Intensive American English Institute, a division of House of Tutors, is licensed to issue I-20’s for students wishing to study on an F-1 visa. We offer programs year-round; students are welcome to join our program at any time. For more information please follow the links below.

Getting an I-20

All I-20 applications need to provide:

• A completed application
• $50 application fee
• Statement of purpose - 3 to 4 sentences explaining why you want to study English (In your own words)
• Recent bank statement (not older than 6 months old) - must show account holder's name in English characters and at least $6000 in American dollars, plus $2000 for each dependent
• Sponsor letter (only if bank statement is not yours) - This letter must include the account holder's name, their relation to you and a statement that they will support you in the United States.

Applying for an F-1 Visa - back to top

What is needed to Apply for a Student Visa?

All applicants for a student visa must provide:

1. An I-20 Form obtained from a United States college, school or university. Please be sure to give all three pages of the I-20 form. The form must also be signed by you and by a school official in the appropriate places.
   • IAEI uses eShipGlobal for student I-20 shipping services.
2. A completed non-immigrant visa application form (DS-156) with a photograph. The photograph must be 1 ½ inches square (37x37mm) and showing your full face (without head covering) against a lighted background. These forms are available at the Embassy at no charge.
3. A passport valid for travel to the U.S. and with a validity date at least 6 months longer than your intended period of stay in the U.S.
4. A receipt for the visa-processing fee. Each applicant for a student-visa must pay a non-refundable US$100 application fee. Information concerning this fee can be found at www.fmjfee.com
5. Financial evidence that shows you (or the parent/person who is sponsoring you) have sufficient funds to pay for your tuition and living expenses during the period of your intended study. For example, if you or your sponsor is a salaried employee, please bring income tax documents and original bankbooks and/or statements. If you or your sponsor owns a business, please bring business registration, licenses, etc.

All applicants should also be prepared to provide:

1. A Letter of Acceptance from the school that issues your I-20.
2. Completed forms DS-157 and DS-158 may be required.
3. Transcripts and diplomas from previous institutions that you have attended, including any English language schools.
4. Scores from standardized tests required by the educational institution such as the TOEFL, SAT, GRE, GMAT, etc. if you have taken any of these.

Please remember that USCIS law requires that you report to the school on the first working day after your arrival in Austin. Also, if for any reason your F-1 visa is denied, you must return your I-20 to us. Please return it by certified mail immediately after your visa is denied.

IAEI Application Process - back to top

If you are already in the US
Come for registration with the following documents. Have your tuition payment ready.

1. Passport 
2. Copy of I-20 (new and old if any)
3. I-94 (white card attached to passport)
4. Download Application form (new and re-admitted students.) Indicate change of address, phone #, etc.
5. $50.00 non-refundable registration fee (if you are already in the USA) 
6. Transfer form (transferring students only). You are allowed to transfer from another institution and we can help you do this.
7. Bank statement. If your bank statement is older than one year, you must obtain a new one from your bank or sponsor ($5,700 for 4 months approx.)
8. Tuition payment. Checks should be made payable to House of Tutors. For approved installment payments you must speak to administration to make appropriate arrangements.
9. For changes of status, reinstatements or immigration related matters you will need to set up an appointment with the immigration adviser. Bring all of the above mentioned documents except for your tuition payment.
   Bring all documents together.

In order to apply to our program from abroad, you must send us:

• The completed application
• A recent bank statement demonstrating financial ability (In $US) or a letter from your sponsor
• $50.00 non-refundable registration fee + the courier costs (by money order, cashiers check, or credit card charge). The courier fee is currently $50. 
• A letter concerning your intentions here in the United States.
  If you are accepted, we will then send you an I-20 and your acceptance letters via private courier upon arrival.

1. CONSULAR APPOINTMENT & PAPERWORK

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.

In most countries, first-time student visa applicants are required to have an in-person interview. However, each embassy and consulate sets its own interview policies and procedures regarding student visas. You should consult Embassy web sites (http://travel.state.gov/links.html) or call for specific application instructions.

Remember that June, July, and August are the busiest months in most consular offices, and interview appointments are the most difficult to get during that time. You need to plan ahead to avoid having to make multiple visits to the Embassy. Most consular offices require an appointment. If possible, you should bring the documents suggested below, as well as any other documents that might help establish your ties to the local community.

