Studying in the US from India: degrees, interviews and vetting
India is the largest source of international students in the United States, and Indian applicants book F-1 interviews at one of five US posts in India. Two things catch many Indian applicants: some universities do not treat a three-year bachelor's degree as a four-year degree, and F-1 applicants are asked to make their social media public. This guide sticks to sourced points.
- A year costs from
- ~US$35,000 all-in
- Next intakes you can make
- August 2027, January 2028
- Published visa figure, Indian applicants
- Not published
- Work after graduating
- OPT: 12 months, plus 24 more for STEM degrees
What is different from India
India is the top sender of international students to the US
The Institute of International Education's Open Doors 2025 report counts 363,019 students from India in the US in 2024/25, up 10 percent on the prior year, ahead of China (265,919). Source
Some universities do not accept a three-year Indian bachelor's degree as equivalent
Policies differ by university. As one example, Syracuse University treats a four-year Indian bachelor's as equivalent to a US bachelor's, and selected three-year degrees (B.A., B.Sc., B.Com.) only when earned in Division I from an institution accredited by NAAC at grade A or better. Other three-year degrees are generally treated as three years of undergraduate study. Check each programme's rule before you apply for a master's. Source
US visa services in India are at five posts
The US Embassy in India's visa page lists consular services at the Embassy in New Delhi and the Consulates General in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai. Wait times differ by post, so check the State Department's wait-time tool before choosing. Source
An in-person interview is now the general rule
The State Department's interview waiver update effective 1 October 2025 says all nonimmigrant visa applicants will generally require an in-person interview with a consular officer, with a short list of exceptions (diplomatic and similar visas, certain B and H-2A renewals) that does not include student visas. Source
F-1 applicants are asked to set social media profiles to public
The State Department announced on 18 June 2025 that it will vet the online presence of all F, M and J applicants and that applicants will be instructed to adjust the privacy settings on all social media profiles to public. Source
Waiver eligibility requires applying in your country of nationality or usual residence
Where an interview waiver applies, the State Department says applicants must apply in their country of nationality or usual residence and must never have been refused a visa. Check the embassy site for the posting you intend to use. Source
Your steps, in order
- Check each programme's rule on three-year degrees if you want a US master's.
- Get the I-20 from your university and pay the SEVIS fee as instructed on the State Department site.
- Complete the DS-160 and set your social media accounts to public, as the State Department instructs F applicants.
- Check the State Department's visa wait-time tool for New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata and book at the post that fits your timeline.
- Prepare financial documents and a clear explanation of your study plan for the interview.
- Attend the in-person interview at the post you booked.
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Get my free planQuestions Indian students ask
Will a 3-year degree from India work for a US master's?
It depends on the university and programme. Some accept only selected three-year degrees, for example from NAAC grade A institutions in Division I, and others require four years.
Do I need an interview?
The State Department says nearly all nonimmigrant visa applicants generally require an in-person interview from 1 October 2025.
Do I really have to make my social media public?
The State Department says F, M and J applicants will be instructed to set profiles to public so their online presence can be reviewed.
Facts checked 18 October 2026. Rules change often — the official source linked beside each fact always wins over this page. We never promise admission or a visa.