There are two types of student visas available to non-immigrant students who wish to enter the United States for the purpose of engaging in full-time study: F-1 and M-1. Musicians Institute is approved by the United States Government to issue Certificates of Eligibility (I-20 forms) for both F-1 and M-1 visas.
F-1 Visas
F-1 visas are available to students who are accepted by MI’s Bachelor or Associate Degree programs. F-1 visas are issued for a minimum period of 18 months and a maximum of 5 years.
M-1 Visas
M-1 visas are available to students who are accepted by a Certificate or Encore program. M-1 visas are issued for a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 12 months.
For more information on all programs offered by MI, go to http://www.mi.edu/programs
Dependents
The spouse and unmarried minor children of an F-1 or M-1 student may accompany the student to the United States or follow to join the student at a later date. The dependent family members will be admitted with F-2 or M-2 status.
How to Obtain a Student Visa
To obtain a student visa, a student must do the following:
- Apply and be accepted by Musicians Institute (see Forms below)
- Submit a completed Statement of Finances form (see Forms below)
- Provide an official account balance statement from a certified banking institution*
- Provide a copy of your passport (and passports of your dependents)
- Submit a partial tuition payment (see Forms below)
Upon receipt of the above documents, an I-20 form will be issued by the International Student Office for the appropriate visa type and study period. After receiving the I-20, you must do the following:
- Go to the following website and fill out the I-901 form, make payment by credit card and print out the receipt: https://www.fmjfee.com/i901fee/
- Make an appointment at the US Embassy or Consulate in your home country to apply for the student visa. Please visit http://www.usembassy.gov/
F-1 Transfer Students
If you are transferring to MI from another school, you must submit a Notice of Intent to Transfer form along with the above mentioned documents (see Forms below).
Employment
The holder of an F-1 visa is allowed to apply for an OPT work permit (Optional Practical Training) after completing one academic year of study in the Bachelor Degree program, or upon completion of the Associate Degree program (provided the last 9 months of the Associate Degree are completed consecutively). After completion, full-time OPT for the F-1 is issued for a maximum of 12 months.
The holder of an M-1 visa is allowed to apply for an OPT work permit after the completion of one academic year of study. After completion, full-time OPT for the M-1 is issued for a maximum of three months.
How to Maintain Legal Student Status
- Maintain a valid passport at all times.
- Attend the school you are authorized to attend on your I-20.
- Continue to carry a full course of study (minimum of 12 units per quarter).
- Leave the U.S. by the anticipated course completion date on I-20 (plus grace period) or apply for a program extension or transfer prior to that date.
- Refrain from off-campus employment without written authorization from USCIS or the school.
- Report a change of residence within 10 days of the change.
Forms
The forms require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader (http://get.adobe.com/reader/). To download: right-click, save-as (PC) or cmd + click, save-as (Mac).
* All documents must be in English or accompanied by a certified English translation of the document.