Study in the US from India: intakes, tests and F-1 papers
I am in India and want to study in the United States in 2027. When do applications open and close, what English test do universities take, and which papers and fees does the F-1 student visa need?
Most US degrees start in August or September (the fall intake), and undergraduate applications close between November and January. The US government sets no fixed bank balance for students. Your university asks for proof that you can pay tuition and living costs before it issues the Form I-20, and the visa officer may ask how you will pay. The F-1 papers are your passport, the DS-160 confirmation page, the signed Form I-20 and the SEVIS fee receipt. The SEVIS I-901 fee is $350 and the visa fee is $185.
This page may be out of date. It was due for a re-check on 8 November 2026. Confirm every rule with the official source before acting on it.
As of 1 November 2026: we read every figure on this page on the official page linked next to it that day, except the State Department visa fee and the EducationUSA note, which we last read on 8 October 2026. Governments revise these amounts, often once a year, so open the official page again before you pay or apply.
At a glance
- Main intake
- Fall (August or September). The University of California also has a July filing window for winter and spring terms.[5]
- Proof of funds
- No fixed government figure. The student or a sponsor must show enough money for tuition and living expenses for the intended study, and the school checks this before it issues the Form I-20.[1]
- SEVIS I-901 fee (F-1)
- $350, paid online before the visa interview[3]
- Visa application (MRV) fee
- US$185, non-refundable[4]
- English test
- Set by each university. Example: MIT asks for at least IELTS 7 (7.5 recommended).[7]
MIT first-year dates, as an example
Stanford Computer Science master's, autumn 2027
| University | What the official page says |
|---|---|
| University of California (first-year) | Fall filing period 1 October to 30 November; winter and spring terms 1 to 31 July (UC admissions) |
| MIT (first-year) | Early Action 1 November; Regular Action 4 January; Regular Action decisions mid-March (MIT Admissions) |
| Stanford Computer Science (Master's, autumn 2027) | Application opens 15 September 2026, deadline 8 December 2026, decisions March 2027 (Stanford CS) |
Each university sets its own dates. These come from the universities' own pages; MIT and UC do not print the cycle year, so check the page in the year you apply.[5]
| Paper | What it is |
|---|---|
| Passport | Valid for travel to the United States |
| Form DS-160 confirmation page | Fill the online application, then print the confirmation page for the interview; you upload your photo inside the DS-160 |
| Form I-20 | Issued by your school; you and the school official both sign it |
| SEVIS I-901 fee receipt | Proof that you paid the fee online before the interview |
| Visa fee receipt | The non-refundable US$185 processing fee |
From the US Department of State student visa page and Study in the States. The officer can ask for more, including how you will pay educational, living and travel costs.[4]
The US visa rules leave the English requirement to the university. MIT, for example, accepts Cambridge C1/C2, Duolingo, IELTS, PTE Academic and TOEFL, and lists minimums of IELTS 7, PTE 65 and Duolingo 120. Read the exact score on the admissions page of every university on your list, because programmes inside one university can differ.[7]
EducationUSA, the State Department's advising network, says a US university may ask an international applicant to send transcripts to a credential evaluation agency. The university names the agency it accepts, so wait for its instruction instead of paying for an evaluation in advance.[9]
There is no single US figure to copy into a planner. Each school works out what a year of tuition and living costs and asks for evidence before it issues the Form I-20. The visa officer can then ask how you will cover educational, living and travel costs. Our funds by country table lets you type the figure your school gives you and convert it to rupees.[1]
Tips and tricks
- Pay the SEVIS fee only after you have your Form I-20, because the payment form asks for the SEVIS ID printed on it.[2]
- Keep the printed DS-160 confirmation page and the SEVIS receipt in one folder with the signed I-20; the interview checks all three.[4]
- Check whether your programme takes Duolingo before you book IELTS or TOEFL. Lists differ between universities.
- Ask the admissions office which credential evaluation agency it accepts before you pay one.
Questions people ask
How much bank balance is needed for a US student visa?
The US government does not publish one figure. Your school decides the amount for tuition and living costs and asks for evidence before it issues the Form I-20, and the visa officer may ask how you will pay.[1]
What is the SEVIS fee for an F-1 student in 2026?
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement lists $350 for F or M visa applicants. Pay it online before the visa interview and bring the receipt.[3]
What is the US student visa fee?
The State Department student visa page lists a non-refundable processing (MRV) fee of US$185 for each applicant.[4]
When do US universities open applications for fall 2027?
It depends on the university. UC's fall filing period runs from 1 October to 30 November, and Stanford Computer Science opened its master's application on 15 September 2026 with an 8 December 2026 deadline.[5]
Connected pages
- Uses data from · Study abroadStudent visa funds by country: official figures with a rupee converterThe money each government asks students to show, from UK to France, with source and date, and a converter to rupees at RBI's published rate.
- Related · Study abroadIELTS in India: fee, format, results and One Skill RetakeIELTS from India in 2026: INR 19,000 fee, Academic or General Training, the new Writing on Paper option, result days, One Skill Retake and transfer costs.
- Related · Study abroadTOEFL iBT from India: fee, new 1-6 score, format and score reportsTOEFL iBT from India: US$164 fee before tax, the new 1 to 6 score with 0 to 120 alongside, a two-hour adaptive test, four free score reports and extra charges.
- Related · Study abroadStudy abroad intake and deadline calendar: a month-by-month back-planPick a country and intake to get a printable month-by-month plan built back from official university and government dates, each with its source.
- Related · Study abroadStudy in Canada from India: intakes, PAL and proof of fundsCanada study permit funds (CAD 23,448 from 1 Sep 2026), PAL/TAL, fees, documents and sample university deadlines, each with its official source.
- Related · Study abroadGRE General Test from India: fee, ID, format, scores and retakesGRE General Test from India in 2026: how the fee works, passport-only ID, the 1 hour 58 minute format, scores in 8 to 10 days, 5-year validity, retake limits.
Official and partner links
Sources
- Financial Ability, Study in the States, US Department of Homeland Security. Accessed 1 November 2026.
- Paying the I-901 SEVIS Fee, Study in the States, US Department of Homeland Security. Accessed 1 November 2026.
- I-901 SEVIS Fee, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Accessed 1 November 2026.
- Student Visa, US Department of State (US Embassy student visa page). Accessed 8 October 2026.
- Applying as a first-year, University of California. Accessed 1 November 2026.
- First-year deadlines and requirements, MIT Admissions. Accessed 1 November 2026.
- Tests and scores, MIT Admissions. Accessed 1 November 2026.
- Graduate application deadlines, Stanford University, Computer Science. Accessed 1 November 2026.
- Understanding credential evaluation for US university admission, EducationUSA, US Department of State. Accessed 8 October 2026.
Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us through the corrections page. Updated 1 November 2026.