If you are thinking about going to study English in the United States or if you are already in the US learning English and need to change schools, come with us and we will tell you everything you need to know about the F-1 student visa.

There are more than 80 different types of visas in the US, but if you are thinking about studying English in the country, you only need to worry about the F-1 visa.

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Who can have the F-1 visa?

The F-1 visa is for international students, typically full-time students. It is a nonimmigrant student visa, meaning you will have the right to study in the United States for a while, but you must have the intention to return to your home country.

The F-1 visa does not have an age limit but specifically in language schools, you must be at least 16 years old to apply. In addition, this visa is not only for international students who want to study English at a US language school but also for those who want to study in high schools, colleges, and universities.

To be eligible for the F-1 visa, international students must have a minimum workload of 18 hours of study per week, in addition to being enrolled in government-accredited courses and institutions. Which means that you can’t choose the first thing you see in front of you.

In addition to analyzing whether the school is well-rated by alumni, it is necessary to understand whether the institution is certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which is part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a program that administers the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

What is the step by step to get the F-1 visa?

If you already know that you want to improve your English by learning directly from the source, we will tell you, step by step, how to guarantee your visa and your dream of studying abroad.

1. The first step is to choose between using an exchange agency in your country or negotiating directly with the institution you wish to study. Using an agency you will have support in your own country, but it may end up being more expensive than going directly to the school, so it is worth considering what is best for you.

2. The second step is to submit your documents, fill out an application and pay the fees of the language school you are applying to. With this data, the institution will issue a document called I-20, which is a document that can only be issued by schools accredited by the US government and is what, in fact, will give the right to have legal student status in the US.

3. The third step is to get your I-20 document from the language school and pay the US government fees. Unlike school fees, these are for the government institution that controls the I-20.

4. The fourth step is to schedule your embassy interview online and then attend the interview in person. On the day, you will take your I-20 document and answer a series of questions from the US Embassy to prove that you are financially able to study in the US and that you have ties in your home country and intend to return.

5. The fifth step, if you have been approved for the F-1 visa at the interview, is to pick up your visa at the embassy and travel to study English in the United States.

What is the step-by-step guide for those who are already in the US and want to change institutions?

If you are already an international student in the US and you are not satisfied with the language school you are studying at, know that you have the right to request a transfer to another institution.

To make the transfer, you need to contact the school where you want to go and go through the same initial process of submitting documents, paying the school fee, and getting the I-20 document. With the I-20 issued at the new institution and fees paid, simply request the transfer at the institution where you are and the two schools will resolve your transfer internally between them.

You can even live in a US city and see if you can take online classes at an institution in another city, mainly because of the government decree made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which announced that online classes for some international students would continue throughout 2022 and 2023, following Covid protocols.

What are the obligations of a student with an F-1 visa?

Those who hold the F-1 student visa need to fulfill some obligations to not lose their legal rights to stay in the country:

• You must be a full-time student, with a minimum workload of 18 hours per week;

• You must attend classes to prove that you are studying;

• It is necessary to pass the courses and advance in the language program;

• You are not allowed to leave and enter the country during your studies without the permission of the school;

• It is not allowed to work with the F-1 visa unless you are going to work at the institution where you are studying.

In addition, it is possible to bring your family to the country, spouses and children, who will be entitled to the F-2 visa, for dependents of those who have F-1 visas. Spouses who hold an F-2 visa are also eligible to study, but with a reduced workload, and children with an F-2 visa are entitled to study in US public schools from kindergarten through high school.

How to know which institutions offer the F-1 visa?

There are thousands of educational institutions across the United States that offer the F-1 visa to international students, including high schools, universities, language schools, and other educational institutions.

For a complete list of educational institutions that offer the F-1 visa, visit the website of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

How to choose the best language school?

In addition to looking at the schools' evaluations on Google, and listening to reports and testimonials from former students of the schools on YouTube and social media, it is recommended that you look for language schools certified by The Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA).

CEA is recognized by the US Department of Education and aims to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of the course and services of accredited institutions based on CEA standards of English language programs and institutions, which are designed and approved by professionals in the field.

Liberty Language Academy is one of the CEA - Accredited Language Schools. Discover our educational institution and guarantee your F-1 international student visa with our intensive course.