International applicants need little convincing about their post-graduation prospects in the US. Whether you’re bound for New York’s thriving financial sector, or California’s dynamic tech scene, there are great career growth opportunities in the country. Securing a place at a top US business school is a promising step toward them.
International applicants to study in the States require a US student visa. With a number of different visas on offer, each with their own application processes, applicants need all available information at their disposal. Here, we’ll break down the different key visas, required documents, costs, and work eligibility.
What are the different US student visas?
When it comes to US student visas, there are three key types that are worth knowing about.
The F-1 visa is for international applicants to study an academic degree at a US university or business school. For MBA and master’s students, this is most likely the relevant visa for your program of study.
The M-1 visa is an international student visa for applicants to vocational, practical, or technical courses for job-specific skills—such as mechanics or chefs.
The J-1 is a short-term student visa for international students undertaking an exchange program in the US.
What documents are needed for an F-1 student visa?
Since the F-1 visa is most applicable for international business school applicants, we’ll focus on the F-1 visa application. We’ll start with required documentation that you’ll need to bring to a physical interview at a local US embassy or consulate.
Applicants must provide a passport valid for travel to the US. This must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay for your study program. It’s worth checking the list of countries that are currently experiencing travel restrictions to the US.
Before interviewing, you must complete the online Nonimmigrant Visa Application form (DS-160), and you’ll be required to present a physical copy of the form confirmation page. As part of this application, you need to upload a passport style photo of yourself—and bring a printed version of this to your interview, too.
You’ll be required to present a Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status For Academic and Language Students (Form I-20). This is essentially confirmation from your school that you’ve been accepted onto its degree program.
Other required documentation may include:
⇨ Proof of academic ability—qualifications, diplomas, transcripts, GMAT scores
⇨ Intent to depart the US following your course completion
⇨ Proof of financial means—for tuition, living, and travel costs
How much does an F-1 US visa application cost?
Applicants for an F-1 visa will have to pay a non-refundable application fee. This is currently $185.
You may also need to pay an issuance fee on top of this, once your visa is approved. This varies for different countries—find out more details here.
How long does it take to process a US student visa application?
After completion of your interview, and your application is approved, it’s estimated that you’ll wait between five and seven working days for issuance of your visa. Processing times for a US student visa can vary, and recent changes may mean this could take longer.
Unsuccessful applications can take longer to process—particularly if they need additional information or documentation. For that reason, it’s worth leaving as much time as possible before your intended travel date and program start date—around three months, to ensure you receive your visa in good time.
Can I work while studying on a US student visa?
International applicants may look to work alongside their studies, but you should be aware of employment restrictions for US student visa holders.
Broadly speaking, during your first year of studies, F-1 visa holders cannot work ‘off-campus’, and can only accept certain types of on-campus employment. The only type of employment US student visa holders can undertake off-campus should be directly related to their degree program. This will need to be authorized in advance by the university.
In certain cases, such as severe economic hardship or special student relief, F-1 visa holders can take off-campus work. Find out more on the USCIS website here.
Will I be eligible to work in the US after my MBA or master’s?
Studying in the US will often lead to an opportunity to secure a job after you graduate. For MBA and master’s students, there are a few routes to being eligible for work.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) allows international students a period of 12 months to stay on and work in the US. STEM-designated MBA students, meanwhile, can apply for a 24-month extension to this—allowing you to stay on for a total of three years.
To apply for the OPT, you must seek recommendations and approval from your university—up to 90 days before you graduate, or 60 days after. Crucially, OPT must be in a field related to your field of study—although this is less of a problem for business or management graduates.
To stay on further, you’ll need to apply for a visa, such as the H-1B visa. This is a working visa for highly-skilled migrants, and one of the more popular routes to post-MBA employment. To apply for an H-1B visa, you need to have employer sponsorship.
It’s worth noting that this is a highly competitive process—only 65,000 H-1B visas are issued every year, with an additional 20,000 issued to master’s students. All applicants are placed in a lottery, first for master’s students, then for all other graduates. This puts MBA and master’s graduates at an advantage—you can apply for both lotteries, giving you two shots at success.
There are other visas available. The O-1 visa is for individuals with extraordinary ability or talent, although this is highly competitive and capped in number. The L-1 visa may be more promising, if you’ve spent at least one year working at a company with a US office—crucially, this isn’t capped in number.
To stay in the US long term, you’ll need to get a Green Card, which gives you formal US citizenship. You can be eligible through employment—find out more about that here.
US student visas—competitive, but worth it?
Over a million international students head to the US to study each year. Securing a place at a top US university is highly competitive—schools such as The Wharton School, Harvard Business School, and Stanford GSB have single-figure acceptance rates for their MBA programs—while applying for a student visa can be time-consuming.
What is clear to anyone who has been through a US university is that it’s worth it. The US remains one of the strongest job markets, home to a large number of the world’s biggest companies and most exciting industries. For MBA and master’s graduates, it’s an unrivalled opportunity.
What’s the latest US student visa news?
If you’re applying to a US university in 2025, it’s worth understanding that US visa rules are currently experiencing changes.
One such change is around in-person interviews. Having granted waivers since COVID, visa applicants will be required again to attend in-person interviews from this September. This applies to student visas (F-1) and work visas (H-1B, O-1, etc.). Interviews will also now include detailed background checks that may require applicants to unlock online social media profiles.
This, combined with a freeze (now lifted) on new visas earlier in 2025, is likely to impact waiting times both for applications and renewals. Our US visa warning for international students? Leave as much time as possible by applying early, to avoid disappointment or last-minute panic. It’s also important to prepare yourself as best as possible, to give yourself the best shot at success when you first apply.
Here are some news articles that could help your preparation:
⇨ Dos And Don’ts Of Student Visa Applications (The Hindustan Times)
⇨ US Resumes Student Visas But Orders Enhanced Social Media Vetting (BBC)
TLDR article summary
⇨ International applicants for US business school will need to secure an F-1 visa.
⇨ At your in-person interview, you’ll be required to submit your passport, online application form, acceptance letter, and potentially proof of qualifications and financial means; the application will cost $185 plus issuance fees for successful applications, and should take five to seven working days, although you should leave as long as possible.
⇨ To stay on and work after graduating, you’ll need to explore options such as OPT or the H-1B visa
