F-1 Student Visa

The F-1 Visa (Academic Student) allows you to enter the United States as a full-time student at an accredited college, university, seminary, conservatory, academic high school, elementary school, or other academic institution or in a language training program. You must be enrolled in a program or course of study that culminates in a degree, diploma, or certificate and your school must be authorized by the U.S. government to accept international students.

If you would like to study as a full-time student in the United States, you will need a student visa. There are two nonimmigrant visa categories for persons wishing to study in the United States. These visas are commonly known as the F and M visas.

Visa Critera

You may enter in the F-1 visa category provided you meet the following criteria:

You must be enrolled in an "academic" educational program, a language-training program, or a vocational program

Your school must be approved by USCIS

You must be enrolled as a full-time student at the institution

You must be proficient in English or be enrolled in courses leading to English proficiency

You must have sufficient funds available for self-support during the entire proposed course of study

You must maintain a residence abroad which he/she has no intention of giving up.

Only schools that are certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program "SEVP" are authorized to accept international students. You can check to make sure that the school you are interested in is certified, here.