Guide to Studying in the USA: From Application to Arrival

What awaits you from now until your first night in America?

I will share with you everything you need to know to clear up any confusion regarding how to get accepted into a US university, navigate the visa process, pass the visa interview, arrive in America, and clear customs.

I'm sure you've watched many online videos on YouTube in English, French, or even Darija about studying in the USA. Yet, you're still unsure, why?

We tend to trust people who resemble us, born in the same country, city, speak our language, and have a similar path.

You and I, we're both Moroccan, lived in Morocco, at least until I was 18, and speak the same language.

I'm going to address those questions in your mind, and you'll leave this video series with a clear understanding of what lies ahead, step by step.

Keep reading if you're interested or if you're the parent, friend, aunt, brother, or sister of someone who wants to study in the USA and you want to assist them. Welcome!

Let's say you're someone who will receive a high school diploma next June or received it a year, 2 years, or 3 years ago without taking any gap years.

Let's say you have a sponsor (I'm talking to the student). What is a sponsor? A parent, family member, cousin, or friend who commits to paying for your education. How do they commit?

They sign a document and share it with the school and show a bank statement with the minimum amount required by the school.

You have a sponsor, someone willing to commit to paying for you, willing to sign a document stating so, and willing to show a bank statement with the required amount of money.

How do we determine the minimum amount?

The required amount is essentially the yearly tuition plus one year's cost of living. Let's assume your tuition is $9,000, and you need $1,400 to live for one year, so you need to show $23,000 in that bank statement.

The second requirement is English proficiency. To be accepted into an accredited US university, you need to prove you have a decent level of English. We do this by passing English tests. Each university has its own requirements; some require high scores, some require low, or even conditional.

The famous English tests are TOEFL, IELTS, GRE, and there's another one that's cheaper and can be done online from the comfort of your home called the Duolingo English test.

Conditional acceptance means the school accepts you with the condition that you study English before starting your program.

Let's say you have the baccalaureate, a sponsor, and English proficiency:

We help you apply to one or more universities.

After the university accepts you, you receive a document called the I-20 and an acceptance letter.

We use the I-20 and other documents to start the visa process and book an appointment online for you.

What's the online appointment?

You have to be present at a US embassy with your documents in hand. You'll face an American officer who will ask you questions to understand why you want to go to the USA.

You have to be prepared and answer their questions properly. This is where many students fail, even if they have a strong application.

The American officer is simply doing their job to ensure no fraud is committed. They want to hear that you intend to study in America, respect your student visa, have a solid sponsor, good academic background, and can communicate effectively.

The decision is made there.

If everything is in order and you speak properly, there's a high chance you'll be issued a visa. At Edukwin, we help you manage this process smoothly and hassle-free, informing you of what to avoid and what to expect, making it easier for you.

Your desired destination might be Florida, New York, or Boston, and there are steps to take to obtain that visa. We'll handle it for you.

When you're granted a visa, you need to wait 30 days until the start of your program to arrive. Don't book a flight before 30 days; you'll encounter issues at the border when you arrive.

When you land, have your passport and signed I-20 document ready. The officer will inspect them and allow you to claim your baggage.

Welcome to America; it's easier than you think.

Win your education with Edukwin.