To allow time to overcome any unforeseen problems that might arise, it is best to apply for your visa several weeks before you plan to travel. You should NOT apply more than 90 days before the registration date noted on the I-20.

It is important to remember that applying early and providing the requested documents DOES NOT GUARANTEE that the student will receive a visa. Also, because each student’s personal and academic situation is different, two students applying for the same visa may be asked different questions and may be required to submit different documents. For this reason, the guidelines that follow are general and can be abridged or expanded by consular officers, depending on each student’s situation.

2. TIES TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY: Evidence of Residence Abroad

You must establish to the satisfaction of the consular officer that you have strong ties to a residence in your country that you have no intention of abandoning, and that you will depart the United States when you have completed your studies. It is impossible to specify the exact form the evidence should take since applicants’ circumstances vary greatly.

The United States is an open society. Unlike many other countries, the U.S. does not impose internal controls on most visitors, such as registration with local authorities. In order to enjoy the privilege of unencumbered travel in the U.S., before a student visa is issued, you have a responsibility to prove that you are going to return to your home country. Under U.S. law, all applicants for non-immigrant visas, such as student visas, are viewed as intending immigrants (people who do not intend to return to their home country) until they can convince the consular officer that they are not. Therefore, you must be able to show that you have reasons for returning to your home country that are stronger than those for remaining in the U.S.

What constitutes “strong ties”?
“Ties” to your home country are the things that bind you to your home town, homeland, or current place of residence. Some examples of ties are a job, family, a house, financial assets that you own or will inherit, investments, etc. Strong ties differ from country to country, city to city, individual to individual. If you are a prospective undergraduate, the interviewing officer may ask about your specific intentions or promise to future employment in your home country; 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 perfect explanation or single document, certificate, or letter that can guarantee visa issuance. The consular officer wants to know that you see that you have strong reasons to return to your home country after your studies are completed.

During the visa interview, consular officials look at each application individually and consider professional, social, cultural and other factors. In cases of younger applicants who may not have had an opportunity to form many ties, consular officers may look at the applicant’s specific intentions, family situations, and long-range plans and prospects within his or her country of residence. Each person’s situation is different. Each case is examined individually and is accorded every consideration under the law.

Consular officers may not issue a student visa unless they are satisfied that you:

• Have a residence in your home country.
• Have no intention of abandoning that residence.
• Most importantly, intend to depart from the U.S. upon completion of your studies.

3. DETERMING FINANCIAL STATUS

You must also prove that sufficient funds are or will be available from an identified and reliable financial source to pay for all living and school expenses during the entire period of anticipated study in the United States. Specifically, you must prove you have enough readily available funds to meet all expenses for the first 4 months of study, and that you will have adequate funds available for each subsequent year of study.

You must provide documentary evidence that sufficient funds are, or will be, available to pay for all expenses during the entire period of anticipated study. This does not mean that you must have cash immediately available to cover the entire period of intended study, which may last several years. The consular officer must, however, require credible documentary evidence that you have enough readily available funds to meet all expenses for the first 4 months of study. The officer also must be satisfied that, barring unforeseen circumstances, adequate funds will be available for each subsequent year of study from the same source or from one or more specifically identified and reliable financial sources.

Funds From Source(s) Outside the United States

If you indicate that you have financial support from a source outside the U.S. (for example, your parents), the consular officer must determine whether there are restrictions on the transfer of funds from the country concerned. If so, the consular officer must require acceptable evidence that these restrictions will not prevent the funds from being transferred during the period of your anticipated stay in the U.S.

Affidavits of Support or Other Assurances by an Interested Party

The following factors are important in evaluating assurances of financial support:

A. Financial support to a student is not just a formality to facilitate the applicant’s entry into the U.S., nor does it pertain only when you cannot otherwise provide adequate personal support. Rather, the sponsor must ensure that you will not become a public charge or be compelled to take unauthorized employment while studying in the U.S. This obligation commences when you enter the U.S. and continues until your departure.

B. The consular officer must require documentary evidence to resolve any doubt that the financial status of the person giving the assurance is sufficient to substantiate the assertion that financial support is available to the applicant.

