Destination USA: Types of Student Visas for International Students 

To apply for any of these visas, international students must first be accepted to an accredited United States institution certified by the Student Exchange and Visitor Program

The United States government offers three student visa types: F, J, and M.

F-1 visa: This is the most common student visa for academic studies. It is for individuals who wish to pursue full-time academic studies and attend an accredited college, university, or other educational institution in the United States.

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J-1 visa: The visa is for individuals who wish to participate in student exchange programs in the United States, including programs such as study abroad programs, research programs, and cultural exchange programs.

M-1 visa: This visa is for individuals who wish to pursue vocational or non-academic studies in the United States, including programs such as technical or trade schools.

To apply for any of these visas, international students must first be accepted to an accredited United States institution certified by the Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP). Even when an institution is SEVP-certified and can issue I-20 and DS-2019 forms to the students for a visa, it may not hold national or regional accreditation.

The U.S. Department of Education (https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (https://www.chea.org/search ) databases list accreditation status for all U.S. institutions.

For J-1 visa applicants, accredited institutions designated by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs place participants in academic exchange programs. Recognition of course credits and degrees by other institutions and U.S. and international employers is linked to an institution’s accreditation.

Once accepted at a SEVP-certified school, the student will be registered for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) (https://www.ice.gov/sevis/overview) and must pay the SEVIS I-901 fee.

The SEVP-approved school will then issue Form I-20. Once the student receives a Form I-20 from the institution’s international student office, the student may apply at a U.S. Consulate for a student visa. The student should present Form I-20 to the consular officer during the interview.

The international student can bring a family (spouse or children) to live in the United States while studying there. The family must also enroll in SEVIS, obtain Form I-20s from SEVP-approved schools, and apply for a visa. The family does not pay the SEVIS fee.

International students may visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) (https://www.ice.gov/sevis/overview) to learn more about SEVIS and the SEVIS I-901 Fee.

It is important to note that two separate U.S. government agencies are involved with international student arrival and status while studying in the United States. The State Department is responsible for the visa application and issuing the visa. Once a visa holder arrives in the United States, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security takes over as the responsible agency for entry into the country and issuing and enforcing international student regulations.

– U.S. Consulate General Hyderabad

Please visit the U.S.-India Educational Foundation’s website to learn more about studying in the United States: https://www.usief.org.in/Hyderabad.aspx

• Phone/ Whatsapp: 91-8008462712/8008465712/ 8008462560
• Email: usiefhyderabad@usief.org.in | hyderabad@educationusa.org