Studying here on a student visa
Everything an internationally trained dentist has to line up alongside the application itself: the document that creates your status, the fees, the interview, and the rules that keep the status alive through graduation and licensure.
We are not immigration advisors.
GoDenta is a study and application platform, not a law firm. Nothing on this page is legal advice and no relationship of any kind is created by reading it. This is a plain-English mirror of what the official U.S. government sources say, written so you know which questions to ask and which documents to gather. Immigration rules, fees and processing times change without notice, and how they apply depends on your nationality, history and the specific program. Verify every detail on the official pages linked below, with the program's designated school official, and — for anything consequential — with a licensed U.S. immigration attorney.
Status follows admission. Once a program accepts you and you confirm your seat, its designated school official (DSO) issues Form I-20 for F-1, or a responsible officer issues Form DS-2019 for J-1. You cannot apply for the visa without it. Check every field on the document — name spelling, birth date, program dates, funding figure — because errors surface at the consulate, not before.
F-1 and J-1 applicants pay the SEVIS I-901 fee (separate from the visa application fee) before the interview, and carry the receipt. Pay it against the SEVIS ID printed on your I-20 or DS-2019 at FMJfee.com.
F-1 and J-1 applicants file Form DS-160 online, pay the visa application fee, then schedule an interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate with jurisdiction over where you live. Appointment waits vary enormously by post and by season — Advanced Standing classes usually start in summer, which is the busiest window, so book as early as the post allows.
The consular officer is deciding two things: that you are a genuine student, and that you have the funds for the program without unauthorised work. Bring the I-20/DS-2019, DS-160 confirmation, SEVIS receipt, passport, admission letter, and documentation of tuition and living costs for at least the first year — bank statements, sponsor letters, loan approvals, scholarship letters. Advanced Standing tuition is high; funding evidence that stops short of the published cost of attendance is a common refusal reason.
F-1 and J-1 students may generally enter up to 30 days before the program start date. Report to the DSO or responsible officer on arrival so SEVIS is activated, and keep a full course load every term. Dropping below full-time without prior written DSO authorisation ends status — it is not something to fix afterwards.
F-1 students are generally limited to on-campus work in the first academic year, then may become eligible for CPT (training that is an integral part of the curriculum) or OPT (up to 12 months of practical training, applied for through USCIS with Form I-765). J-1 students use academic training, authorised by their responsible officer. Some J-1 categories carry a two-year home-country residency requirement — check your DS-2019 before you accept a J-1 sponsorship, because it affects residency and licensure plans years later.
Build your own timeline
Turn this into dated steps against your own programs, funding and country — appointment waits and start dates differ for everyone.
Open the status planner