US Embassy might change student visa application process from 2022 summer
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Thousands of Indian students who want to study in the US universities in the 2022 Fall season need to know about the changes the US embassy in India planning to make in the visa application system this summer of 2022.
“Last year we interviewed more students and issued more students and issued more student visas in India than ever before. This year we hope the number of student visas will be even higher than the 62,000 issued last year. However, that will also depend on how well prepared the student visa applicants are,” Donald L Heflin, minister-counsellor for consular affairs at the US Embassy in Delhi, told this reporter.
International students are advised to schedule their appointments on the US embassy website. Heflin also told that last year because of a huge number of applications from India, computer systems worldwide crashed. One more problem was the applications that were sent by the people were not genuine. According to him, in the first part, many genuine students came while in the second part, many students came whose applications were already rejected.
Last summer, when US campuses opened their doors to international students after being shut down during the pandemic, the US Embassy and consulates in India announced the opening of thousands of visa interview slots since June 2021, especially for Indian students planning to join courses at universities and colleges in the USA in the Fall 2021 session starting August-September last year.
Students had been advised to visit the US Embassy website to schedule their visa appointments.
“Last year we faced two big problems; first because of the huge number of student visa applicants from India, our worldwide computer system crashed. Second, a large number of student visa interview slots were bought up by people who were not genuine applicants. Also, in the first part of the season we had good and genuine students applying for visas; in the later part, last summer, many applicants who we interviewed were coming to us a second or third time having been refused student visas earlier. That was taking slots away from good students,” Heflin said. Thus, F1 visa for USA from India slot booking must be one prior to the applicant's dates for flying to the USA.
Changes made in the US Student Visa Software
The US Embassy has made software changes to the student visa software so that students who were refused a visa once in the summer-spring of 2022 will not be able to seek visa interview appointments again this year. Student visa applicants are also advised to keep checking the US Embassy website for interview dates to schedule their visa appointments once they receive their documents from US universities.
“We hope to address both the problems of non-availability of non-availability of interview slots for good and genuine students as well as the blocking of slots by non-student agents, who don’t show up for the interview, with these measures,” Heflin said.
Visa interview waiver scheme
Last year, the US government announced a visa interview waiver scheme that benefitted Indian students. Heflin said, “Many Indian students who are in the US and want to travel to India to meet their families are using the visa waiver drop box scheme. Currently, there are slots available for this facility,”.
Parents of Indian students who are going to the US for studies having valid visitor visas can go with their children to the US this fall. However, those who have never had a visa will not be able to go. Heflin said, “Those parents who have B1-B2 visas that have expired in the last few years can try to grab a drop box appointment to renew their visas,”.
Q: What GPA is required for the University of South Dakota?
The University of South Dakota expects a GPA score of 2.5 from undergraduates and 3 from postgraduates on the 4-pointer scale. Along with the GPA scores, undergraduates must meet the basic eligibility and submit an ACT score of 21 or higher and an SAT score of 1070 or higher. In addition, they must submit the required documents, such as academic history, transcripts, letters of recommendation, English language scores, and more.
Q: What GPA is needed to go to Ohio State?
There is no minimum GPA score for UG admission at Ohio State. However, International students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale or equivalent) for graduate admission. Applicants may submit a standardized test score (GRE or GMAT) if their cumulative GPA is below 3.0 for the last degree.
Q: Is it hard to get into the UTSA in San Antonio Texas?
According to various sources, University of Texas San Antonio has an overall acceptance rate of around 87% which makes it somewhat selective for international student admissions. Some of the general requirements to be considered for admission are given as follows:
- SAT/ACT scores
- Overall Student's GPA
- Letters of Recommendation
- High School Class Rank
- Additional Academic Records
Q: Is University of North Dakota good for Indian students?
The University of North Dakota is one of the top choices for international students to pursue their higher education. The UND warmly welcomes its international students as they have contributed a lot to the success of the university. Moreover, the university offers a top-notch environment, the best academic opportunities, technical & career training, etc. The university boasts over 1000 international students who represent more than 95 countries. Additionally, international students highly enjoy the facilities provided by the University of North Dakota. The UND is one of the largest research universities in the United States for international students.
Q: How much is the application fee for Alabama University?
The Alabama University application fee for International students vary by application type. Mentioned below are the application fee for UG and PG applications at Alabama:
- UG: USD 40 or INR 3,342.14
- MBA: USD 80 or INR 6,684.28
Q: Can I get into Oregon State with a 3.5 GPA?
International students must have at least a GPA between 2.5 and 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 for UG and PG admission at Oregon State. Therefore, candidates are eligible to get admission to the university with a 3.5 GPA in their academics. Oregon State University GPA requirements are different for undergraduate and graduate admission. Mentioned below is the range of GPA required for Oregon State University admissions:
| Program | Minimum GPA Required (on a scale of 4.0) |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | 2.5 - 3.0 |
| Graduate | 2.5 - 3.0 |
Read about the Grading System in the USA
Q: What is Northwest Missouri acceptance rate?
The Northwest Missouri acceptance rate for international students is around 80%. This shows that the university follows a moderate selection criteria when it comes to admission. However, the moderate selection criteria does not imply that the university accepts every application. International students must showcase their excellent academic performance, score high GPA, submit standardized test scores and English language proficiency test scores. In addition, if a student has a history of participation in relevant extracurricular or experience, their selection probability increases by 50%.
Q: What GPA do I need to get into Northwest Missouri state?
Northwest Missouri State University expects a cumulative GPA of 2 for UG programs and 3 for PG programs on a scale of 4. GPA is one of the top factors when considering students for university admissions. Along with GPA, the university expects a student to provide high school transcripts from previously attended university or school, standardized test scores, English language proficiency test scores, and more. In addition, students with relevant experience in the chosen field are preferred over the studious students.
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