Student visa for 16yr old niece

[aaron2020 11,651]

2 hours ago, Daneandkathy said:

sorry I don't think I am making sense. At the moment there is a very long wait for all visas for Macedonians into the US. So I am trying to find an international student exchange program that you can work with who would bring students out to the US and hopefully we can act as the host family. Give her that experience for her last year of high school. Then after that, she can apply for a student visa for pharmacy college (probably after she goes home). But this would be a way for her to come and see if she even likes studying in the US and to look at some schools she can apply to when she needs to do the student visa. We realise it is expensive and will cover cost of high school and she would live with us for that year. 

We get what you want.  You are not the first person coming to VJ with hopes of bringing a niece or nephew to the US for school.

You're the one that doesn't seem to understand things.  You don't seem to understand that a student visa is needed first before she can attend any school in the US.  You don't understand that she may not be able to live with you depending on your choice.  

 

A.  Your niece will need a student visa to attend high school in the US.  A student visa is an absolute requirement before she can attend high school in the US.  

 

B.  It will be expensive.  You will either need to pay international tuition for a private school or fees for a one year public high school exchange program.  Think $20-$40k/year.

C.  At a private school, your niece can live with you.  As an exchange student, she would need to stay with a guest family - she can't stay with you or family.  

 

P.S.  My sister is a pharmacist.  A graduate degree is needed.  It's not just college like in a lot of other countries.  To be a licensed US pharmacist, my sister has a B.S. from UCSD, a graduate degree from a 4 years graduate Pharmacy School, had to sit for lots of tests, and has about $250,000 in student loans as a US citizen.  It will cost a foreign student significantly more than $250,000.  That's how expensive, it can get.

 

Edited May 11, 2022 by aaron2020

[JeanneAdil 6,491]

2 hours ago, Daneandkathy said:

Yes, I guessed as much, I am trying to find a program to bring her out to do a year of high school to start while we figure out how they need to do the student visa. 

many organizations offer exchange student programs /my stepdaughter did it thru the Rotary club

look locally into churches and local government groups

The ISE high school exchange program 

 

 

https://www.goabroad.com/articles/highschool-study-abroad/student-exchange-programs-for-teens

 

understand the student visa is not an immigrant visa 

also understand the student must qualify with a high point grade average

 

 

[SalishSea 17,818]

11 hours ago, Daneandkathy said:

we can look at Pharmacy schools and she can apply for a student visa for that school.

In the US, Pharmacy school is graduate level.  She would need a 4 year degree in order to be accepted to pharmacy school.

 

Also, not sure if you're aware that student visas are non-immigrant visas.

[Cathi 5,746]

With a student exchange program she cannot live with you, she must live with a host family. A student visa is needed first and for that she will need proof up front that she has the money to pay for school 100% plus living expenses. It seems to me that you're not grasping everything that goes into the process, including how very expensive it will be. After the year is up she cannot simply stay and apply for a new visa to a different school. She needs to go home and reapply for the new school and prove all over again that she has all money in the bank for school and living expenses. Pharmacy school is very expensive and it takes five years of school.

[nelmagriffin 148]

Greetings!

I think the preparation alone will take time.

Sone things to be considered are the following:

1. High School transcripts needed to be evaluated with any member of NACES.

2. And then there is a question of why not finish high school back home and start college in the USA? some do this to avoid taking the English test requirement, but not applicable to all school.

3. Most of the school will require the English test BCLS. If she has no problem in English that she will be fine with the results as some schools are specific wit what score that they wanted to accept.

4. Then the admission test,

5. If she finishes high school back home, then she will definitely have all her school credentials evaluated depending upon what the school requirement is asking for its admission. This is a must and the number one requirement needed from the admission, which means get more copies and apply as many schools that you like as you will never know who will accept her.

6. I am pretty sure that she must finish her undergraduate first (bachelor's degree), then in addition, she must have a doctoral degree which is another four years plus training before even applying to be a pharmacist. 

7. The money involve is high and the hard work as well, but if she can do it and you guys can afford, why not?

8. Most of the school is tuition is very high especially for international students and must have money to show that you can afford to stay and pay the tuition fees.

9. As you can see below that even nursing applicant must have a score of at least 83 for the English test while other courses is only 69. which is mind boggling. Well this will also depend upon what school that you are applying to enter.

