All relevant paperwork must be submitted to the consular section of the U.S. embassy. You must submit a valid passport and a passport photo, a completed nonimmigrant visa application form, any requested forms for nationals of your country and an I-20 form from the academic institution. You must also provide evidence of your financial ability to cover the costs of the course and living in the United State --- such as a current bank statement --- and the visa fee.
You must be accepted into a course in a U.S. academic institution before you apply for an F-1 visa. The I-20 form is provided by the accepting school.
You must prove that you have sufficient English language ability to complete this course of study. This is especially important when coming from a country where English is not the first language. You are encouraged as an applicant to take the "Test of English as a Foreign Language" (TOEFL) to establish your English-speaking abilities.
All nonimmigrant applications to the United States are viewed as "intending immigrants"; they intend to settle in the United States. You must provide evidence demonstrating ties to your home country to ensure a successful visa application. Such documents include proof of land ownership or economic ties to your country. If the education course you are taking is only available in the United States and not in your country, include evidence of this. Providing as much documental evidence as possible in this area will be helpful
