Version – 2021

Counselling
Question -

What are the popular courses in US that the student will

like to opt for Bachelors?
Answer -

• Computer Science/Information Technology

• Engineering (Mech, Civil, Aerospace etc. )
• Biology, Molecular Cell Biology
• Life Sciences
• Health Sciences
• Business Administration
• Entrepreneurship
• International Business/ International
Relations
• Accounts/Finance
• Economics, Humanities and many more..
Question -

Can we recruit students for summer courses in the US?

Answer -
Yes, we can recruit students for Summer in the following universities:
1) UC Berkeley Extension (For students who have completed 2 years Bachelor’s in India)

UC Berkley Certificate programs for professionals in the stream of (Course Duration – 1 or 2 semester)
UX/UI Design/Project Management/Finance/Business Development/Entrepreneurship/Marketing/
Data Science/Business Administration/Product Management.

Global Access programs in the stream of (Course Duration – 1 semester)

Business/ Physics/Legal Studies

2) Summer Discovery Programs (For middle school students and high school students)

• Middle School students can go for enrichment programs at - UCLA Middle School Enrichment, CU- Boulder Middle Sc
Enrichment, Georgetown Middle School Enrichment.
• High School students can go for precollege programs at – UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, UC Boulder UT Austin,
Wharton University, Johns Hopkins, Cambridge University etc.
Question -

Why a student should join a Community College?

Answer -

A Student should join a Community College for the following reasons:

• Tuition fees is less compared to University

• Accepts lesser IELTS/TOEFL

• Accepts lesser academic percentage

• Offers academic, technical and vocational degrees

•Depending on the GPA student can transfer to 3rd

year of Bachelors to high ranked partner Universities.
Question -

Can a 10th Std. student pursue Bachelors in USA along with

his 11th and 12th Std.?
Answer -

• Yes, it is possible with Community Colleges in Washington

State.
• Fast Track (Associate Degree + High School Diploma in 2
years).
• Transfer to 3rd year of Bachelors to high ranked partner
Universities.

• Seattle Central College, Washington

• Shoreline Community College, Washington
• Green River Community College, Washington
Question -

Can I get transfer to US Universities while doing my

Bachelors from India?
Answer -

• If the student has completed the first year or second year in India, he could get
transfer to US Universities with WES evaluation (Credential Evaluation) for the
remaining degree of Bachelors.

• Student can get exempted for the subjects which matches the US Universities
curriculum.
Question -

What are the popular Masters Courses in US except Engineering?

Answer -

• Computer Science,
• Information Systems,
• Business Intelligence (Data Warehousing/
Mining),
• Data Science & Data Analytics,
• Biotechnology,
• Biomedical Sciences,
• Forensic Sciences,
• Business Administration,
• Public Health and many others.
Question -

What are the options for the students who have completed 3 years
of Bachelors in India?
Answer -

• Few Partner Universities in US accepts 3 years Bachelors degree for

Master Courses in the field of Business, I.T., etc.
• Also there are some Universities in US which accept students with 3
years of Bachelors degree.
• The students should have passed from the Colleges and universities in
India that have an ""A"" rating from the NAAC. (National Assessment
and Accreditation Council) - www.naac.gov.in/
• Some Universities also offer one year of Bridge program which is the
last year of 4 years Bachelors in USA prior to getting admitted to a
Masters.
• Students can earn credits in Bridge program to equalize the degree
program to the U.S. undergrad program.
Eg - National University, California.
Question -

What is WES evaluation?

Answer -

• WES known as World Education Services, an agency used for

converting our Indian marks into US Semester credits or GPA on the
scale of 4.0.

• A WES credential evaluation makes it easier for US admissions

officers to understand student degrees, courses and grades in U.S.
terms.

• It costs $ 205 for Course by Course Evaluation.

Question -

When is WES evaluation required?

Answer -

• WES is required by the students who have completed 3 years Bachelors and want to
pursue Masters in U.S.
• For the Student who want to apply as a Transfer student for Bachelors.
• Student who have transcript encoded in other than English Language.
• Some universities requires it for all the courses.
Ex : San Jose State University, San Jose, California.
Question -

What are the chances to get admission in Masters in

Computer Science or Information Technology if student has
not completed his Bachelors in Computer Science?
Answer -

There are less chances for the students who have not
studied relevant core courses of Computer Science.

• However there are few Partner Universities which

offer Masters in Computer Science or Information
Technology with few pre-requisites to students having
non-relevant background in Bachelors.

• Students from all Engineering background can opt for

Masters in Information Systems.
Question -

Does a student backlogs/ failures affects his chances of admission

in USA?
Answer -

Backlogs are always detrimental to admissions but US Universities accepts few

backlogs. No. of acceptable backlogs varies University wise.
Question -

How much time does the University take to give an admission

decision after the application is made?
Answer -

Varies from University to University-

• For Ranked Universities – Almost 4 to 6 weeks

from the date of application.

• For Partner Universities – Varies from a week to a

month.
Question -

Are IELTS/TOEFL and GRE both mandatory for pathway

program?
Answer -
• Yes, IELTS/TOEFL is mandatory however GRE is optional.

