International Students

Applying for a Student Visa

If you wish to study in the U.S. you must have a valid student visa. The U.S. Embassy issues student visas for full time study on the understanding that you have sufficient funds for study and living expenses for the duration of your stay in the U.S. There are regulations that must be met before a student visa can be issued and these vary from country to country. Information about how to apply for your student visa can be obtained from your Education Recruiter or the nearest U.S. Embassy in your country.

10 Points to Remember When Applying for a Nonimmigrant Visa Your Visit to the U.S. Embassy

1. Ties to Your Home Country
   Under U.S. law, all applicants for nonimmigrant visas, such as student visas, are viewed as intending immigrants until they can convince the consular officer that they are not. You must therefore be able to show that you have reasons for returning to your home country that are stronger than those for remaining in the United States. "Ties" to your home country are the things that bind you to your home town, homeland, or current place of residence: job, family, financial prospects that you own or will inherit, investments, etc. If you are a prospective undergraduate, the interviewing officer may ask about your specific intentions or promise of future employment, family or other relationships, educational objectives, grades, long-range plans and career prospects in your home country.
   Each person's situation is different, of course, and there is no magic explanation or single document, certificate, or letter which can guarantee visa issuance. If you have applied for the U.S. Green Card Lottery, you may be asked if you are intending to immigrate. A simple answer would be that you applied for the lottery since it was available but not with a specific intent to immigrate. If you overstayed your authorised stay in the United States previously, be prepared to explain what happened clearly and concisely, with documentation, if available.
2. English
   Anticipate that the interview will be conducted in English and not in your native language. One suggestion is to practice English conversation with a native speaker before the interview, but do NOT prepare speeches! If you are coming to the United States solely to study intensive English, be prepared to explain how English will be useful for you in your home country.
3. Speak for Yourself
   Do not bring parents or family members with you to the interview. The consular officer wants to interview you, not your family. A negative impression is created if you are not prepared to speak on your own behalf. If you are a minor applying for a high school program and need your parents there in case there are questions, for example about funding, they should wait in the waiting room.
4. Know the Program and How It Fits Your Career Plans
   If you are not able to articulate the reasons you will study in a particular program in the United States, you may not succeed in convincing the consular officer that you are indeed planning to study, rather than to immigrate. You should also be able to explain how studying in the United States relates to your future professional career when you return home.
5. Be Brief
   Because of the volume of applications received, all consular officers are under considerable time pressure to conduct a quick and efficient interview. They must make a decision, for the most part, on the impressions they form during the first minute of the interview. Consequently, what you say first and the initial impression you create are critical to your success. Keep your answers to the officer's questions short and to the point.
6. Additional Documentation
   It should be immediately clear to the consular officer what written documents you are presenting and what they signify. Lengthy written explanations cannot be quickly read or evaluated. Remember that you will have 2-3 minutes of interview time, if you are lucky.
7. Not All Countries are Equal
   Applicants from countries suffering economic problems or from countries where many students have remained in the United States as immigrants will have more difficulty getting visas. Statistically, applicants from those countries are more likely to be intending immigrants. They are also more likely to be asked about job opportunities at home after their study in the United States.
8. Employment
   Your main purpose in coming to the United States should be to study, not for the chance to work before or after graduation. While many students do work off-campus during their studies, such employment is incidental to their main purpose of completing their U.S. education. You must be able to clearly articulate your plan to return home at the end of your program. If your spouse is also applying for an accompanying F-2 visa, be aware that F-2 dependents cannot, under any circumstances, be employed in the United States. If asked, be prepared to address what your spouse intends to do with his or her time while in the United States. Volunteer work and attending school part-time are permitted activities.
9. Dependents Remaining at Home
   If your spouse and children are remaining behind in your country, be prepared to address how they will support themselves in your absence. This can be an especially tricky area if you are the primary source of income for your family. If the consular officer gains the impression that your family will need you to remit money from the United States in order to support themselves, your student visa application will almost certainly be denied. If your family does decide to join you at a later time, it is helpful to have them apply at the same post where you applied for your visa.
10. Maintain a Positive Attitude
    Do not engage the consular officer in an argument. If you are denied a student visa, ask the officer for a list of documents he or she would suggest you bring in order to overcome the refusal, and try to get the reason you were denied in writing.

The above is Credited to NAFSA & to Gerald A. Wunsch, Esq., 1997, then a member of the Consular Issues Working Group, and a former U.S. Consular Officer in Mexico, Suriname, and the Netherlands; and Martha Wailes of Indiana University for their contributions to this document. NAFSA also appreciates the input of the U.S. Department of State.

Step 2: Organize your Accommodation

UMass Dartmouth guarantees you on-campus housing as a Navitas at UMass Dartmouth student. As a resident on-campus, you will join the 4,200 other students making the most of their college experience and will have even greater opportunity to take advantage of the campus lifestyle and facilities. The residence halls provide a safe, clean, and well maintained living environment. There are special programs to guide you through the first year, with both professional staff and student resident assistants (RAs) to help with questions and problems.

Before the start of the semester, Navitas and UMass Dartmouth offer an orientation program to help you prepare for the semester. At orientation you will learn all you need to know about life at UMass Dartmouth. You will tour the campus, meet the staff of the International Students and Scholars office, set up a U.S. bank account and prepare to start the semester.

If you would like to arrive in Dartmouth prior to the start of orientation, you will need to make arrangements for where to stay prior to moving into the dorm. You can contact the Navitas staff to assist with this at AdmissionsUMD@navitas.com.
If you plan on traveling within the United States before the start of classes plan on arriving into the U.S. early and arriving in Dartmouth on time for orientation.

You may be asked to present all the following at the Port of Entry, so have them easily accessible in your carry-on along with your Airline Tickets:

• Passport
• Visa Document (Form I-20) - If the U.S. Embassy returned your visa document in a sealed envelope only to be opened by a U.S. Official at the U.S. Port of Entry, please honour this.
• UMass Dartmouth Admissions letter
• The Original Financial Documentation that you provided to U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

At the Port of Entry to the U.S. you will be issued a Form I-94 (a small white card which will be stapled in your passport. It is also known as your Arrival/Departure record.) You will be the one to complete the information on this card. Be very careful to print your name, date of birth and citizenship correctly. The name should be consistent with how it appears on your passport and visa document (Form I-20). If you provide inaccurate information on this card, it will be complicated to correct it after your arrival at UMass Dartmouth.

The Official at the Port of Entry will write “F-1” and “D/S” according to your visa type. Make sure they do this correctly before walking away. If they did not, politely ask them to do so. Also refer to the Port of Entry information sent to you by the UMass Dartmouth International Students and Scholars Office.

Sometimes Customs and Border Protection agents may not appear friendly. Do not be nervous, calmly present the documents that the agents requests and answer any questions they ask you.

Airport Reception

We provide transportation from Boston Logan International Airport to UMass Dartmouth dormitories. To request pick up upon arrival to Boston Logan International Airport, please fill out the airport service form and send it to admissionsUMD@navitas.com at least two weeks before arrival.