Hundreds of thousands of people come to the United States from around the world to study and improve their skills. Students interested in studying in the United States must be admitted to a U.S. school or university before starting the visa process. However, students should also remember that acceptance by a U.S. educational institution does not guarantee issuance of a student visa.
There are three types of student visas. For visa application instructions, forms, and more, select below.
- Academic Studies (F visa): For people who have been accepted into a program to study or conduct research at an accredited U.S. college or university.
- Non-Academic or Vocational Studies (M Visa) : For people who have been accepted into a program to study or train at a non-academic institution in the U.S.
- Academic Studies as an Exchange Visitor (J Visas) : For people who have been accepted into a program through a designated sponsoring organization to participate in an exchange visitor program in the U.S. The "J" visa is for educational and cultural exchange programs.