Student Visa Interview Tips- The Best Visa Interview Guide

Are you ready to Study Abroad? If Yes, you need to prepare well in advance for your Student Visa interview since the application process takes time. One of the biggest challenges’ student faces is in preparing for the Student Visa Interview held at the consulate or embassy. It is very important on your part to come super prepared for the interview for your smooth sailing. To ensure that your Student visa interview process goes smoothly, this guide “ Student Visa Interview Tips – The Best Visa Interview Guide” will present you with all the necessary tips so that you can face interviews well-prepared. Read this blog post on more about Best Visa Interview Tips.

What is a Student Visa?

Student Visa is an official travel document issued to Students whose main purpose of visiting the foreign country is to pursue education. This is stamped on the passport of the student allowing him to legally enter a country.

When should I apply for a Student Visa?

Applying to Study Abroad required proper planning on a student’s part. Students while planning for admission/application should keep university deadlines in mind and work backwards from it. Students are also expected to appear for English proficiency tests and also keep all the required documents in handy. Hence it is always advisable for students to apply at least 1-3 months in advance before the commencement of your studies.

Best Student Visa Interview Tips

1. First Impression is the last impression- Always create a good first impression in front of the visa officer. Be on time for the interview & dress appropriately in formal wear. Remember a Visa officer has to deal with a large number of applications in a day. Hence, they have very less time in hand. They form an impression of the candidate in the first few minutes of interactions with them. Be gentle, polite, & friendly throughout the interview so that the visa officer has a good first impression about you.
2. Be well prepared for the Interview- One of the Best Visa Interview Tips is to go well prepared for the interview. An applicant should go through both the website & handbook of the chosen university carefully and read all the relevant information. Try to find all the relevant contents related to your chosen content such as duration of the course, course fees, date of commencement, date of ending, & the credit points earned. It is also advisable to prepare for visa interviews with the help of mock interview sessions. Mock interview sessions provide you the questions that are generally asked in visa interviews, also known as sample visa questions.
3. Practice Speaking English fluently- Speaking English fluently is one of the best student visa interview tips. It will convince the visa officers that you have the ability to communicate and understand the English lectures. That’s why, many foreign universities have made it compulsory for applicants to clear the English Proficiency tests such as IELTS & TOEFL. Hence, spend more time to polish your English grammar & vocabulary  so that you can clearly understand the questions & give the answers confidently.
4. Organize your paperwork- Organize all the relevant documents that can be asked to be submitted in one folder. Keep all the copies of the document ready for the visa interview. So that when the visa officers ask for all the relevant documents, you can easily show her without wasting time. The documents are:
   • Passport
   • Academic Transcripts
   • Passport-size photographs
   • Standardized test scores (GRE/GMAT/IELTS/TOEFL)
   • Acceptance letter from university
   • Health Insurance
   • Visa fee receipt
5. Remain Calm & Confident- One of the Best Student Visa Interview tips is to remain calm & confident. Always be ready to face tough questions and don’t get nervous as you’re the best person to answer & represent yourself. Tough questions are asked to test your intentions, skills & IQ level.
6. Keep Answers to Student Visa Interviews Short- Visa officers have to deal with a large number of student visa applications and are hard-pressed for time. He has no time to listen to long answers. So, one of the Best Visa Interview Guide is to keep your answers short and to the point. Think carefully before answering any questions. If you are not sure of any question, don’t answer it.
7. Submit all the required Financial Documents- To clear the Student Visa interview and get your visa, you have to submit all the required financial documents to prove that you’ve all the required financial resources to fund your studies. These financial documents prove that you have all the financial capability to pay for your tuition fees, accommodation costs & cost of living. If your parents are funding the education, then you’ve to submit the liquid assets statements (original bank records, ITR returns of the last 3 years, and original fixed deposit receipts. In case you have taken an educational loan, then you have to submit all the bank documents to prove that the education loan has been approved. If you’ve received a scholarship from the university, Submit the confirmation letter from the University.

8. Explain how your chosen program matches career goals- During the Student visa interview, explain clearly to the visa officer how your chosen course matches your career goals. You should be able to convince him clearly that studying abroad for your chosen course will help you to realize your career goals in your home country.
9. Convince your no intention to Immigrate- Convince the visa officer about your no intention to immigrate and you’re just going abroad for studies. Make your intention clear to him that your sole intention for going abroad is just to study your chosen course and have no plan to settle down there. Convey to the visa officer that once your course is over, you’ll return to the home country and settle down.
10. Keep a Positive Attitude- Last, but not the least, the Best Visa Interview Tips is to maintain a positive attitude throughout the visa interview. Even if the Visa officer refuses to give you a student visa, it is best advisable to not argue with him. Instead you can request the visa officer to give in writing the reasons for refusal of student visa. Also ask him to give the list of documents to bring next time so that Student Visa can be granted.

How long is the Student Visa Interview?

Student Visa Interview lasts around 15 mins to 30 mins duration.

Documents to be shown during Student Visa Interview

• Passport copy
• Passport size photographs
• Receipts for Visa applications

Student Visa Fees

Student Visa fees differ from one nation to another. Hence it is always advisable to check with your destination consulate to know the latest recent Student Visa fee. Student Visa fee can be paid using NEFT or other online mode of transactions.

Top 10 Student Visa Interview Questions

1. What will you specialize in for your degree?
2. What will be your major?
3. Can you not continue your education in your home country?
4. Why are you planning to continue your education?
5. How many colleges do you apply to?
6. What are your test scores (GRE, GMAT, SAT, TOEFL, IELTS)?
7. How do you plan to fund the entire duration of your education?
8. Have you got any loans? How do you plan on repaying your loan?
9. Do you plan on coming back to your home country?
10. Why should you be given a Student Visa?

Conclusion!

Visa Interview is the final leg of Study Abroad journey to clear and can make anyone nervous. But, once cleared, you are ready to fly abroad. Both planning & preparation are needed to crack the visa interview successfully. If you skip both this part, all your previous hard work right from application to sitting in exams can come to standstill and failure in visa interview. To support you in successfully cracking Student Visa interview, we’ve presented the Best Visa Interview Guide for Student Visa Interview Tips. Hope this Student Visa Interview Guide will help you in preparing successfully for the Interview and get your Student Visa. Please share and like this blog!