Process for getting student (F1) visa

1. Take a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) test. Ask the nearest US embasy for information about this test.

2. Apply to a US university. You have to provide a proof of enough finances to support yourself for a year.

3. The university will issue you I-20 form

4. Take I-20 and your proof of finances to the neares US consulate and apply for F1 visa.

You might have to prove that you don't plan to immigrate to US. In other words, you must plan to return back after completing your studies.

Tourist (B2) changing to student (F1) status

If you plan to change to student status it is best to tell this to the visa officer when you apply for your B2 visa. That way, you will get a special annotation ("prospective student") to your passport, and you eliminate the posibility of being accused of visa fraud.

If you're already in US as a tourist, and you have changed your mind, that's OK. You should just be prepared to prove that you had genuine tourist plans when entering US, and you changed your mind after entering US.

The process of changing status is similar to getting F1 visa:

1. Take a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) test. Ask the university's foreign student advisor for information about the test and where to take it.

2. Apply to a US university. You have to provide a proof of enough finances to support yourself for a year.

3. The university will issue you I-20 form

4. File the change of status form with INS. The university's foreign student advisor will help you filling the form..