ikaboy:
pls I need some clarifications.
I have my Masters from a naija univerisity and seek ing to pursue my PHD in d states.

I currently have a 2 year visiting Visa and just came back to Nigeria last week after the first visit.

While their, I visited a school and my desire to pursue my PHD in such environment wouldn't be a wrong one I must confess.

A friend told me to do a second visit and try and apply over there in d states for my student visa. How feasible is that or i must do it in Nigeria??

Does my current visa put me on any vantage position to secure a student visa if offered an admission

Can I have a summary of the required documents to pursue an admission?

Is GRE mandatory, cos d school visited did not mention that.?

Brothers and sisters ur candid input will not go unappreciated

Yes, your current visa does put you at a vantage point for getting the F1 visa. More so, the fact that you are going for PhD studies. Rarely are PhD students denied visas. The very fact that you have a visitor's visa, visited the US and returned to Nigeria as promised shows some level of credibility in you. When you go for your interview, your B1/B2 visa will be cancelled and you will be issued the F1 visa instead.

Do not visit the US again to try to get admission from there and begin school from there. Apply for your student visa here in Nigeria. It is easier than to try to adjust status to F1 status from B1/B2 while in the US. There is a 90% denial rate of status adjustment from B1/B2 to F1 while in the US as you would have to prove without reasonable doubt why you're suddenly changing status and your status change wasn't premeditated i.e. you knew in advance that you were going to go to school in the US after you arrive but yet came on the wrong visa type.

Most schools offer funding with PhD admissions, especially if starting in the Fall semester. I suppose that's the semester you're applying for?

As a PhD potential candidate, it is 100% recommended that you write the GRE exam. The benefits of a PhD admission are quite many and you need to work hard for it, especially with near-perfect applications coming from Chinese and Indian students. You definitely want your application to stand out.

In addition to your current school, be sure to apply to at least 2 other schools to increase your chances of funding. Do not apply to only this one school except you are very sure you would be given funding with your admission.

To apply you would need a GRE score (for most schools), your transcripts (either direct from your UG university or via a translation agency), a TOEFL score (optional for many schools that recognize Nigeria as English-speaking), a statement of purpose outlining your reasons for doing Masters and your goals, application fee for the school you're applying to and maybe any journals or papers that you have written or published.

stolid:


Thanks for the reply, brother. I wish I had taken my time like you advised & done better on the GRE though. I've got the following schools in mind:

Uni of Cincinnati
Texas A & M, Kingsville
New Mexico Tech
Lehigh University

314 with just 7 weeks of preparation is quite laudable, I must say. Yea, the length of time invested in preparing for GRE is directly proportional to one's performance in the GRE. It is something i've seen too many times.

Oh, I didn't remember you mentioned your schools in your earlier post. Those are good schools that you have up there. I suppose that you are going for your Master's right? In what field? Pardon me if you've mentioned it to me before. Life in this country can get so time consuming that it is easy to forget details about people.

bigfrancis21:


314 with just 7 weeks of preparation is quite laudable, I must say. Yea, the length of time invested in preparing for GRE is directly proportional to one's performance in the GRE. It is something i've seen too many times.

Oh, I didn't remember you mentioned your schools in your earlier post. Those are good schools that you have up there. I suppose that you are going for your Master's right? In what field? Pardon me if you've mentioned it to me before. Life in this country can get so time consuming that it is easy to forget details about people.

lol it's fine bro, I understand. Thank you for taking out time to allay my fears infact.

I've got a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering with 1 year research experience in Environmental Engineering, and I'll be applying for Ms. Environmental Engineering in all schools.

slimmy05:
Is the PhD fully funded? If it's not abeg abeg find something better. Well you don't need GRE since you already have a masters degree. You can either apply and get your admission then proceed to F-1 visa or you can get your admission early enough to afford you the time to adjust status. But the easiest and faster route is apply for an F-1 in Nigeria, I assure you, your visa will be approved, you have a lot of valid points that can get you your visa without hassles.

Thanks Slimmy05. can i PM u??

Thanks Big Francis.

bigfrancis21:


Yes, your current visa does put you at a vantage point for getting the F1 visa. More so, the fact that you are going for PhD studies. Rarely are PhD students denied visas. The very fact that you have a visitor's visa, visited the US and returned to Nigeria as promised shows some level of credibility in you. When you go for your interview, your B1/B2 visa will be cancelled and you will be issued the F1 visa instead.

Do not visit the US again to try to get admission from there and begin school from there. Apply for your student visa here in Nigeria. It is easier than to try to adjust status to F1 status from B1/B2 while in the US. There is a 90% denial rate of status adjustment from B1/B2 to F1 while in the US as you would have to prove without reasonable doubt why you're suddenly changing status and your status change wasn't premeditated i.e. you knew in advance that you were going to go to school in the US after you arrive but yet came on the wrong visa type.

Most schools offer funding with PhD admissions, especially if starting in the Fall semester. I suppose that's the semester you're applying for?

As a PhD potential candidate, it is 100% recommended that you write the GRE exam. The benefits of a PhD admission are quite many and you need to work hard for it, especially with near-perfect applications coming from Chinese and Indian students. You definitely want your application to stand out.

In addition to your current school, be sure to apply to at least 2 other schools to increase your chances of funding. Do not apply to only this one school except you are very sure you would be given funding with your admission.

