United States

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UPCOMING INTAKES IN THE USA

US universities have 3 intakes.

Students have the option of choosing the term of their study from three main flexible intakes, Spring (January), Fall (September) and Summer (May) when they study in USA.

Intake 1: Fall Semester – It commences in August/September and is the major intake.

Intake 2: Spring Semester – It commences in January/February intake is also available.

Intake 3: Summer Semester – It commences in May/June and is available for selected Courses.

You will have to choose an intake that best suits your requirements and make your application accordingly. Remember the deadline to submit applications are usually a few months before the starting date of the semester. You will also have to plan your US student visa application to sync with your college application process.

Steps to Study in the United States

Step 1: Apply to a US school and get accepted

The first step is to apply to (and eventually be accepted to) a US university. In the United States, most full-time undergraduate and graduate programs demand applications by December or January of each year. Admission notices are usually sent out in March and April.

Step 2: Get your school’s Form I-20 or DS-2019

After being accepted to a school, you’ll receive one of two forms: Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Non immigrant Student Status) for F-1 and M-1 students, and Form DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status for J-1 students.

Step 3: Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee

Go online and pay the I-901 SEVIS fee once you receive your I-20 or DS-2019 form from your school. 

Step 4: Locate a US Embassy or Consulate in Your Area

You must apply for an international student visa at the US embassy or consulate nearest to you (ideally, in the city or region in which you live). The US Department of State offers an online search for US embassies and consulates.

Please know that depending on which embassy you apply through, the process for obtaining a student visa in the United States may fluctuate slightly.


Step 5: Fill out the DS-160 form online

After that, fill out the Online Non-immigrant Visa Application (Form DS-160).

You will also select the US embassy where you will interview for your visa on this application.

Step 6: Make an appointment for your visa interview

Contact your nearest US embassy or consulate (preferably, the one you listed on your online application) to organize your visa interview after you’ve filed Form DS-160.

Step 7: Make payment for your visa application fee.

After that, pay the application fee. 

It’s important to note that the exact date you pay this charge will differ based on your embassy.

Step 8: Attend your visa interview

The interview is the final major step in the visa application process. This interview will determine whether or not you are granted a student visa in the United States.

Step 9: Pay the visa issuance fee

After being authorized for a student visa in the United States, certain students are required to pay a visa issuance fee. Whether or not you must pay this fee is determined by your nationality and the reciprocity agreement your country has with the United States. You can use a chart on the US visas website to discover if you have to pay a visa issuance fee.

Step 10: Get Your Visa

Your embassy will return your passport to you with your new visa in it if you’ve completed all of the requirements above and gained approval for an international student visa to the United States. It’s worth noting that certain embassies will ask you to pick it up in person, while others will simply ship it back to you.

The length of time it takes for your visa to be processed varies by embassy.