How to qualify for the F-1 Student Visa?
F-1 Visa: Explore the criteria and steps for qualifying for an F-1 Student Visa to study in the United States, covering eligibility and application tips.
If you have been accepted to a University or Institution, you must take additional steps before you can enter the U.S. The most common visa for students wanting to study in the U.S. is the F-1 student visa. Foreigners can enter the U.S. as full-time students at approved colleges, universities, seminaries, conservatories, academic high schools, elementary schools, or other intellectual institutions, as well as in language training programmes, using the F-1 Student Visa (Academic Student).
Student Visa Applicants must be registered in a program or course of study leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate, and the institution students are attending must have received the U.S. government's approval to admit foreign students.
What are the qualifications for the F-1 Student Visa?
- Get admitted into a SEVP-accepted institution. The Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) maintains a list of schools, universities, and other institutions that are certified by the U.S. Government to accept international students.
- Be enrolled as a full-time student.
- Have strong ties to the home country. Students must be able to provide proof of their intent to return to their home country once their program has ended.
- Adequate Finances. Students must show sufficient funds to cover the expenses of studying and living in the United States. Students can submit evidence of their ability to pay their tuition and boarding. F1 students can also be eligible for scholarships, but if the amount does not cover all expenses, then additional proof may be needed.
- Be proficient in English. You must prove that you can speak and understand English well enough to complete your course of study.
- For first-time applicants, you must reside outside the U.S. during the application process.
What kind of documents do applicants need to have?
Applicants must have certain documents with them on the day of their F-1 Student Visa interview in order to be eligible for the visa. If you don't have these documents, the application for an F-1 Student Visa may be denied.
- A valid passport
- A copy of the photo for the visa application
- Printed copies of the DS-160 and I-901 SEVIS payment receipts
- Form I-20
- Academic records such as transcripts, diplomas, degrees, or certificates from schools
- Standardized test scores required by the U.S. institution (if applicable)
- Evidence of the intent to depart the U.S. upon completion of the study
- Statements proving the ability to pay all educational, living, and travel costs
Check your eligibility for US visas with instant results.
Continue following this series below:
How to qualify for the F-1 Student Visa?
F-1 StudentVisa Process Overview
