You have been granted admission, you even got a scholarship. A date has been set for your Visa Interview, so what’s next?
One of the hurdles experienced as an aspiring international student is the visa interview questions. That time you are on the hot seat and you don’t want to ruin anything because that is your chance of ever having your dream come through. Even with a scholarship, without your visa granted you are going nowhere, therefore it is crucial to go prepared.
At interviews, new questions are rarely asked. The majority of the questions asked are the same one with another intending international student. Scholarship Enthusiast has put together 9 common USA student (F1) Visa Interview questions and how you can formulate your answers to sound convincing. Don’t you want to know? Keep reading.
- WHY DO YOU WISH TO STUDY IN THE UNITED STATES?
This is one important question during the interview. The question is asked to find out how genuine your intention of studying is. Whether you have concrete reasons for choosing the US or you just picked it because you wanted to travel or leave your home country. Your answer is your chance to prove that studying in the US is vital to your growth, education, and career. You should be able to clarify the things you are looking at accomplishing and why the US is the only location that can provide such for you.
Your answer may look like this:
I choose to study in the United States because it is one of the prominent destinations for higher education studies amongst international students, it also has some of the best Universities in the world. The support given to international students studying in the United States is incomparable and added to the quality education system. Overall, the US provides a culturally diverse environment, highly ranked programs, and opportunities to work.
- WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE (COURSE OF STUDY) YOU APPLIED FOR?
For this question, the interviewer wants to know about your inspiration, and why you selected the course you choose to major in. Do they align with your goals? Do they provide better career prospects?
Your answer may look like this:
I have a passion for (your course) and I would love to broaden my understanding of it. My country does not have as many experts as needed for this field but I believe that what I learn during my studies in the US would help me to rejuvenate and improve some of these existing systems in my country. Studying (your course) would further help me in standing out and establishing a career once I am back home.
- WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GO TO SCHOOL NOW INSTEAD OF STARTING A CAREER?
The VO wants to know why you’ve decided to further your education in place of going after a career path.
Your answer might look like this:
Furthering my education is at the core of my curiosity because my graduate studies course will enhance my mastery of the career I am currently in. I believe that this program will also provide me with the technical know-how needed to excel and thrive in my chosen career path.
- HOW MANY UNIVERSITIES DID YOU APPLY TO BEFORE YOU GOT ACCEPTED AND WHY?
Here you need to put together all your experience while you were researching and applying to schools.
Take a look at this sample answer:
I had applied to Harvard and Cambridge University before I got admitted to MIT. I choose the schools because doing research they were the best Universities in the world that offer Graduate programs in Engineering.
Note that you can modify your answer to suit your school and motives for applying. It could even be because of cheap tuition or because the environment is close to a particular place you want.
- WHICH UNIVERSITIES DID YOU APPLY TO, AND WHAT ARE THEIR NAMES?
This is a direct question that you would answer without stress. You would explain why you narrowed down your search to the schools you eventually applied to, and why you did that. Of course, without forgetting to mention the name of the schools and where they are located.
- DID YOU GET ACCEPTED BY ALL THE UNIVERSITIES?
Here you would answer a “Yes or No”. Yes, I got accepted into all the universities OR No, I did not get accepted into all the Universities.
- WHICH SCHOOLS REJECTED YOU AND WHY?
You need to answer with profound reasons you got rejected by the schools. Something around “Harvard University rejected me because I was not a good twitch for their course”.
- WHY DON’T YOU WANT TO STUDY IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY?
Just like the first question asking why you want to study in the US, this one is also tricky.
You might want to answer like this:
My country is considered highly globally for a decent education system but it cannot be compared with that of the USA. The United States is home to the most high-ranking Universities in the world and getting a degree from one of these Universities is a feat I hope to achieve.
In addition, my course of study is not taught in my home country (if you choose a course like Artificial Intelligence or Digital Marketing for example), when it comes to facilities, exposure, and structure, US schools have an edge over the schools in my country.
You may find out more questions than what is explained here, it depends on the time available and the VO. Stay locked with Scholarship Enthusiasts for more helpful content like this.