When should I apply for a student visa?

You will want to apply as soon as you can. Generally, this means as soon as you have decided which school you want to attend and have received the official I-20 form indicating academic acceptance at that institution. (If you are a sponsored student, you should receive the DS-2019 from your sponsoring agency showing that you are participating in their program instead of an I-20 from your university, and the DS-2019 is the form that you should use in applying.)

To be able to make the investment in U.S. study, smart planning is the key — you need to do research to identify U.S. funding possibilities that match your own needs and strengths.

Below are some suggestions and strategies to help you get off to the best possible start in funding your U.S. studies.

Planning

Begin researching the costs of your planned program well in advance. All U.S. universities and colleges can provide an estimate of tuition and living costs at their particular institution. Both tuition and living costs can vary widely.

• TOEFL^®. If English is not your native language, you must submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score. Many institutions require a minimum score of about 80 on the Internet-based (iBT) TOEFL, about 213 on the computer-based version of the TOEFL (a version of the test no longer offered), or about 550 on the paper-based version for both undergraduate and graduate students to enter their academic programs.

How do I choose a college or university?

With over 4,000 accredited institutions in the United States, there is much to consider. Some particularly important factors include—

U.S. Department of Education. This database of accredited postsecondary institutions and programs maintained by the U.S. Department of Education contains institutions and programs recognized accrediting agencies and state approval agencies.