C. If the person giving the assurance is in the U.S. in non-immigrant status, the consular officer must examine the evidence presented with exceptional care. IS the sponsor’s financial situation sufficient to provide the funds without need to resort to unauthorized employment? Is it likely to worse during the period of the commitment, possibly compelling the applicant or the sponsor to resort to unauthorized employment? Will the non-immigrant sponsor remain in the United States at least as long as the student?

D. The consular officer must also carefully evaluate the factors that would motivate a sponsor to honor a commitment of financial support. If the sponsor is a close relative of the applicant, there may be a greater probability that the commitment will be honored than if the sponsor is not a relative. Regardless of the relationship, the consular officer must be satisfied that the reasons prompting the offer of financial support make it likely the commitment will be fulfilled.

4. SPEAK FOR YOURSELF
Do not bring any 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 for yourself.

5. 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 U.S. relates to your future professional career when you return home. Be prepared to show your grades, transcripts, and evaluations from all the schools that you have attended, especially any English language schools.

6. 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 decide in a very short time if someone is qualified to receive an F-1 visa. Most cases are decided after a brief interview and review of whatever evidence of ties you present. They must make a decision based mostly on the impressions that 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.

7. NOT ALL COUNTRIES ARE EQUAL
If you are from a country that is suffering economic problems or from a country where many students have remained in the United States longer than they were supposed to, you will likely have more difficulty getting a visa. 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 U.S.

8. EMPLOYMENT
Your only purpose in coming to the United States is to study, NOT for the chance to work before or after graduation. While many students do work off-campus during their studies at colleges or universities (NOT Intensive English Programs),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. An F-1 student may not accept off-campus employment at any time during the first year of study; however, the INS may grant permission to accept off-campus employment after 1 year of study at a college or university (NOT Intensive English Programs).

9. DEPENDENTS REMAINING AT HOME
If your spouse and children are remaining behind in your country, be prepared to explain how they will support themselves in your absence. This can be especially difficult if you are the primary source of income for your family. If the consular officer has the impression that your family will need you to send money from the U.S. for financial support, your F-1 visa application will almost certainly be denied. If your family decides to join you at a later time, it is helpful to have them apply at the same post where you applied for your visa.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - back to top

1. What if my visa expires while I am in the country?
As long as your I-20 is valid, you can stay in the country and continue studying. But if you leave the country with an expired visa, you will need to reapply for another one. SO…make sure your I-20 is always valid! If the expiration date is approaching and you intend to continue your studies, you can talk to an IAEI staff person who can extend your I-20.

2. As an F-1 student, when am I eligible for a vacation?
As an F-1 student, you are required to be attending school 30 weeks per year. At House of Tutors, we require that you attend 30 weeks of class before you take a vacation. For example, if you begin classes in January, you will be eligible for a vacation after you have studied during the spring session (15 weeks), summer session (10 weeks) and 5 weeks of the fall session. Many students prefer to take their vacation during the summer, so they study during the fall and spring semesters in able to take 10 weeks off during the summer.

3. Do you help students go through a change of status?
Yes, we do help students wishing to change their status. Click here for more information.

What are the limitations with the F-1 visa?

• You are restricted to attending only the specific school for which your visa currently has been approved when you arrive in the U.S.
• You must attend classes regularly to maintain your student status.
• You must study for two consecutive sessions before you can take a break. This includes the Summer session if you have entered the U.S. during the Spring session.
• You may not work legally off-campus while attending an Intensive English Program.
• Accompanying family members may stay with a student, but they may not work.

Where can I find more information?

http://travel.state.gov/visa_services.html

Traveling Tips - back to top

Arrange for your flight as soon as you know your report date. Your college or university can assist you with information about your arrival, including the distance from the airport to the campus and the most reliable form of transportation. Find out in advance how to get from the airport to the campus. In most cases, you will take a bus or shuttle van to the campus or to the city or town closest to the campus. Do not take a taxi unless the distance is quite short or you have been advised to do so by your institution. Ask the cost of the trip before getting into the taxi.

Once you have reached your campus, visit the foreign-student office as soon as possible. The location of that office and its hours should appear in the information sent to you before your arrival. Most offices are open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Plan ahead, so that you know where to go if you arrive at night or on the weekend. The international student office can recommend convenient and inexpensive places to stay. At most U.S. airports you will find a display of information about local hotels and motels.

