Learn everything you need to know about USA
Student Visa and get end to end expert guidance from us.
Learn everything you need to know about USA Student Visa and get end to end expert guidance from us.
Turn your Study Abroad Dream to Degrees Abroad in USA
USA Student Visa
The USA is considered the leading study abroad destination in the world for international students for a number of reasons. Firstly, the USA is home to top colleges and universities. American universities offer F-1 student visa holders the best services to help them grow professionally and personally. The quality of US universities is evident in their global rankings, making American degrees coveted.
Secondly, the education system in the USA offers students comprehensive coursework that focuses on both theoretical and practical learning. Universities in the US combine classroom learning with projects, field placements, internships, case studies, and so forth.
Thirdly, the US offers many job opportunities through various visa pathways. The stable economy and the constant demand for skilled labour in the US often contribute to bright career prospects for international graduates. Take the OPT extension available to non-STEM and STEM graduates, for instance. While eligible non-STEM students can stay back and work for one year after their graduation in the USA, STEM graduates can get a 2-year OPT extension.
Types of USA Student Visas for Filipino Students
A tourist visa only allows you to pursue a qualification through a brief recreational course. If your US course leads to a certificate or degree, you need a USA student visa to enrol yourself in it. An American student visa is also necessary to study in the USA. There are three different student visa categories: F, J, and M. Even if your academic qualification only requires you to study for a particular period at a US institute, like the last few days of a distance learning program there, you need an M or F visa for it. Your interests, preferences, and requirements will determine which type of visa you have to get.
| Student Visa | Description | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| M Visa | For non-academic programs. | Pursue courses like English language or vocational training. |
| J Visa | For student exchange programs. | Participation in student exchange at US high schools or universities. |
| F Visa | For academic-level education. | From academic language training to university degrees. Most international students in the USA have this visa. |
Requirements to Get a Student Visa in the USA
There are many conditions to remember if you wish to submit an application for a nonimmigrant F-1 or M-1 visa. The immigration department of the USA will only accept your application if you meet the M-1 or F-1 visa requirements, which comprise the following:
- You must join an academic program for a US F-1 visa or a non-academic course for an M-1 visa.
- Your course must require you to have and maintain full-time student status.
- The institution in the USA where you want to study must be SEVP-approved. For your information, SEVP stands for Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which plays an important part in facilitating the inflow of foreign students to the USA.
- You must substantiate to the visa officer that you have enough money to pay for your education and stay in the country.
- You must have English proficiency for a US F-1 visa. On the other hand, your course must lead to English proficiency for an M-1 visa.
- You must have a place of residence back home where you can go after your education in the USA if necessary.
- You must attend an interview with a US consular officer.
- You must pay a visa application fee and a visa issuance fee.
Documents Required to Apply for a Student Visa in the USA
You must collect and prepare these documents before the date of your interview with the consular officer.
- Your completed visa application form.
- A passport with a validity of six or more months after however long you want to stay in the USA.
- The receipt of the application fee payment.
- A valid photograph. There is a long list of photograph-related requirements for a student visa in the USA.
- Proof that you qualify for M-1 or F-1 student status or Form I-20 bearing your and your US school official's signatures. You will get this form from your school in the USA once it enters your details in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) database.
Your interviewing officer may ask for more information to confirm whether you qualify for a student visa in the USA, including your academic transcripts and proof of financial capability.
How to Apply for a Student Visa in the USA
There are many steps involved in the process of applying for a US student visa. How you do the steps and in what order depends on your Consulate or Embassy.
- In any case, the first step is to ensure you meet all the USA student visa requirements. Usually, it begins with enrolling yourself in a SEVP-approved school in the USA. If you receive Form I-20, it means that the school has accepted you for education. Technically, you can visit the USA with a visitor visa and go to the universities in the country in person before deciding on further education here. However, because you must attain F-1 status and because it takes time to get the status, it is advisable to apply for a US student visa only after you get the university acceptance letter.
- Then, you will have to pay the SEVIS fee and complete Form DS-160.
- It is also important to know the processing time for the US student visa for the Philippines. Not every consulate or embassy will have the same visa processing time. Find out how long it will take for the Philippines, and factor this time into your application process.
- Schedule your American student visa interview appointment at the US Consulate or Embassy in the nation in which you live. It is possible to schedule it at a different Consulate or Embassy, but it potentially takes more time to be eligible for the visa somewhere other than the said country.
- Pay the application fee. It is advisable to apply as early as possible.
At some stage of the process, you will have to attend an interview with a US consular officer. The interview is usually short, with the officer asking you about your reasons for studying in the USA, financial capability, and post-education plans.
Book your flight tickets only after you get your USA student visa.
