A study visa is required for any student who wants to study abroad. It is a legitimate document required to stay and learn at an international university. Applying for a student visa is a tedious process and involves filling out necessary forms and providing documents like your passport, university acceptance letter, academic records, SOPs, letters of recommendation, and more.
Clearing a Visa process also requires an interview where you’ll explain your study plans and assure them that you’ll return home after your studies. Be it in the USA, Singapore, Belgium, Dubai, or any other country, all of them require different types of visas and follow different formats for student visa applications.
Any Indian student who wishes to study abroad must first obtain an F1 Visa. An F1 Visa is a legal way for a student to stay in the USA for educational purposes. This Visa allows students to attend universities, colleges, high schools, and various language training programs.
With an F-1 Visa, students can pursue their educational goals in the USA and experience American culture. A student Visa is a must to get admission to a top university in America. This is a legal document that not only opens the doors to quality education but also provides opportunities for personal and professional growth in a diverse and dynamic environment.
Dive in to learn how to apply for an F1 student Visa and what are documents required for the same.
An F-1 Student Visa is a legal immigration document for an international student to enter the United States as a full-time student. It allows students to live temporarily in the United States for a defined period while studying at a school, college, seminary, or conservatory.
Unless the person is already a U.S. citizen or green card holder, an individual must have an F-1 student Visa to get admission into any of the colleges in the USA. These are nonimmigrant Visas for students who are visiting the United States with the intent to temporarily study.
There are certain eligibility criteria one should follow to get an F1 Visa in the USA. Considering the rejection rates of Indian students from the last ten years; the facts and figures suggest that rejection rates increased from a low of 15 percent in 2014 to 36 percent in 2023.
So, when should you apply for it, and what are the student Visa requirements for the Visa process?
After receiving your enrollment confirmation from your university in the USA, the first thing you have to do is apply for the F1 Visa. To study at an American university, especially for an International MBA program, one should know what factors are required to get your student Visa application approved and when is the correct time to apply for one.
Applying early for the F1 Visa eases your hassle for further documentation and other factors related to it. For getting an education loan or any other financial aid for the study, you should keep a Visa application on a priority basis. You can avail of this F1 Visa by providing your educational qualifications and financial statements. Step ahead to learn how to apply for a USA Visa in India and what parameters are required for an F1 Visa application.
For an F1 Visa application, the steps are a bit complex and a student should follow the procedures carefully to get the Visa approval. To apply one must fulfill F-1 Visa requirements and then wait for a few days for the approval. Here are some of the steps an Indian student should follow to apply for an F1 Visa to the USA:
Step 1:
To apply for the student Visa the first step is getting selected for admission to any accredited US university or college. After receiving the I-20 form from the college you need to prepare a robust application that highlights your academic achievements and future goals.
Step 2:
Once you are applying for the student Visa you have to pay for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS) fee for maintaining the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement student records. After paying the fee make sure you are taking the payment receipt.
Step 3:
Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS) application fee is a nonrefundable payment. This application fee is non-refundable even though your Visa is rejected due to the documentation process. Make sure you recheck the documents and data before submitting the application fee.
Step 4:
After submitting the SEVIS fee, complete the online DS-160 non-immigrant Visa application form accurately. Provide your correct personal information, address, and academic details in the form. Submit official transcripts of all schools and other institutions attended. Schedule a US embassy Visa interview date.
Step 5:
Compile all required documents, including standardized IELTS test scores, bank statements, I-20 form, printed copies of your DS-160 and I-901 SEVIS fee payment confirmations, and a valid passport for the application. Recheck all the information before submitting it to have an error-free application.
Step 6:
Visa applicants between the ages of 14-79 generally require an interview. Consular officers at the Visa office do ask for the documents required for a study Visa at the time of the interview. This is why you should carry and present the Form I-20 to the consular officer when you attend your Visa interview.
Of course, from getting a good score in IELTS to the Visa application process, it could be a bit daunting for a student to do it by himself/herself. In addition to this, getting selected for a top university in the USA is also not easy. Pune Institute of Business Management offers a Global Joint Degree Program in which you will get a master's degree in business Management from the USA. PIBM ensures your admission into top International MBA colleges in the USA and also assists you with your Visa application to get approved.
Pune Institute of Business Management offers a Global Joint Degree Program that helps you to turn your dream of studying abroad into reality. The program is a complete package in which you can learn from both India and abroad with secured Visa assistance. In the Global Joint Degree Program, students are allowed to complete their studies for one year in India and the next one year from abroad.
Our team of experienced professionals trains to connect you to Global job opportunities and advancements. With the program, a student will get real-world experience from a wide range of business sectors. All of these are well-versed in the real-world application of International Business Management theory. We also provide individual support and mentoring to students.
An OPT Visa extension gives an international student a USA Visa to work after the completion of studies. OPT refers to Optional Practical Training. In addition to the initial period of 12 months, students with STEM will get an extension of 24 months on the agreement.
An OPT extension permits you to work longer than 24 months and you must apply for it before your current OPT expires, you should have a job or a job offer in the same field of study as the one you have your CPT or OPT. This extension benefits students in acquiring more working experience and has a higher proportion of finding a full-time job in the USA.
CAP-GAP Visa extension enables F-1 Visa holder international students to legally live in the USA after their student Visa expires but before they obtain their H-1B work Visa. This extension is for the students who have the H-1B Visa lottery selection for the application.
It connects the last days of the F-1 status to the first days of H-1B status for those individuals who will engage in the mentioned work. The students who can apply for it must have a ”cap-subject” H-1B petition filed for them before their OPT or the Optional Practical Training expires. It allows the students to continue working and being legally in the USA until they commence their H-1B status.
Batch 2023-25
What is the role of visa assistance?
The F1 Visa assistance ensures international students to get their visa approval more quickly and also reduces the chances of rejection.
Is USA F1 visa difficult to get?
The F1 visa is actually not easy to get as the rejection rates are too high. Colleges like PIVBM offer you an international MBA with a visa assistance facility.
Can I get F1 visa easily?
By providing the correct documentation and feeding the correct information allows you to get the f1 student visa easily.
Why is F1 visa rejected?
There are many reasons an f1 visa can be rejected providing incorrect information and documentation can be the one of the reasons.