The United States has an extensive program to support international students through various types of visas.
Students seeking to enter the United States must complete a process to obtain their nonimmigrant visa to stay in the country temporarily. Only students with a visa can study in the country. In addition, the type of program or activity that you will carry out will determine the category of visa that will be given to you.
For exchange students, the Department of States (DOS) offers two categories of visas, the F visa, which provides access to the country to students who are going to attend university, high school, private elementary school, seminary, conservatory, or some other academic institution, including English programs. On the other hand, there is the M visa, which is given to students from non-academic or vocational institutions.
Likewise, there is a third category of visa, for short periods of recreational study, the visitor B visa. This visa allows foreigners to enroll in a course that is not valid as a credit to obtain a degree or academic certificate.
The first step in applying for an F visa is to complete an application with a university or institution approved by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). After the institution accepts the application, the student will be registered in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
Upon completion of registration the applicant must pay a SEVID I-901 fee. And after this, the institution will deliver an I-20 form that the student must present at the US consulate or embassy when he goes for his visa interview. In addition, it is necessary to cover the fee of 160 dollars.
Learn more about this process at the following link: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html. The procedures may have slight variations depending on the Consulate or Embassy where the application is made.
