How to know US Student Visa Requirements,Costs and Application Processes?

F-1 Visa

This is the most common type of student visa. If you wish to engage in academic studies in the United States at an approved school, such as an accredited U.S. college or university, private secondary school, or approved English language program then you need an F-1 visa. You will also need an F-1 visa if your course of study is more than 18 hours a week.

Application Process from Nepal:

The application packet to U.S. colleges and universities consists of five essential things. Additional materials may be required to apply to more competitive schools especially schools that offer good scholarships. Remember that all components of your application, whether submitted electronically or by mail (or a combination of both), must reach the college before the deadline date.

Application Form

A college or university’s online application can be easily accessed from the college or university website free of cost. The application is usually located within the Prospective Student or Admissions section of the website.

While filling the form, students have to be careful. Please make sure that all the information you write on the form is valid and correct. Colleges use the information on the form to generate the I-20. Any mistakes in the form will result in mistakes on your I-20.

Application Fee

The application fee for each college ranges from $20 – $100, usually sent in the form of a dollar draft payable to the college you are applying to, or online via international credit card. Some colleges receive thousands of applications every semester. Students are charged this fee as a processing charge and it is non-refundable. Generally, application fees are required. However, undergraduate applicants who demonstrate severe financial hardship may be able to use an “application fee waiver” which is an explanatory letter written by your school Principal or school Guidance Counselor if you have one. This letter is sent in place of the application fee. However, undergraduate students must use this wisely. If it appears to the admissions office you are actually able to pay the application fee, your application may not be reviewed.

Attested Transcripts

In Nepal, most students receive only one set of original mark-sheets. Never make the mistake of sending your original academic documents to colleges and universities; you will most likely never get them back. In order to send your academic documents to U.S. colleges and universities, you can get your transcripts and certificates attested at USEF-Nepal or at your issuing Board Office. At USEF-Nepal, they charge Rs. 50 per page.

Financial Documents

Generally, colleges and universities ask for a bank statement and sponsor letter. A sponsor is someone who is able and is willing to pay for your education. In the case of Nepal, it is usually the parents who sponsor their child. But, anyone from anywhere can be a sponsor. However, the reason to pay for the student’s education should be genuine. The willingness to pay for the education is shown by a letter which the sponsor writes. The sponsor must be able to provide a bank statement which should contain a minimum of one year cost of college or university in the case that the student is not applying for scholarship. If a student is applying for scholarship, then the statement should reflect at least the amount that the sponsor is willing to contribute per year.

TOEFL/IELTS Score Report

The TOEFL/IELTS score report will not be physically present in your application packet. You will need to arrange for the TOEFL program to send an official score report to the colleges you are applying to.

Additional Standardized Test Scores

SAT/ ACT and SAT Subject Tests may be required for undergraduate applicants. GRE or GMAT may be required for graduate level students. Please note that you must order score reports to be sent to the colleges or universities via the testing program (alternately, you can send some for free if you designate the schools upon your test registration).

Application Essay

The application essay is a very important component of the application packet. The number of essays required will differ from college to college. Many times, it is the application essay that makes or breaks your successful application. The application essay is like an interview with the admission office. It is one of the only components in your application packet which is not in numbers. Spend a lot of time and effort on your application essay. Sometimes, it may take several months to produce an excellent application essay. To learn how to write an excellent application essay, students can use the outstanding collection of books at the USEF library and attend USEF’s specialized advising session called “Tips on Writing an Application Essay” offered monthly. Also, please refer to the ‘More on Essays’ section of this website.

Letters of Recommendation

Teachers who have taught you in class can write a recommendation letter for you. Usually, colleges ask for two to three letters of recommendation. Letters should be from your most recent teachers who have taught you. At the graduate level, it is important that the student gets a letter from the teacher who teaches the subject he /she is applying for. Recommendation letters should explain the ability of students to the admission officers. A strong recommendation letter from your teacher providing explanations about how you performed in class can be very helpful. It should give a clear idea about the type of student you were and what kind of activities you participated in. Recommendation letters carry a lot of weight; students should think carefully about who to choose as their recommends.

