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Whether it is the rebellious rowdiness of “Animal House,” the romanticized intellectual passion of “The Paper Chase,” or the idealization of youthful angst in “The Graduate,” the trials and tribulations of the American college student have been well-documented. If you are from another country, you may well think that to study in the United States is to have a transformative experience.
There is little wonder that so many people would like to study at an American university. There are so many activities on the average college campus that a person would never be bored, no matter where their interests lie. America has many fine universities that draw scholars from all over the world.
If you want to study at a university in the United States, you will have to obtain a student visa. Before you begin, you should know which one of the three basic types of student visas you should apply for.
F-1
An F-1 Visa is for a full-time student. In order to successfully apply for such a visa, you must have been accepted to a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) approved university.
You can begin the application process by visiting the SEVIS website and registering yourself. You will pay a $350 registration fee at this time. You will then fill out the application and pay a $160 application fee.
Before you can attend school in the United States, you will have to have an interview at the United States Embassy in your country. They will discuss your grades and finances at this meeting and the subjects you will be studying in school.
You will then receive a decision from the embassy letting you know if you can go forward with your plans to study in the United States.
F-2 Visas
F2 visas are for the dependence of a person who is planning on studying in the United States. This includes the student’s spouse as well as any dependent children who are under the age of 21 and unmarried. You will have to be able to prove that you have enough financial resources to support your spouse while he or she studies in the United States.
When a married student or has dependents applies to a university, they should give that student an I-20 form for their spouse and dependents to fill out. The spouse will pay yet another fee of $160 to apply. They will also have to have an interview at the United States Embassy in their country of origin.
F-3
An F3 Visa is for those persons who live in Mexico or Canada and will be commuting back and forth on a daily or weekly basis to study in the United States. You will have to fill out an application and pay a fee as well. However, you are unlikely to have to go through a very stringent interview process in this case.
To apply for a student visa, you will need plenty of documentation including, a copy of the interview appointment letter and the. DS-160 Confirmation Barcode printout. You will also need receipts from all of the fees that you have paid, your picture ID, and your birth certificate.
Immigration policy can change rapidly. It is a good idea to have the assistance of an immigration attorney if you are trying to study in the United States.
America is a great place to visit. Our universities are diverse, and you can study a multitude of different subjects here. If you follow the proper steps and have the assistance of a good lawyer, you will have a good chance of getting to experience college in America.