10. I say let her finish high school back home and as soon as she finishes, have her transcripts evaluated here in the USA (must be from an accredited evaluator) and whilst waiting let her take BCLS test, and apply to as many schools as she can.

 

EXAMPLE: This is the expected school tuition fees of one of the school here in Michigan.

reference: Cost and aid | Admissions | Michigan State University (msu.edu)

 

A. IN-STATE FRESHMEN

---

Tuition and fees: $14,914
Room and board: $10,676
________________________________
Total for two semesters: $25,590

 

B. OUT-OF-STATE FRESHMEN

---

Tuition and fees: $40,726
Room and board: $10,676
________________________________
Total for two semesters: $51,402

 

C. 

The totals below reflect expenses included in the undergraduate financial proof requirements for MSU to issue an I-20. The cost for room and board includes the three weeks between fall and spring semesters.

Tuition and fees: $42,226
Room and board:  $12,278
Books and supplies:  $1,168
Personal/miscellaneous:          $3,950
Medical: $2,118
________________________________
Total for two semesters: $61,740

 

NOTE:  So, imagine how much it will cost for an international student.

How Much is the tuition for 4 years at MSU?

For the students who were admitted in Fall 2022, the estimated tuition for 4 years is $57,015 for Michigan residents and $162,693 for out-of-state students.

 

 

English language requirements

If your native language is not English, send an official English language proficiency test result directly to Marian University.

Minimum acceptable scores are:

• TOEFL IBT  69     
• IELTS  6.0
• ELS Level 112
• PTE 48

Marian University will waive this requirement if you have:

• Completed a degree from an accredited U.S. college or university
• Earned at least 24 regular semester hours of university credit from an accredited U.S. college or university
• Completed at least one year of high school in which English was the language of instruction

For nursing students:

If English is not your native language or you are not a citizen of a country in which English is an official language (contact your nursing advisor for an updated list of exempt countries), you must provide proof of one of the following for English language proficiency.

1. Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL IBT) with overall score of 83 and including a minimum speaking score of 26.
2. International English Language Testing System (IELTS ) Academic Test with an overall score of 6.5 and including a minimum speaking score of 7.
3. Duolingo score of 120 or higher. 
4. SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 560 or higher (21 ACT English subscore) or, your SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score is 660 or higher (27 ACT English subscore), regardless of where you are attending or have attended secondary school.
5. Provide proof of a conferred Bachelor’s level or higher degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States.
6. Provide proof of attendance of formal secondary or post-secondary education in the United States for at least 4 years.

 

 

Edited May 12, 2022 by nelmagriffin

[nelmagriffin 148]

sorry for the typos above.

 

Edited May 12, 2022 by nelmagriffin

[Daneandkathy 53]

@nelmagriffin thank you so much for all this information, I really appreciate. most people have just said I have no idea and this is too expensive, without helping with any information about how to move forward. I have spoken to the local high school and if she does decide to come for a year, since it is public school there is a negligible cost to it (since it is included in our taxes already, I think $20 for administration). 

I know when I moved to the states and started university we had to do the SATs and we also paid out of state tuition for 2 terms and had to petition the school to allow us to have instate tuition after that, but we were on green cards. 

 

I need to research more about pharmacy and see what she actually wants to do, I am not sure if she wants to be an actual pharmacist or just work in a pharmacy, but she may change her mind completely later. In macedonia there are limited options and so she chose pharmacy. Once she comes here she may realise she can choose anything. 

 

I know if we go through an exchange program she can only stay with a host family, but my hope was to become approved as a host family so she can stay with us and possibly continue hosting students from Macedonia. 

 

Thank you again for the useful information, I was starting to feel quite discouraged by the folks who were just saying negative things. 

[Daneandkathy 53]

9 hours ago, Cathi said:

With a student exchange program she cannot live with you, she must live with a host family. A student visa is needed first and for that she will need proof up front that she has the money to pay for school 100% plus living expenses. It seems to me that you're not grasping everything that goes into the process, including how very expensive it will be. After the year is up she cannot simply stay and apply for a new visa to a different school. She needs to go home and reapply for the new school and prove all over again that she has all money in the bank for school and living expenses. Pharmacy school is very expensive and it takes five years of school.

The plan is for us to be approved as a host family and continue hosting students after that, I have already looked into that. 

Thank you for the information about needing to reapply after the first year. 

