The United States is home to some of the world’s most prestigious universities, offering exceptional educational opportunities. Pakistani students seeking a top-tier education are drawn to the United States for its well-respected institutions and innovative learning environment.

This article outlines the critical steps for Pakistani students pursuing higher education in the US, from university admissions to the student visa application process. By understanding these steps, you can effectively plan your journey to studying in the United States.

Read the steps below in sequence to get a better understanding.

1. Passport and Bank Account.

The first step when you start the process is to create your passport and bank account. Passports should be of any type, either 35 or 100 pages, and 5 or 10 years long. A Bank account should be opened where international payments are supported, and you should have a card, a debit or credit card with a limit of almost three million a month because all of your costs like insurance, fees, visa fees, accommodation charges, all type of payments will be made through this card.

2. Bank Statement.

It is better to start making your bank statement before you apply to the course because when you apply for the visa, the embassy will ask you to show proof of savings, that you will be able to fund your study, your bank statement should be at least 3 to 6 months.

How do you calculate bank statements?

The US Government mandates the submission of a 3 to 6-month bank statement demonstrating funds covering the cost of the course fees as per your I-20 form and living expenses for a 12-month period.

3. Preparing Documents.

It would help if you prepared all your documents before applying to avoid problems. You will need your educational documents, SSC certificate, and HSSC transcript of certificate. You will also need recommendation letters. It’s good to get two letters. Do you want to know what recommendation letters are? Click here. You will also need any of your additional certificates.

4. Selection of University.

It would help if you considered the various factors while selecting a university.

i) Get details of the university, the course in which you are applying, its modules, credit hours, and the worth of the university’s degree. The uni ranking will also matter a lot.

ii) You should see the city and the surroundings in which the university is located. In the US, there are several types of colleges and universities, like community colleges; keep this thing in mind: the US study visa approval rate depends solely on you and how you keep your profile, so in case of community college or a low ranking university, your chance of visa approval will be declined to almost zero.

iii) The university’s passing rate, grading system, and fee installment should also be seen. You will study for years at the uni, so it’s better to look at everything that will affect you later.

iv) You should also see the city’s part-time job opportunities. Students find it hard to get a job in small or even large cities, so it’s better to look at the job market.

v) It would help if you also considered the local communities living there. It’s better if the city has a Pakistani or Indian community; you will not feel far from home. People from your country or speaking the same language will soothe you and not make you homesick.

5. Application Process.

i) You should see the admission criteria and eligibility requirements; all details are available on every university’s website.

ii) After meeting all the requirements, you should apply to university. Almost all universities in the US accept direct applications, so it’s better to apply to multiple universities to have various options when you have to choose one.

Documents required for application.

a) Passport.

b) Secondary School Certificate (SSC) (Matric or O levels).

c) Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) (FSc or A levels).

d) Recommendation Letters.

e) Photograph.

f) Statement of Purpose or Letter of Motivation.

g) English Language proficiency certificate, it could be IELTS or TOEFL or PTE, just check the university requirement, which one is easy for you to meet. Click on the following links to know more about these tests.

6. University’s response And I-20 form.

After checking your application and eligibility score, the university or college you apply to will give you an approval letter; after this, you must apply for the I-20 form. This form indicates that your university will accept you as a student if your visa is approved. There will be a SEVES ID on this form, with a registration fee of 350 US dollars. You will pay the fee and upload the receipt for proof of payment.

7. Applying for Visa OR DS-160 form.

After securing the I-20 form, you must apply for an F-1 visa and fill out the DS-160 form; then, you must submit these with your photographs. The fee for an F-1 visa is almost 185 US dollars. After completing this form online, you will book your visa appointment at the embassy. They will give you a priority slot; select from the given slots. On the date of your interview in the embassy, you have to be there, and they will interview you; this is where your future will be decided, so it is better to equip yourself with some valuable tips to help you get your visa.

i) Do not attach false or fake documents; they will immediately know and reject your visa.

ii) Do not fumble; be cool-minded and have confidence in yourself.

iii) Refrain from over-smarting there; give answers to the question being asked and avoid any further or extra information.

iv) Give them a clear motive for your study, and prove to them by valid sentences that you will come back to Pakistan after completing your study.

v) Remember to wear suitable clothing and ensure proper grooming.

Click on the following link to apply for the visa.

https://ceac.state.gov/genniv

8. After visa approval.

After your visa is approved, you must apply for an offer letter from the university. To do this, you must clear the university’s entry test.

The SAT/ACT is for undergraduate courses, and the GRE/GMAT is for postgraduate courses. If you meet these requirements, the university will issue you an enrollment letter. Then, you have to pay your fee, and after completing some other essential requirements, like insurance and setting up your accommodation, you are good to go to the United States of America.

9. What are the fees of the universities, and how to get scholarships?

Fees in the US are of two types: an in-state tuition fee for US nationals and an out-of-state tuition fee for international students. In-state tuition fees are half that of out-of-state tuition fees. However, getting a scholarship makes you eligible for the in-state tuition fee. US fees generally lie between $12000 to $15000 per semester, without any scholarship.

Technically speaking, international students are not eligible for state funding and grants, but some universities give scholarships to international students; you can find them by just Google.