Consulate. You can also download it from us OF-156.  Some embassies will also require filling out a KNV-3 form, get it from them.

6. Get a visa

With all documents mentioned above plus a valid passport (valid at least six months beyond your intended period of stay) go to the consulate. You will also need 1 photograph ( 1.5 inches square (37x37mm), full face , head not covered, on a light background). They will charge you something like $50 for application. Check current fees with the State Department.

Applying For A Student Visa Within The USA

 

We are talking about "student status", rather then "student visa" because, strictly speaking, you are not given a new visa. You are given a new I-94 form that show that you are authorized to stay in the US for "the duration of status" and an I-20. For all intents and purposes it's the same as having a student visa, except when you want to go abroad.

Theoretically you are not supposed to come to the USA on a tourist visa if your real intent is to study. The government calls it a "fraudulent intent" (Yeah... whatever). On practice, though, INS usually accepts the explanation that you came as a real tourist and have changed your plans later. Note that you can't apply for a change of status for at least 60 days after coming to the US.

Depending on your situation, changing the status can be very easy or almost impossible. With ESL and Continuing Education schools it's actually easier than applying from abroad. You are not guaranteed to get a student status, obviously, like you are not guaranteed to get a student visa from abroad. H

Since INS is concerned about people entering the country with the "fraudulent intent" they may even ask the school to present some proof that the student has not contacted the school before coming to the US. Colleges have a long admission process and it can be difficult to show that you've changed your plans unexpectedly. If you think it will be difficult for you to demonstrate the unexpected change of plans you may consider getting a "prospective student" B-2 from your country. Then you'll have to show strong ties to your country, like when you apply for an F-1 visa.

How to Change Your Status

1. Get in the US on a tourist visa

You can change your status from B-2. You can change status from other non-immigrant statuses except C,D,K,M . If you came with a visa waiver you can't get a student status. There's also some 2 year residency restriction on J-1, but we don't know the details yet.

Be careful not to overstay your visa or rather your I-94, it's usually given for 6 months. Keep in mind that tourist visa can be extended once.

When applying for a tourist visa do not tell them you are planning to study, they won't give you a visa at all. One exception to this rule is when you apply from a country that does not normally require any visa to enter the US and/or you are trying to get a "prospective student" B-2.

2. Find a school

The school has to be "authorized to issue I-20" or, in other words "authorized to enroll foreign students". Visit  our "U.S. Universities " to find a College or University.l

You have to be in the USA at least two months before applying for a school. If you do it earlier INS will suspect you came with a "fraudulent intent" and deny you a visa.

Keep in mind that admission to colleges is a complicated process and takes a long time (up to more then a year). Make sure you have your tourist I-94 valid until your studies are scheduled to start.

ESL schools are easy to get into. It can take you 20 minutes to get accepted to some of them.

Ask the school how much money you have to show in your proof of finances.

3. Find a proof of finances

You should probably do it while you still in your country. But remember that you will have to present a current (not older then 6 months) bank statement (yours or your sponsor's).

You will need an affidavit of support from a sponsor and his/her bank statement. You can also support yourself, then you'll need your own bank statement. The amount you have to show depends on a school and is indicated on the I-20 form.  Requirements on you proof of finances are not as strict as when you apply from abroad, you only need one copy and you don't need to show the source of finances (how you or your sponsor made the money).

4 .Get an I-20 form

When you get accepted to a school, they will issue you an I-20 form, that will then have to be sent to the INS for authorization. Most schools will take care of it for you (this is a job of an International Students Advisor). I-20 indicates how long is your program going to take (this is how long you will be authorized to stay in the country) and the amount of money you have to show in your proof of finances.

5. Do whatever the school tells you

Some schools (not all of them) will ask you to pass medical tests, buy medical insurance (if you don't have a better one), get some immunization shots etc. before they issue you the I-20 or send it to the INS. You will have to do it, although sometimes they don't double-check if you've really done it.

6. Send I-539, I-20, I-94 etc. to the INS

Actually, like we've mentioned, most schools will do it for you. You will have to pay processing fees.  Please find a check list of all the documents you need:

1. I-539 - request for a change of status.
2. I-20 - issued by your school.
3. Valid I-94 form (or a photocopy of it).
4. Photocopy of a visa in your passport on which you've entered the USA (valid or expired, doesn't matter), photocopy of the photo/ID page in the passport and of an extension page if your passport has been extended.
5. You have to attach an affidavit of support and a bank statement from your sponsor or your own bank statement as a proof of finances.
6. If you are sending this yourself you also have to write a personal letter explaining why you decided to change your status. You should indicate that when you got into the country you did not plan to study and that your plans have unexpectedly changed. Include any evidence you can get to support your claims.
7. Include a check or a money order for the appropriate amount ($120).

I-539 is available from the INS,  Current fees are indicated on the forms ($120 at the time of writing). If you do it yourself contact the INS first for detailed instructions. 

7. Get your I-20 in the mail

The INS authorizes (or not - then you failed) your I-20 and sends it back to the school, if the school is taking care of it, or to you if you had to send it yourself. You get pages 2, 3 and 4 of this document wit an INS approval stamp on it. You also get (separately, we believe) a new I-94 valid for the duration of status. Note that you do not get a new visa stamp (or anything else) in your passport.

Keep your I-20 an I-94 at all times. These two documents are what keeps you in status (together with a valid passport, obviously).