Visa, money and pre-departure

Proof of funds, the visa for your destination, health cover, housing and the scams aimed at students. Figures are as of 2026-09; check the official page the week you apply.

Proof of funds

Also called financial capacity, maintenance funds

What: Evidence that you can pay tuition and living costs, in the form and for the period your visa route sets: bank statements, a blocked account, a loan letter or a scholarship letter.
Why: It is one of the most common reasons student visas are refused.

Watch out

A large, unexplained deposit made just before applying.

I-20 and F-1 visa

Also called DS-160, F1, I-20, Form I-20, F-1 visa, F-1

What: The I-20 is the school's form confirming your admission and funding; the F-1 is the student visa you apply for with it after paying the SEVIS fee and filing the DS-160.
Why: Since 15 September 2026 new F-1 students are admitted for a fixed period tied to the programme, up to four years, instead of duration of status.
Example: SEVIS I-901 fee for F-1 students: 350 US dollars as of 2026-09.

Watch out

Following visa advice written before the 2025 and 2026 changes.

Visa interview

What: A conversation or credibility check where an officer tests whether you are a genuine student with a clear plan and funding.
Why: Clear, consistent answers that match your documents are what officers look for.

Watch out

Reciting memorised answers that do not match your own documents.

Student health cover

Also called health insurance, IHS, OSHC

What: The health insurance or surcharge a visa or university requires, such as the UK Immigration Health Surcharge or Australian OSHC.
Why: Visas can be refused without it, and medical bills abroad can be large.

Watch out

Buying travel insurance where full health cover is required.

Education agent

Also called consultant, study abroad agency

What: A person or company that helps students apply, sometimes paid by universities, sometimes by students.
Why: A good one saves time; a bad one can submit false documents in your name and cost you a visa ban.

Watch out

Trusting anyone who promises admission, a visa or a scholarship for a fee.

Fake admission and scholarship letters

What: Forged offers using real university names, or fake scholarships that ask for a processing fee.
Why: Using a fake document, even unknowingly, can lead to refusal and long bans.
Example: Check the offer in the university's official portal and the sender's email domain, and never pay to receive a scholarship.

Watch out

Verifying an offer by calling a number printed on the same letter.

Housing scam

What: A fake listing where someone takes a deposit for a room that does not exist or is not theirs to rent.
Why: Students booking from abroad under time pressure are frequent targets.

Watch out

Paying a deposit by untraceable transfer for a room nobody you trust has seen.

Pre-departure folder

What: Originals and digital copies of your passport, visa, offer, funding, transcripts and insurance, plus money for the first weeks.
Why: Border officers and university registration ask for these in the first days.

Watch out

Packing key originals in checked luggage.

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