Picking a good school to study can be a very daunting task especially when your means are limited. Many students want to study in the United States, but they are unable to afford top schools unless they benefit from some sort of scholarship. Because of this many small schools have made their ways in the system. Many of them are actually “booming” because of the cost of education in the United States. Unfortunately some have actually taken advantage of foreign students and fail to actually deliver. Others have actually become ‘pay to stay’ institutions. As student it is your duty to recognize such schools.

This is an overview of the student visa process on the most common student visas used in the United States. This other article gives you 10 things to look into before choosing a school.

Once you pick the school, you can apply. Once you determine the level of education and degree you would like to earn, you can apply to schools. Only schools certified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) can accept international students. You can use the Study in the States school search page to make sure the school you are interested in is SEVP-certified.

Note that just because a school is on the SEVP list does not mean the school is good or offering genuine student visas. We recommend doing more research and making sure the 10 points mentioned above are considered. You should talk to a lawyer immediately in case you feel the school is not compliant.

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