How to Apply for Student Visa

1. Determine which student visa to apply for.

F-1 visas are for academic and language students and M-1 visas are for vocational students.

2. Apply for a U.S. study program.

The program must be approved by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).

3. If accepted, enroll in the program and pays the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) fee.

At the time of enrollment, the U.S. school will enroll the applicant in SEVIS and provide the applicant with a Form I-20 to present to the consular officer at the visa interview. The SEVIS I-901 application fee is $200. If the applicant’s spouse or children intend to reside in the U.S. with the applicant, they must obtain individual Form I-20s, but they do not pay the SEVIS fee.

4. Complete Form DS-160, Online Non-Immigrant Visa Application, and print the confirmation page.

The confirmation page will need to be presented at the visa interview.

5. Schedule a visa interview with the nearest U.S. consulate or embassy.

At the interview, a consular officer will approve or deny the visa application. If the application is approved, the officer will grant the applicant a visa.

6. Prepare documents for visa interview

• Valid passport
• DS-160 confirmation page and the application fee payment receipt
• Form I-20 (also known as the Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant), issued by the SEVIS:
  • For F-1 Academic and Language Students, Form I-20A-B
  • For M-1 Vocational Students, Form I-20M-N

7. Attend the visa interview.

If the visa application is approved, the consular officer will issue the applicant a visa and he/she may travel to the U.S.