DS160 form: DS160 application cannot be reused. A new DS160 application needs to be filled for each time applicant appears for the visa Interview.

Note for F1 applicants: Interview date scheduled should be within 120 days from the Start of Program, and Not earlier.

SEVIS Fees: All prospective F and M students are required to pay the I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Fee before scheduling the appointment, and the Department of State issues you a visa.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO APPLY FOR A STUDENT VISA IN THE USA?

The below fees are for the VISA part, before the visa part you have to be admitted to a regionally accredited University/college. The cost for the university part is mentioned below.

Generally, To apply for VISA You have to pay:
SEVIS Fees: $350
Appointment Fees: $160
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Total: $510 (Around Rs.65000)

ATTESTATION FEES:
USEF Nepal: Rs 50 per page
NEB Board: Rs 500 per page
Most of the Universities accept documents attested by USEF but Some universities required transcripts attested from Board( NEB). Some university also accepts unattested transcripts sent through email.
Example:
If You are +2 passed and your university accepts USEF Attested transcripts. You have to attest 3 pages( Transcript, SLC Mark sheet, Provisional Certificate) which will cost 150 Rupees.

BANK BALANCE CERTIFICATE:
I can not say exactly how much it costs Because To make this document you have to deposit amounts in your Sponsor’s account. Bank Generally charges you 500 to 1000 to print out this certificate.

APPLICATION FEES:
This depends on the college/university you are applying to. Some Universities Costs 20$ and some 150$ even some universities waive the application fees. You can check the Application fees on the university website that you are intending to apply to.

COURIER FEES:
From US NRs 4000(DHL)
You have to courier your documents to the university’s address.
NOTE: Some Universities don’t need official documents, They will accept scanned documents sent through your email or option to upload documents on application portal.

I20 SHIPMENT FEES:
Nowadays most universities sent electronic I_20 freely.
But if you want a Hardcopy or original I_20 within 3_5 days you have to order it through Express mail( eg. DHL, FedEx, etc) it varies from universities, location, and their system but doesn’t worry it won’t cost more than $50_70. Some universities also waive the I20 shipment charge.

NOTE: Above costs are general, Cost may differ in your case(eg, if you are a transfer student you have to do WES). Estimated total Cost for Application is around Nrs.70-90,000

What to do if you are declined for an F1 visa

If you are declined for an F1 visa you are usually able to apply again, but you will need to start the process from the beginning. You won’t need to pay the SEVIS fee again, but any application fees will need to be paid a second time.

You’ll be told the reason that you were denied, and if you can amend any issues, you may have a better chance next time around. Common issues for a rejected application include:

• • Lack of financial proof to support yourself while in the US

• • Missing or incorrect documents

• • Lack of proof that you intend to return to your home country after graduating

• • Failed background check

• • Failure to explain your answers during your interview

You can re-apply three times in a year, but if you are struggling to get your application accepted then you should speak to consular officers about your situation before applying again.

Caution: Do not present false documents. Fraud or misrepresentation can result in permanent visa ineligibility. If confidentiality is a concern, you should bring your documents to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in a sealed envelope. The U.S. Embassy or Consulate will not make your information available to anyone and will respect the confidentiality of your information.

You should bring the following documents to your interview:

• • Documents demonstrating strong financial, social, and family ties to your home country that will compel you to return to your country after your program of study in the United States ends.

• • Financial and any other documents you believe will support your application and which give credible evidence that you have enough readily-available funds to meet all expenses for the first year of study and that you have access to funds sufficient to cover all expenses while you remain in the United States. M-1 applicants must demonstrate the ability to pay all tuition and living costs for the entire period of their intended stay.

• • Photocopies of bank statements will not be accepted unless you can also show original copies of bank statements or original bank books.

• • If you are financially sponsored by another person, bring proof of your relationship to the sponsor (such as your birth certificate), the sponsor’s most recent original tax forms and the sponsor’s bankbooks and/or fixed deposit certificates.

• • Academic documents that show scholastic preparation. Useful documents include school transcripts (original copies are preferred) with grades, public examination certificates (A-levels, etc.), standardized test scores (SAT, TOEFL, etc.), and diplomas.

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