Visa for language courses in the USA
A non-immigrant visa is required to enroll in language courses. The type of visa depends on the duration of the program. If the program lasts no longer than 12 weeks, then a B-2 tourist visa (Visitor Visa) is sufficient. For long-term programs with an intensity of more than 18 hours per week, an F-1 student visa is required. Both categories are hard to obtain.
First, you must register for the course and pay its cost for the entire duration of the course. After that, you will be sent an invitation from the language school — Form I-20. Then, you must pay the I-901 SEVIS fee and apply for a Form DS-160 through the US Department of State website. Finally, all that remains is to sign up for an interview at the US Consulate and prepare copies of the received documents and receipts.
Required documents
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Receipt of full tuition and language school registration fee payments
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Invitation from the school (Form I-20)
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SEVIS fee payment receipt (Form I-901) — 350 USD
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Application for a non-immigrant visa (Form DS-160) — 160 USD
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Receipt of the consular fee payment
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Proof of financial solvency — 11,500 USD/year
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International passport
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5x5 cm color photo
Working while taking language courses in the US
Full-time students who come to the US on an F-1 visa are allowed to work no more than 20 hours per week.
You will need a work permit, which is issued by the DSO department (Designated School Official). If a student stops attending language classes (more than 80%) or it turns out that he is working illegally, the I-20 form will be canceled, and the student will be asked to leave the United States as soon as possible.
Most popular language schools in the USA
EC English Language
A large international language school. Specializes in teaching English. It has 45000 students from 125 countries. EC has branches in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, and Malta. Among the partners are leading American universities: University of California at Santa Cruz (UCSC), State University of New York at Fredonia, University of Hartford. You can enroll in these universities based on the results of the EC language exam, without the need for IELTS and TOEFL certificates.
You can study at this school according to the following programs:
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General English
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Semi-Intensive English
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Intensive English
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Academic
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Exam
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English in the City
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English for Work
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Club 30+
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LSI Education
Founded in 1965 by a former army education officer who opened the first language school in London. Now it includes schools in Great Britain, Canada, USA, Malta, New Zealand, Australia, France, and Switzerland. Among those who accept certificates from this school are Adelphi University, California International Business University, University of Illinois at Chicago, and San Francisco State University.
At LSI, languages are taught in an interactive way, with a strong focus on developing fluency skills. There are language schools in Boston, New York, San Diego, and San Francisco. LSI offers language exam preparation programs, general English at low and high intensity, individual programs, and professional courses (for work, business, and teaching).
More details
Best cities to study English in the USA
New York
Population | 8804190 |
Number of universities and colleges | 110 |
Average cost of living (food + housing) | 2,763 USD/month |
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Student Center. Most of the universities in New York are included in the list of 10-20 best universities in the country. Among them: Columbia University, Fordham University, New York University, The New School, The City University of New York.
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Paradise for book lovers. There are about 100 public libraries in New York, which contain more books than you can read in a lifetime. The famous New York Public Library is also located here. You could see it in such films as Breakfast at Tiffany's, Spider-Man, The Day After Tomorrow, and Ghostbusters.
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Easy to move around. It is unlikely that you will need personal transportation. New York has a well-developed public transportation system, and the subway operates around the clock. You can get to any part of the city at any time of the day.
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Peace in the midst of madness. This is a lively, bustling metropolis that never falls asleep. However, it has over 180 public parks throughout the city. One of the most famous in the world is Central Park, the area of which is about 3 kilometers.
Chicago
Population | 2746388 |
Number of universities and colleges | 58 |
Average cost of living (food + housing) | 1,567 USD/month |
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Motherland of American skyscrapers. Chicago did not receive the “city of skyscrapers" nickname by chance. It was here that the world's first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building, was built. Countless tall buildings are adjacent to numerous lakes and parks, which makes the city very harmonious and attractive.
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City of events. Chicago is known as an international center for business, transportation, and culture (including art, theatre, food, and music). It regularly hosts jazz, blues, and gospel festivals.
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Opportunities for career and business. Chicago has one of the highest GDP figures among cities in the world: over 709 USD million in 2020. The unemployment rate here is only 3.6%. Chicago is the headquarters of many of the world's leading companies, such as Archer Daniels, Boeing, and Exelon[2].
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A giant film set. Escape and The Vampire Diaries were filmed here, as well as the films The Dark Knight, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Man of Steel, Batman Begins, The Sixth Sense, Ocean's Eleven, Spider-Man 2, and Mission Impossible.
Washington D.C.
Population | 7705281 |
Number of universities and colleges | 19 |
Average cost of living (food + housing) | 2,200 USD/month |
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Center for Politics and Business. This is the capital of the United States, so the most important decisions of the country are made here. Washington DC is home to the Capitol, the White House, the Supreme Court, along with the headquarters of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. In addition, the offices of major international companies are located here: Microsoft, Boeing, Starbucks, and Amazon. To study here is to be a witness of history.
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Effective education system. Washington D.C. is home to numerous universities with outstanding histories and reputations, including Georgetown, American University, George Washington University, Howard University, Catholic University, and others.
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One of the largest libraries in the world. The Library of Congress contains more than 160 million books and 860 kilometers of bookshelves, with 45000 reference books stored in the reading room alone.
Los Angeles
Population | 3898747 |
Number of universities | 24 |
Average cost of living (food + housing) | 2,170 USD/month |
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Multicultural center. Representatives of 140 countries live here. About a third of all city residents are immigrants. There is a friendly attitude towards foreigners and a positive, creative atmosphere.
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Entertainment capital of the United States and tourism center. Los Angeles has a mild, subtropical Mediterranean climate. The sun shines so often here that it has been called "the city of flowers and sunlight." There are also many beaches and hundreds of attractions.
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Useful and interesting option for vacation. Many language programs offer to combine education with tourism to the key attractions of the city (Disneyland, planetariums, art museums, and film studios).
Boston
Population | 675647 |
Number of universities | 35 |
Average cost of living (food + housing) | 2,300 USD/month |
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Student capital. Here are the most famous and prestigious universities in the world: Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Yale University. Millions of dollars are invested in Boston’s universities, laboratories, and research centers.
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Picturesque nature. Boston has many squares and parks, and in the spring and autumn you can see impressive landscapes. In the suburbs there are the beautiful beaches of Gloucester, where students like to spend their time.
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Convenient city for pedestrians. Up to 15% of residents go to work and school by foot. This is a very high figure for the US. There is a well-developed public transportation system. The campuses can be reached by bus and subway.