The US government issues different types of non-immigrant visas. For example, tourists and business-men are issued B-1/ B-2 visas and those authorized to work in the US are given an H-1B visa. Students going for vocational courses for shorter duration such as, in flying schools, English language courses etc. get an M-1 visa.
However, most students going to an accredited university for a full-time academic program, require an F-1 visa stamp.
Students are allowed to apply for the F-1 visa 120 days before the date of reporting mentioned on their I-20 form. The I-20 form is an official document issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The following important details are mentioned in the document:
- the name and passport number of the student
- the name of the university which the student is joining
- the program to which the student has been admitted
- the date of commencement of the program
- the date by which the program has to be completed
- the total cost of education for one year.
The fall 2022 semester will begin sometime in the third week of August. So, if you plan to join an American university this fall, you can start applying for your visa from the third week of April.
How to Apply for an F1 Visa?
- Get your I-20 from the SEVP institution
- Apply online by filling the DS-160 form
- Pay the general visa application fee ($160)
- Pay the SEVIS fee ($350)
- Schedule your OFC appointment and F1 visa interview
- Attend the F1 visa interview on the scheduled date
Keep in mind that you should have adequate liquid funds to cover the total cost of one year of education – this is mentioned in the I-20 form. Many students are under the wrong impression that their sponsor needs to deposit this entire amount in the bank and that otherwise their visa can be rejected. This is not true. Funds can be shown in the form of bank deposits as well as other liquid assets including education loans. Of course, having adequate funds alone does not guarantee a visa approval. The consulate officer also considers the following points:
- whether you have admission to an accredited and reputed university
- whether your academic background is good
- whether your GRE score is satisfactory
- whether your sponsor’s income is adequate
You should also have good communication skills and should be able to give convincing and honest answers to the consulate officer’s questions.
Start preparing your financial documents now and apply for an F-1 visa as soon as you get your I-20 form from the university you desire to attend.
For detailed guidance, avail of our visa counselling services by attending our visa workshop webinar on 20th February or 27th February at 9:00 am.
If you are not already an Admission Counselling student at the academy, register here: https://rzp.io/l/YoS0BjR3
Once you pay and enroll, you will receive the zoom registration link shortly.
Now gear up to prepare for the GRE at your own pace, from anywhere, anytime with Oak’s newly launched GRE Self-Prep: a 100% online self-paced learning module designed especially for Indian students.
After the resounding success of our online batches with live lectures, we have developed the GRE Self-Prep with the idea of providing a complete coaching experience to students sitting anywhere across the world at their convenience.
The GRE Self-Prep comprises:
Video Lessons
- 22+ hours of video lessons for Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing
- Key concepts
- Topic-specific drills
- Exclusive Analytical essay writing drills
- Basic Math practice drills
- Math formulae
- Video modules with interactive transcripts for better understanding
- Progress Tracking for self-assessment
- Viewed status
- Mark as Finished
- My Notes
Focused Practice
- Reinforce your understanding by solving the focused practice sets which include:
- Topic-wise questions for the Quantitative Aptitude Section.
- Specific question types for the Verbal Reasoning Section.
- 600+ questions on the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Aptitude sections combined.
- Bookmark questions and take notes to help you focus on your problem areas.
Mixed Practice
- 1700+ questions with explanatory answers
- Focus on your target areas with our customized practice by choosing from our practice sessions. Choose from question types and topics, timed/untimed sessions, difficulty levels.
- Customize your practice sessions by choosing from a variety of options like question types, topics, difficulty level, etc.
Timed and Untimed Practice Modes
- Untimed mode to give you a good grasp of the techniques.
- Timed quiz mode to train you to complete the questions in time.
In-depth Explanatory Answers
- Detailed explanations, covering all crucial points for every question.
Personalized Dashboard
- Track your Progress, access all features and get an instant analysis of your performance
- Bookmark questions and take notes to help you focus on your problem areas.
Full-Length Tests
Timed full-length tests according to the ETS pattern.
AWM Essays: Personalized feedback and scoring as per the ETS 6-point scale.
Explanatory Review: Detailed explanations for every single question.
Detailed Analysis: Question-wise analysis to gauge strengths and weaknesses.
Vocabulary Module
In-built vocabulary module in Focused and Mixed Practice that allows you to
- View the meaning and sample sentence for the difficult words used in each question or passage
- Mark the words based on the difficulty level and status
- Track difficult words at any time
So without further ado, check out our GRE Self-Prep packages HERE, and avail of all the learning features at the best price!
As India’s leading Study Abroad Consultant, Dilip Oak’s Academy offers a comprehensive suite of admission counseling services that can guide you through the entire process from Shortlisting Universities to Visa Counseling. With our expertise, we have successfully sent 32,000 students to various prestigious American universities like MIT, Stanford, Cornell, and Carnegie Mellon. We also offer classroom and online coaching for GRE, TOEFL, and IELTS, as well as GRE Self Prep. To explore our services, book a free consultation or call us at 91-20-67444222.
