<p>boramk, you would apply for a regular full driver’s license. It looks like the temporary license is meant for foreign individuals who do not qualify for social security numbers, but international students do. </p>
<p>BowTieFratty, where did you get the info that South African licenses are at least temporarily valid in the state of Illinois? </p>
<p>The German counterpart to the American AAA advises drivers that German driver’s licenses may not be valid in some US states without additional paperwork. That makes me cautious to make optimistic assumptions about the OP’s situation, unless there’s an authoritative source stating so. </p>
<p>And about renting cars: most companies do not rent to drivers under 21.</p>