• Student visas are temporary visas.student image by Ivanna Buldakova from Fotolia.com
  
  The United States has several types of student visas. Each has a specific purpose and duration. Student visas are all temporary visas, and at the end of the visa period the student must leave the United States or begin accruing overstay time.
  
  

Approved Institutions

• In order to be eligible to accept foreign students, a school must be registered with the Department of State's Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Only institutions that are registered with this database can accept foreign students and register their students with the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, also known as SEVIS. SEVIS is part of the application process, and once a student is registered with a SEVP certified school and entered into SEVIS, she will receive an I-20 form, which allows her to apply for a student visa.
  
  

Financial Support

• Applicants for student visas must be able to meet the financial requirements for their course plus any living expenses they may incur while living in the United States. Work is restricted while a person on a student visa. He may work on campus or register for Optional Practical Training once his course is complete. The tuition and amount of financial support that is necessary is listed on the student's I-20 form, which is generated automatically by SEVIS.
  
  

Maintaining Student Status

• In order to keep the visa valid, students must remain enrolled in classes. A break of more than five months can compromise the visa's validity, making the student out of status or prohibiting her from returning to their studies without first obtaining a new visa. Once the course of study is complete, a student has up to 60 days to leave the United States before he begins accruing overstay time. During this time, the student can arrange to leave the United States, continue studies or change to a different institution and program.