Universities which require both GRE &

IELTS/TOEFL-

• Oregon State University.

• University of South Florida etc.

Universities which gives admission based on

IELTS/TOEFL -

• University of South Carolina

• Marshall University
Question -

What is PTE & who should take it? Is PTE scores accepted by all
universities in US?
Answer -

PTE is Pearson test of English- an English Proficiency Test.

• Students who have scored less in IELTS or TOEFL can take this test as there are better chances
to score good in PTE.
• PTE Test is held on almost all days of the week.
• It is very easy to book the date and one does not need to wait for long to book it as there are
multiple centers.
• PTE result is generally mailed within 5 business days of the Test date.
• PTE official score reporting is free.

Some of the Universities accepting PTE are as follows:

• Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona

• George Mason University, Fairfax County, Virginia
• Univeristy of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio and many more.
Application Procedure
Question -

Does a student's application gets rejected if his/her SOP affirms a

plagiarized write-up?
Answer -

Yes, the application may be rejected if the SOP is

plagiarized.

• Do’s and Don'ts of writing a SOP

1. It should be relevant to the Program applied.

2.Do not copy the content of SOP from previous

student's SOP or from Internet.

3. As a consultant do not write the SOP for a

student.
Question -

Is Bank Balance Certificate compulsory for all UG, PG and PhD

admissions?
Answer -

• Yes, Bank Balance Certificate is required for

release of an I-20 from US Universities.

• All students are required to demonstrate

financial ability to pay for at least one year
of tuition fees and living expenses before
being issued an I-20 by US Universities.

• 45k is the approximate general amount. Fund

requirement varies University to University.
Question -

Do Universities require admission deposit for release of an I-20?

Answer -

• Some of the Universities ask for admission deposit for

release of an I-20.

• The amount deposited is adjusted in the tuition fees payable

by the student.

• For Pathway programs deposit is must.

• INTO University of South Florida
• University of Kansas
Question -

How much amount does the student spend for Living & Accommodation in a
month?
• Approximately INR 50,000 p.m. (770 USD in a month)

Whether the student needs to pay tuition fee to the US University from
India?

• Pathway provider Universities want that the student must pay the tuition fee to
the US University from India for the 1st year/Pathway after the student visa is
approved.
Question -

Can we show recent funds at the time of application?

Answer -

• Student can transfer immediate/recent funds from Relatives or other sources and
submit the Bank Balance Certificate for release of an I-20

OR

• Student can have multiple Sponsors like Father, Mother, Brother, Sister,
Grandparents. Amount can be borrowed & can be deposited in Parents accounts for
which Bank Balance Certificate can be made at the time of application only or for
the purpose of release of I-20 only.
Question -

Can the funds shown be different for I-20 and Visa?

Answer -

• Yes, the funds can be different for I-20 and Visa. At the time of application we can
use recent funds but at the time of visa we recommend that the funds should be 3-
4 months old. Or in the case of recent transfer source of fund should be
explainable.
Question -

Is there a chance to apply to a university after the deadline?

Answer -

• There is no chance to apply for direct admissions after crossing the deadline.

• However, in such cases student could apply for pathway if options available by
that University.
CPT & OPT
Question -

What is the average wage during on campus job?

• Students earn $ 7 to $ 12 per hour during on-campus job.

Are student allowed to work off campus in second year?

• After the first year in student status, an applicant may apply for employment off
campus with authorization from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
(USCIS) under CPT only.
• No off campus odd job working anytime during the duration of student visa.
Question -

When do I apply for an OPT and how long it takes to get my OPT?
Answer -

• Students must submit Form I-765 for OPT and receive an Employment
Authorization Document (EAD) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
(USCIS).

• The "processing time" taken for an OPT is about 3–4 months. This means that
students should aim to submit their Form I-765 about 3–4 months before their
expected OPT start date (however, the applications are not accepted more than 90
days before the program end date).
Question -

What is the key to receive successful US student visa outcome?

Answer -

The key to a successful student visa is to have the 3 C’s right:

Ø CONFIDENCE
Ø COMMUNICATION
Ø CLARITY
Question -

What parameters are taken into consideration during U.S. student

personal visa interview?
Answer -

Student should be able to demonstrate –

• His intentions to complete the course of study he would be going for.

• His financial capability to fund his expenses during his stay in US.
• His intentions to return to home country.
Question -

Can Immovable property or Fixed assets be a part of

the student financial summary during Visa?
Answer -

• The Consulate is only looking for liquid

assets in form of saving bank balances,
fixed deposits, education loan etc. as it
can be readily used to pay for the
tuition fees and living expenses.

