<p>Hello, I'm a twenty year old high school graduate from India, and I wish to move to the USA for undergraduate studies.</p>
<p>Because of budget constraints -- I'm broke in the sense that I can only barely pay for college -- I'm planning on attending an accredited community college for two years, then transferring to a proper university to study for another two years and earn a Bachelor's degree.</p>
<p>In my research, though, I came across the fact that an F1 Visa doesn't really have a set "expiration" date, and that it just expires about two months after one's academic program ends.
I'm new to all this, so I'm confused: when I apply for the Visa, I'd be declaring the community college as my reason to come to the US, right? If so, does it mean my Visa'd expire approximately two years and two months after I set foot in America?</p>
<p>I know it's possible for an international student to study in a CC and then transfer to a Uni. Is that done with a different kind of Visa, then?</p>
<p>Also, the other big reason -- apart from 'education' -- that I'm moving to the US is that I wish to marry my girlfriend, who lives there. I can do that on an F1 Visa, yes? Or do I need another kind? </p>
<p>I'd appreciate any and all help anyone offers me.</p>
<p>Can you provide your grade, test score and extracurricular activities(in and out of school, or things you did on your own)</p>
<p>YEs, you can transfer, but there is no aid for international transfer. </p>
<p>So, you will have to shoot for private universities that give generous aids to internationals. At this point, almost all external scholarships or merit scholarships are past the due. </p>
<ol>
<li>I have a 3.0 cumulative GPA.</li>
<li>I haven’t officially written an SAT/ACT paper yet.
I have gone through many mock SAT tests (provided by Kaplan, CollegeBoard, Princeton Review, etc etc) and my score averages at about 1950. Let’s just say 1900+, though.</li>
<li>Hmm. I’ve never really been very extra-curricular; definitely no sports.
I have helped out here and there with a few charities, though. Does that help?</li>
</ol>
<p>“aid for international transfer”
Why would I need aid for that? Is transferring very expensive?
EDIT: Wait, are you talking about transferring from an international college to an American one?</p>
<p>“At this point, almost all external scholarships or merit scholarships are past the due”
Okay, maybe I should elaborate on my “broke”-ness.
I can pay for college – community college, anyway – without having to depend on aid/loans.
Once I’m actually in a CC, though, I can apply for ‘international aid’ for my “third and fourth” years at a proper university, right?</p>
<p>No, there is no financial aid-merit or needbased-for international transfer students.
When I said aid, I meant financial aid, not money for application process itself.</p>
<p>With that GPA and no SAT(why didn’t you take any SAT? Practice tests are nothing worth for applying to colleges), you will get no merit scholarships from private or public university.</p>
<p>And No, “helping out here and there with a few charities” won’t really get you somewhere better. There are bunch of kids in and out of US who have stellar ECs who get rejected from colleges. </p>
<p>A lot of international students start out at one of the community colleges in Wisconsin, and then transfer to the University of Wisconsin or another university in Wisconsin to complete their bachelor’s degree. See <a href=“Former UW Colleges Information”>Former UW Colleges Information. A friend of mine from China did that, and she met international students from all over who were there doing the same thing.</p>
<p>I haven’t written the SAT “yet”, but I will be doing so in a few weeks or so. There’s one scheduled for about halfway through January.
The mock-test scores were just to give you a frame of reference; I know they won’t get me into a college.</p>
<p>“With that GPA”
Won’t my GPA in the CC matter more?
Again, do I have to apply for the scholarship/aid for the time I spend at a university this early? Can’t I do that in my second year at a CC?</p>
<p>@mommyrocks </p>
<p>Thank you
I will check that link out, but I probably should’ve mentioned sooner: I intend to move to Oregon, specifically.
Out of curiosity, did you friend pay regular ‘in-state’ tuition at UWC? Or did she have to pay extra because she wasn’t a Wisconsin resident?
Also, do you know/remember what kind of Visa she had?</p>
<p>Internationals always have to pay the OOS/international fee - you can’t be a resident anywhere on a visa.
If you transfer from a CC to a flagship (and if you aim for UOregon, you need to attend a CC in Oregon) BUT you will not get any financial aid if you apply from the community college. Financial aid is reserved to international freshmen - see the page for UOregon:
<a href=“https://admissions.uoregon.edu/international/apply/scholarship”>https://admissions.uoregon.edu/international/apply/scholarship</a>
If you have some money, you would be better off applying by January 15 as a freshman and spreading that money over 4 years.
You need an F1 visa for bothCc and flagship.</p>
<p>How much CAN you afford? You have to pay oos tuition at Community College as well, in addition to the living expenses. So, money became the first priority question and F1 visa needs proof of funds as well.</p>
<p>If your intent to go to the United States is to marry your girlfriend, then a student visa isn’t appropriate. You need an immigrant visa. Specifically a K-1 visa. </p>