Every year, thousands of international students apply for a master’s degree in the US, majorly because the US education system offers well-structured programs, research opportunities, exposure, and most importantly, funding opportunities. US universities are very generous and provide a lot of financial assistance in the form of full funding, scholarships, or RA/TA/GA.
In this blog, we will discuss the 7 important criteria that you need to consider in order to avail scholarships and funding. If you are currently in the application process for fall 2022 and you meet most of the criteria, you can still apply for scholarships. If you are aiming for fall 2023, this is the right time to start ticking each of these criteria and make your profile ready for securing funding.
A high GPA: Students should have a consistently high academic record throughout the bachelor’s program (75% and above/GPA of 9.0 and above).
Paper presentations: Students who have a strong research aptitude and have published papers in nationally and internationally recognized journals and conferences, have high chances of securing full funding. At Dilip Oak’s Academy, one of our students, who presented three papers in international forums including Italy and the USA, received full funding for PhD in Computer Architecture from Georgia Tech, Ohio State, and Yale University.
Location: This is a very important factor that students often miss out on, while applying to universities. The majority of students apply to universities in the states of California, New York, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, Texas, Illinois, etc. Due to a very large application pool, getting financial aid from universities in these states is difficult. But if they were to apply to universities in the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, New Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Idaho etc. their chances of getting aid would be higher because the number of applicants is relatively low. The quality of education in these universities is equally good.
Professors: Students need to thoroughly research all the professors of the universities they plan to apply to. One can directly find them on university websites or (add name) study their work, their experience and interest, get in touch with them, and see if they are ready to offer any assistantship. Of course, applicants need to have a very strong academic background to receive a positive response from the professors.
GRE score: Along with other factors, the GRE score is also important. A GRE score above 320 (preferably above 330) maximizes your chances of securing funding.
SOPs and LORs: The Statement of Purpose plays a crucial role in securing financial assistance. Students need to ensure that their SOP brings out their intent, their story, their passion and why they deserve to receive funding. Similarly, strong recommendations from professors, project guides, or team lead (for working professionals) makes a strong impact on the application.
Relevant work experience: A relevant work experience of at least two years acts as a testament to one’s skills and commitment to the field and convinces the admissions committee that the applicant is a deserving candidate for a scholarship/funding.
For detailed assistance on the application process, university selection, drafting SOPs and LORs and planning your MS in the US, join our admission counseling today!
For those of you who want to pursue higher studies abroad, it is time to focus on preparing a strong application and considering all the key aspects required to strengthen your profile, including co-curricular activities.
Especially for those of you applying for undergraduate programs, your co-curricular and extra-curricular activities carry equal weight along with your academic and SAT scores. For the master’s program, your co-curricular activities will definitely set you apart.
Here are a few important co-curricular activities you can highlight and work on, to strengthen your profile:
Undergraduate Applicants
- School Headboy/girl, Class Prefect, House Captain, Model United Nations (MUN) speaker
- Editor or writer for college newsletters and magazines
- Participation in Science clubs and projects
- Inter-class and inter-school competitions and state/national level competitions, elocution, etc.
- Self-driven projects, seminars, and workshops
Graduate Applicants
- Technical quizzes during college fests
- Filing for patents
- Articles contributed for academic publication, state/national level technical competitions
- Seminars and projects
- Internship/ apprenticeship
For detailed guidance on building your profile and going about the application process, enrol for our admission counselling services today! We provide thorough guidance on drafting of SOPs, selection of universities, application essays, and visa counselling.
A consistently high GPA in your Bachelor’s degree is one of the important requirements to get into good American universities. But what happens if your GPA is low? Do you still have a chance to get into a good university?
Of course, yes.
American universities have a very holistic approach to a student’s profile and apart from your academic credentials, they consider several other factors including your GRE score before confirming your admission.
So if you have a low GPA, here are the things you need to work upon and highlight in order to make your application impressive:
A good GRE score: Though a lot of universities are waiving off the GRE, we recommend you to take the GRE and aim for a high score (above 320) because a good GRE score definitely adds value to your application and testifies of your strong reasoning and analytical skills that are required for getting RA, GA and TA. To improve your GRE score or prepare for the GRE, avail of our GRE coaching services and enroll for our next GRE batch here.
Strong SoP & LORs: A Statement of Purpose (SOP) is your key tool to enhance your application. It is your only chance to communicate your goals to the admissions committee. Therefore, make sure that your SOP that compels the committee to look at you as a “value addition” to their organization. Under our admission counselling services, we provide personal sessions with our SOP counsellors and help you draft a winning SOP.
Also make sure that you get recommendation letters from professors or project guides under whom you have studied at least for a semester or worked on a project as well as employer you have worked for, for at least a year. This helps to build credibility and impress the admissions committee.
Work Experience: More than on-paper scores, American universities are interested in knowing your practical knowledge of subjects and application skills. A relevant work experience, either an internship or a job, will demonstrate your skills, agility, and ability to work in a dynamic environment.
Co-curricular activities: Projects and paper presentations add a lot of value to your application. Make sure that you’ve worked on strong projects, and presented papers in nationally and internationally recognized seminars and reputed publications.