Student Visas and the Visa Interview
All too often I have had students come to me asking about the secrets to getting a student visa. My answer is always the same – there isn’t a secret or a magic formula that will guarantee you a visa. In actual fact, it is what you do before you apply for a visa that determines 90% of your likelihood of getting a visa. Here are some of the basics you need to keep in mind to improve your chances of getting a visa for any country.
Strong Academics – You want to study abroad so it is important that you have the best academic record you can. Why? Simply put, strong academic performance shows that you are a serious student intent of studying. Intent to study is a big factor for many countries and being a good student goes a long way in showing that intent. In most cases, there isn’t much you can do about improving your exam scores since you have taken most of your exams. This is when taking a standardized test like the GMAT or GRE can help boast your standing. A good score can really demonstrate your academic ability and it shows that you have taken the time to prepare properly for the university admissions process.
Reputable University – The word “reputable” gets thrown around a lot but I get a bit weary of this word as a constant descriptor for every university with a brand name. For me, I describe a reputable university as one that focuses on student education and research. While that might seem self-evident, you would be surprised at how many students apply to universities that seem solely bent on attracting international students and the tuition that comes with it.
The good news is that most universities are reputable and do keep education as their core focus. Still, you need to be wary of a university that has a huge majority of international students or have programs that are so cheap, you wonder how they can run a quality program.
Financials – Education is an investment and having the money in place to make the investment is important. Just about every country wants to see a bank statement or loan sanction letter to make sure you can pay. In some cases, they want you to deposit money in advance before you apply for a visa. The key here is that you have the funding set aside for your education. If you or your family have savings set aside, make sure that money has been in the account for six months to a year. Bank loans are actually a great indicator of a student’s ability to pay because the bank itself has checked out if you have the means to pay.
Online Presence – This is a relatively new requirement for visas and it is becoming an important one. Many countries now ask for you your online handles and IDs so that they can see if you are who you say you are. I have seen a number of cases where students put information on their visa applications that was contrary to what was on their Facebook page. What you ate for dinner last night or who your friends are doesn’t matter. Making sure that your social media life is in line with what you have put on your application sure does.
The Interview
Many countries require some sot of interview and the US visa interview is amongst the most notorious. Such interviews are a nerve-racking experience. I am a big fan of preparation, but all too often I see students mugging answers to a long list of questions. In my experience it’s better to have a strong narrative and goals. If you are investing in an education abroad you should know your reasons for going already. Its important for you to be able to convey those ideas in a clear and concise manner.
The core of your narrative needs to be how getting a degree from the university you selected will help you achieve your academic and career goals when you come back to your home country. What requires preparation is how you connect your education, your area of academic focus, your work experience and your future plans to that simple core idea. The good news is that instead of mugging answers to 100 seemingly unrelated questions, you just need to learn how to answer those questions through your core narrative. Then the whole process becomes easier.
Different Processes for Different Countries – Each country has its own student visa process. The process can be fairly simple where the visa pretty much comes with the admission to the university. There are other countries where the visa process is long and requires an interview or a statement of intent. It is incredibly important that you understand the visa process for each country that has universities to which you are applying. Understand what they are looking for
US Student Visas – The visa approval rate for the United States have been up and down over the past four years. There are a lot of variables to consider, but I want to leave you with the two key points that I have distilled from my conversations with US consulate staff and from the US State Department.
During a presentation about student visas at a NAFSA conference, an Assistant Deputy Secretary (despite the sound of the title it’s a high up position) quite simply stated that 98% of the rejection of student visas was because they didn’t feel the applicant’s intent was to study. The message can’t be any clearer – visas rejections are all about being a genuine student.
When talking with visa officers in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai they all said the same thing – they want to get to “Yes” when interviewing a student. They understand that the interview is intimidating and that people are nervous. The more questions they ask, the more they are trying to understand your perspective and why you want to study in the US. In the end, they want to give genuine students the opportunity to study in the US.
In the end, there is no magic formula for getting a student visa. It is all about knowing the visa process, the preparations you make before the applying for the visa and having a strong narrative to share with anyone who asks. I also have to add that being honest is the only policy. There are lots of people out there that push short cuts and worse. I have seen too many cases where students have been blacklisted or even kicked out of a country for not telling the truth. I believe there is an educational opportunity abroad for every student that is able to invest in an education. There is no need to bend or break the rules. It is all about preparation and finding the right opportunity.
About Post Author
About The Author
Sheldon Wallbrown
Creative Aspirations, Head of Admissions & University Relations Sheldon have over two decades working in education in both the United States and India. He has worked with hundreds of students find the educational opportunities that are right for them.
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