[Redro 4,611]

Here is the information about Foreign Students in Public Schools.

 

• Secondary school attendance is limited to twelve months.
• F-1 secondary school students are required to pay the school the full cost of education by repaying the school system for the full, unsubsidized, per capita cost of providing the education to him or her.

 

Foreign students who want to attend public secondary school (high school) must pay the full cost of education. This amount is listed under "tuition" on the student's Form I-20. If the Form I-20 does not include the cost of tuition, the student must have a notarized statement, signed by the designated school official (DSO) who signed the Form I-20, stating the full cost of tuition and that the student paid the tuition in full. The full, unsubsidized per capita (for each student) cost of education is the cost of providing education to each student in the school district where the public school is located. Costs normally range between $3,000 and $10,000. The student secondary school cost reimbursement requirement is mandatory and school systems cannot waive the reimbursement requirement.

[Daneandkathy 53]

@ROK2USA thank you for the information. I spoke with the school yesterday and they said if we are her legal guardians it would be a cost as if she were our child. But I will double check that. 

[Redro 4,611]

Just now, Daneandkathy said:

@ROK2USA thank you for the information. I spoke with the school yesterday and they said if we are her legal guardians it would be a cost as if she were our child. But I will double check that. 

Did you inform them she would be on an F1? 

And she wouldn't be an LPR? 

[aaron2020 11,651]

Negative things.  Ok.  

You think you can bring your niece to the US for high school and then worry about a student visa.  You was told it wasn't so.  That's negative because it's not what you wanted.

 

You think that you will be able to be her host family for an exchange program.  You was told it wasn't so.  That's negative because it's not what you wanted.  

$20 for public high school to bring your niece to attend school in your neighborhood because you pay taxes.  You've been told that it was going to be expensive - $20-$40k/year.  But $20/year according to you.  Ok.  

 

Rock on.  Good luck. 

Edited May 12, 2022 by aaron2020

[Daneandkathy 53]

HI All

I am so sorry that I seem to be offending some people, I really didn't mean to post something that caused people to be so harsh. I understand what you are all saying and if you read it as me being naive or not knowing, it's just because I literally just starting to figure this all out and am finding conflicting information. If anyone knows how I can just delete this post please let me know. Thanks to those who have given me some information to help me understand the process more. 

[Redro 4,611]

11 minutes ago, Daneandkathy said:

HI All

I am so sorry that I seem to be offending some people, I really didn't mean to post something that caused people to be so harsh. I understand what you are all saying and if you read it as me being naive or not knowing, it's just because I literally just starting to figure this all out and am finding conflicting information. If anyone knows how I can just delete this post please let me know. Thanks to those who have given me some information to help me understand the process more. 

Your OP started things on the wrong foot I feel~

Thinking your husband obtaining citizenship allows him to petition his nieces for visas to the US. If he was still an LPR you would probably be in the same situation. 

The F1 is a nonimmigrant visa. So, if your niece applies for one she should indicate she has all intention of returning home after she completes her studies. 

The most you and your husband can do is provide financial support and room and board while she completes her studies. 

 

I believe if she wants to come to the US on an exchange program she probably won't be able to stay with you as:

• Exchange students are not permitted to reside with relatives.

https://j1visa.state.gov/programs/secondary-school-student#program-sponsors

 

Edited May 12, 2022 by ROK2USA

[Family 3,988]

12 minutes ago, Daneandkathy said:

I know if we go through an exchange program she can only stay with a host family, but my hope was to become approved as a host family so she can stay with us and possibly continue hosting students from Macedonia. 

That is most definitely a worthwhile plan and I hope you do get approved as a host family. Please be aware that every response ( on VJ )  you have received is VERY RELEVANT to your nieces future ability to study / travel to the US. 
The response from the local public high school IS NOT  relevant to your niece , and will absolutely guarantee she will be denied any future F-1.
 

Our US public schools are mandated to allow EVERYONE, INCLUDING the UNDOCUMENTED immigrant children attend school, therefore they will allow your niece to enroll/ attend …but when this record is disclosed on your niece’s future F-1 ( student visa ) or Any Other Visa it will be an automatic denial. 
 

The information you received in the posts is worthwhile reviewing carefully AND since you are putting in effort to help your niece and I applaud your efforts to become a host family for others, I hope you get a consultation with a skilled immigration attorney before you make choices that will negatively impact your plan.