• The valuation of Immovable property

or fixed assets can only prove your ties
back to the student home country.
Question -

What is the minimum annual income the sponsors in

general should have?
SAMPLE I 20

Department of Homeland Security I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement OMB NO. 1653-0038

SEVIS ID: N0032165245

SURNAME/PRIMARY NAME GIVEN NAME Class of Admission
Sudidha Rakesh Kumar

F-1
PREFERRED NAME PASSPORT NAME
Rakesh Kumar Sudidha
COUNTRY OF BIRTH COUNTRY OF CITIZENSHIP
INDIA INDIA
CITY OF BIRTH DATE OF BIRTH
12 JANUARY 1998
ACADEMIC AND
FORM ISSUE REASON ADMISSION NUMBER LANGUAGE
INITIAL ATTENDANCE

SCHOOL INFORMATION
SCHOOL NAME SCHOOL ADDRESS
Lewis University International Student Services Office, One University
Lewis University-Main Campus Parkway, Romeoville, IL 60446
SCHOOL OFFICIAL TO CONTACT UPON ARRIVAL SCHOOL CODE AND APPROVAL DATE
Christopher Swanson CHI214F11210000
Director of Study Abroad 08 JANUARY 2003

PROGRAM OF STUDY
EDUCATION LEVEL MAJOR 1 MAJOR 2
MASTER'S Computer and Information Sciences, None 00.0000
General 11.0101
PROGRAM ENGLISH PROFICIENCY ENGLISH PROFICIENCY NOTES EARLIEST ADMISSION DATE
Required Student is proficient 18 SEPTEMBER 2021
START OF CLASSES PROGRAM START/END DATE
25 OCTOBER 2021 18 OCTOBER 2021 - 31 DECEMBER 2023

FINANCIALS
ESTIMATED AVERAGE COSTS FOR: 12 MONTHS STUDENT'S FUNDING FOR: 12 MONTHS
Tuition and Fees $ 15,000 Personal Funds $ 0
Living Expenses $ 9,000 Funds From This School $
Expenses of Dependents (0) $ Family $ 43,000
Health Insurance $ 1,500 On-Campus Employment $
TOTAL $ 25,500 TOTAL $ 43,000

REMARKS

SCHOOL ATTESTATION
I certify under penalty of perjury that all information provided above was entered before I signed this form and is true and correct. I executed this form in the United
States after review and evaluation in the United States by me or other officials of the school of the student's application, transcripts, or other records of courses taken
and proof of financial responsibility, which were received at the school prior to the execution of this form. The school has determined that the above named student's
qualifications meet all standards for admission to the school and the student will be required to pursue a full program of study as defined by 8 CFR 214.2(f)(6). I am a
designated school official of the above named school and am authorized to issue this form.
Digitally signed by Christopher Swanson
X Date: 2021.06.21 16:47:19 -05'00' DATE ISSUED PLACE ISSUED
SIGNATURE OF: Christopher Swanson, Director of Study 21 June 2021 Romeoville,IL
Abroad
STUDENT ATTESTATION
I have read and agreed to comply with the terms and conditions of my admission and those of any extension of stay. I certify that all information provided on this form
refers specifically to me and is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I certify that I seek to enter or remain in the United States temporarily, and solely for the
purpose of pursuing a full program of study at the school named above. I also authorize the named school to release any information from my records needed by DHS
pursuant to 8 CFR 214.3(g) to determine my nonimmigrant status. Parent or guardian, and student, must sign if student is under 18.
X
SIGNATURE OF: Rakesh Kumar Sudidha DATE
X
NAME OF PARENT OR GUARDIAN SIGNATURE ADDRESS (city/state or province/country) DATE

ICE Form I-20 (04/30/2021) Page 1 of 3

Answer -

Income Tax Returns of Sponsors (usually

Parents) of students going for -

• Masters Degree should be in the range

of 7.0 to 8.0 lacs, at least
&
• Bachelors Degree should be in the
range of 8.0 to 10 lacs, at least.
Question -

If grand parents have Savings, however they are not filing Income
Tax Returns whether student can include Grandparents bank
balance in source of funding for higher studies?
Answer -

Yes, it can be shown towards availability of funds,

even if Grandparents are not filing income tax
returns.
Question -

If the student is going for 2-year Master's program how many years
of visa will he/she be granted?
Answer -

F1 Student visa are generally stamped for 5 years

for Associate, Bachelors, Masters or PhD.
Question -

What do you fill in DS-160 for the question - whether you have immediate
relatives in USA, if the student’s real uncle & aunt stay in USA?
Answer -

• No, Since real uncle & aunt are not immediate relatives.

• Mother, father, spouse or siblings come under immediate relatives.

Question -

How early should I apply for my student visa?

• Students are encouraged to apply for their student visa as soon as they have an I-20.
However, a student visa may be issued no more than 120 days prior to the start date
mentioned on I-20.

Will the visa be granted if names on the I-20 and passports are different?
• The names on I-20 and passport should be same. If the name on the I-20 is different
than passport, ask the university to issue revised I-20.

Can student visa be refused if he does not pay the SEVIS fees before his Visa
Interview?
• Yes student visa gets refused if the student does not pay the SEVIS fees before his
Visa Interview.
Question -

If a student has got F1 student visa approved in Nov’17 for studies in

Spring’18. Due to some reasons the student deferred his admission to
Summer’18. Will his visa be valid?
Answer -

If the visa is less than 5 months old and your University,

Program and SEVIS ID remains the same, in that case the
same visa will be valid.