You can expect to experience fatigue and other physical symptoms due to long-distance travel and time changes. Be well rested at the start of your trip and take care of details in advance. Eat lightly and drink plenty of water the day before you travel.

Prepare for changes in temperature by wearing several layers of clothing that can be removed or added as needed. Keep your passport, travel documents, and money with you at all times. Keep important papers in your carry-on luggage, with photocopies in your other baggage. Label your baggage inside and out with your name and both your home and U.S. addresses and telephone numbers. Use the address and phone number of the international student office, if necessary. To prevent inconvenience in the case of lost luggage, keep in your carry-on luggage all of the items you would need for one night's emergency stay in a hotel.

Toward the end of your flight, the airline personnel will give you several forms to complete for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and U.S. Customs. It is forbidden to bring certain items into the United States (for example, fruits, vegetables, drugs, firearms). You will be asked to report the value of the things you are bringing into the United States. Simply follow the directions on the forms. If necessary, ask the flight attendant for clarifications.

Present your passport, visa, I-20 or IAP-66 form, and evidence of financial support to the U.S. immigration officer at the airport. After questioning you about your plans in the United States, the immigration officer will decide how long you will be allowed to stay. After this, you will be directed to the Customs Service for inspection of your baggage.
Source: NAFSA’s International Student Handbook

Documents to Bring With You
Bring with you to the United States any important documents that relate to your academic, medical, and legal history:

• Official transcripts from secondary schools, colleges, or universities
• Medical and dental records, including certificates of immunizations and vaccinations (especially important for young children)
• Information about medical conditions or treatments, prescriptions for medication (including the generic and brand names) and eyeglasses
• Marriage certificate
• Birth certificates for children
• International driver's license

Obtain English translations of these documents and have the translations certified by a U.S. educational advising center or a U.S. consulate or embassy. Retain photocopies of all original documents for your records.
Source: NAFSA’s International Student Handbook

Money
Bring with you enough money to cover the expenses of your first month, which is likely to be one of the most expensive periods of your stay. Before the term begins you will pay for local transportation, possibly several nights of lodging before you find an apartment, and meals. Once on campus, your expenses may include:

• Tuition and fees for the first term
• Books and supplies
• Housing deposits and rent
• Health-insurance
• Clothing appropriate for the climate
• Household items

Do not carry a large sum of cash. Traveler’s checks are a safer way to carry money. You may need to transfer larger amounts of money for your expenses for the year. Several options exist, and you should check with your institution and your bank to discuss the solution that best suits your situation. You should learn whether your country has restrictions on sending money abroad.
The best ways to carry or transfer money are:

• Traveler's checks (in U.S. dollars)
• A bank check (also called a cashier's check) drawn on a U.S. bank in U.S. dollars
• A "wire transfer" from your bank at home to your new institution (if you are paying a bill) or to a U.S. bank

Avoid checks in U.S. dollars drawn on a foreign bank. Such checks take much longer to "clear" than do checks drawn on U.S. banks or even checks in your home currency drawn on a bank at home. Remember that until a check clears, you will not have access to the money it represents.

Source: NAFSA’s International Student Handbook

The most effective way to combat culture shock is to step back from a given event that has bothered you, assess it, and search for an appropriate explanation and response. Try the following:

• Observe how others are acting in the same situation
• Describe the situation, what it means to you, and your response to it
• Ask a local resident or someone with extensive experience how they would have handled the situation and what it means in the host culture
• Plan how you might act in this or similar situations in the future
• Test the new behavior and evaluate how well it works
• Decide how you can apply what you have learned the next time you find yourself in a similar situation

Throughout the period of cultural adaptation, take good care of yourself. Read a book or rent a video in your home language, take a short trip if possible, exercise and get plenty of rest, write a letter or telephone home, eat good food, and do things you enjoy with friends. Take special notice of things you enjoy about living in the host culture.

Although it can be disconcerting and a little scary, the "shock" gradually eases as you begin to understand the new culture. It is useful to realize that often the reactions and perceptions of others toward you--and you toward them--are not personal evaluations but are based on a clash of cultural values. The more skilled you become in recognizing how and when cultural values and behaviors are likely to come in conflict, the easier it becomes to make adjustments that can help you avoid serious difficulties.
Source: NAFSA’s International Student Handbook

Change of Status - back to top

If you require a change of status to an F-1 visa you must submit the following documents to USCIS:

1. I-20 from your prospective school (please see I-20 checklist) Our I-20 shipping and payment is handled through eShipGlobal.
2. A receipt for the $100 SEVIS fee (information concerning payment of this fee can be found at www.fmjfee.com)
3. A completed I-539 form (http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/i-539.htm)
4. A letter written to the USCIS explaining why you entered the U.S. on a different visa from the one you are requesting now.
5. Copies of your immigration documents including: your I-94 card, your current visa and your passport information.
6. Proof of financial support that shows your ability to pay for your first semester of study. You will need to show at least $6,000 and an additional $2,000 per dependent. If you have your own funds you will provide your original bank statement dated within the last 30 days. If you have a sponsor, you will need to provide his/her original bank statements as well as a letter from the sponsor promising to pay for your studies while you are in the United States.
7. A check in the amount of $300 written to the USCIS which is non-refundable.
8. Send these items certified mail to:

   USCIS Vermont Service Center
   ATTN: I-539
   75 Lower Welden Street
   St. Albans, VT 05479

Make copies of all the documents and send the package by an express mail service or US registered mail “return receipt requested”. You will receive a confirmation number from USCIS when your items have started processing. You can check the progress of the Change of Status with the confirmation number. The Change of Status generally takes 2 to 4 months. Once you have received the Change of Status you must begin classes on the start date of your I-20. 

F-1 Regulations - back to top

The following are guidelines to maintaining your F-1 student status. You were admitted to the U.S. for the ‘duration of status” D/S, which means that you are permitted to stay in the U.S. as long as stay in status by fulfilling the obligations between you and U.S. government. Even if your visa is valid, you can lose your F-1 status if you do not comply with the immigration laws regulating your stay in the U.S.

• Maintain a valid passport at all times
• Attend the school listed on your I-20
• Complete an official immigration transfer whenever you change educational institutions
• Obtain a new I-20 whenever you make a change in degree levels or change programs
• NEVER work off-campus unless you have first received authorization from USCIS.
• Request a travel endorsement on the back of your I-20 from the ESL Office before leaving the U.S.
• Keep good attendance and standing at the school you are attending
• Report a change of address to the ESL Office within 10 days
• Within 60 days of completion of a program of study you must

1. Leave the U.S.
2. Change to another immigration status
3. Transfer to another program and enroll in the next possible semester

If you have additional questions please see the ESL Coordinator or contact us.

Health Insurance - back to top

Health insurance is required to enter our program and we strongly advise that students purchase a plan before entering the United States. We do not offer insurance through our program but have information on companies that offer plans to international students.
Insurance plans vary in coverage and cost. Here are some of the things to look for:

• The "premium": the cost of coverage for the specified period of time
• Exclusions for items such as maternity costs, mental-health care, and "pre-existing conditions"
• Coverage of preventive care
• Limits on the maximum payment the insurer will make
• High "deductibles" (an annual amount you must pay before insurance payments begin)
• High "co-payments" (that percentage of a bill for which you are responsible, even after you meet your deductible amount)
• Source: NAFSA’s International Student Handbook

If you have additional questions please meet with the ESL Coordinator or contact us.

Transfer Information - back to top

1. Complete and sign an application form
2. Pay the one-time $50 application fee
3. Provide financial statements
4. Write a short statement explaining your purpose for studying English
5. Sign the transfer-in form and give it to the school you are transferring from

If you have additional questions please meet with the ESL Coordinator or contact us.

Vacation - back to top

IAEI offers classes year-round. The immigration law says that you are eligible for an annual vacation if you have completed the equivalent of an academic year (9 consecutive months of study or 30 consecutive weeks of class) prior to taking the vacation and only if you intend to enroll the following term.

*Students who study the entire fall and spring 15-week semesters may take vacation during the summer if they intend to continue their studies the next term.

*Students who begin their studies in January must continue their studies during the 10-week summer course as well as the first five weeks of fall semester before they are eligible for vacation.

*Students who go through a change of status must begin the start date listed on their I-20 and are eligible for vacation only after 9 months of study.

If you have questions concerning vacation eligibility please contact the ESL department.