To apply you would need a GRE score (for most schools), your transcripts (either direct from your UG university or via a translation agency), a TOEFL score (optional for many schools that recognize Nigeria as English-speaking), a statement of purpose outlining your reasons for doing Masters and your goals, application fee for the school you're applying to and maybe any journals or papers that you have written or published.

juntod:


Thanks bro. How does it work again? Just send a blank email right?

Yeah

Good morning everybody , plan can anyone direct me on how to apply for visa to usa with my wife and two kids for visit
Thanks

osayukiigbe:
Good morning everybody , plan can anyone direct me on how to apply for visa to usa with my wife and two kids for visit
Thanks

ask here

www.nairaland.com/2656320/usa-visit-visa-part-2/4#2656320.136

bigfrancis21:


How much was it before? Or how much were you expecting to be charged?

220 or 229 boss

I'm new to nairaland and this trend.....I'm planning to go to US for my masters, and my head is filled with infos only can't stop finding answers to please I need help on the following questions.
1)Do you have to pay the school fees before you're granted visa or travel?
2)Are accomodations provided for masters students?
3) I hear students can't work on their first year as a student, is this also applicable to masters students?
Please I need answers ASAP thanks

Please I nid immediate response my good people. I applied to a college for Msc in Environmental Engineering, dey dn't require GRE nor Toelf.
What is probability of geting a US Student VISA wifout Toelf or IELTS.

any one in Madison, Wisconsin? or know any one who studies there,

1) no, unless you are attending a "one building university" you can even pay at the end of each semester
2) no, even the dorms cant accommodate all undergraduates in most flagships(big schools) and can, the bigger the better, so no guarantee for that
3)yes, but some schools allow you work with your professors as research assistants or "cheap labour" on research trips, or you go hustle for town and get paid under table(not advisable ) they can hitherto offer you instate tuition through that but its very competitive for grad students so the early you turn in your application the better....look out for the big schools if you are a STEM prospective student.

olantua:
I'm new to nairaland and this trend.....I'm planning to go to US for my masters, and my head is filled with infos only can't stop finding answers to please I need help on the following questions.
1)Do you have to pay the school fees before you're granted visa or travel?
2)Are accomodations provided for masters students?
3) I hear students can't work on their first year as a student, is this also applicable to masters students?
Please I need answers ASAP thanks

olantua:
I'm new to nairaland and this trend.....I'm planning to go to US for my masters, and my head is filled with infos only can't stop finding answers to please I need help on the following questions.
1)Do you have to pay the school fees before you're granted visa or travel?
2)Are accomodations provided for masters students?
3) I hear students can't work on their first year as a student, is this also applicable to masters students?
Please I need answers ASAP thanks

1) For many schools, you don't have to pay school fees in advance before granted your admission letter + I-20. For a few schools with experience with Nigerians known for getting admission and visa with admission from their school but never showing up at the school after arriving the US, they often demand for part tuition payment from Nigerian students to weed out the serious ones from the ones trying to obtain US admission to escapee Nigeria. This depends on the school. For many students currently in the US, they never had to pay tuition deposit before receiving their admission packet and for some students at schools with experience with Nigerians, they had to pay tuition deposit to receive their admission packet. As for the embassy, the US embassy does not care if or not you paid tuition deposit to your prospective school. Tuition deposit payment is not a requirement for the US student visa.

2) No, accommodation is not provided except maybe school hostels (called dormitories in US parlance) for graduate students which are usually expensive compared to living off campus. Off campus living is strongly recommended because you can often get way cheaper housing than what is usually obtainable in school hostels. For undergraduate students, it might be compulsory to live on campus during your first semester or first year or so after which you can move off campus if you so wish but for graduate students it is not usually required that you live on campus during your first year. A few schools, however, do provide temporary housing accommodation for newly-arrived international students for a few days until they are able to find an apartment of their own but not all schools do this.

3) This is total balderdash. As an international student, undergraduate or masters, you can start working in the US as soon as your school resumes and you get a job but you can only work on campus for 20 hours per week (part time) when school is in session during fall and spring semesters and 40 hours per week (full time) during summer and winter breaks. By law, you are not supposed to work off campus.

Probability is 50/50..for A stem related course, it is advisable you write atleast one stardard test in case you are asked at the embassy..whc school is that? stem related courses in most US schools require GRE..

Mosthansum:
Please I nid immediate response my good people. I applied to a college for Msc in Environmental Engineering, dey dn't require GRE nor Toelf.
What is probability of geting a US Student VISA wifout Toelf or IELTS.

slimmy05:
Is the PhD fully funded? If it's not abeg abeg find something better. Well you don't need GRE since you already have a masters degree. You can either apply and get your admission then proceed to F-1 visa or you can get your admission early enough to afford you the time to adjust status. But the easiest and faster route is apply for an F-1 in Nigeria, I assure you, your visa will be approved, you have a lot of valid points that can get you your visa without hassles.

Check this again, it should be a typo. GRE/GMAT is required for every PhD admission.

Hello good morning guys .. I need to start processing my admission for a masters degree . I will be taking just the toefl test . I have a bachelor in computer science . I need universities that will grant me admission in Texas especially or any other state . I wish to apply for May 1 admission 2016

amanze15:
any one in Madison, Wisconsin? or know any one who studies there,

godG if I am not wrong

I have a question about this b1/b2 visa. I am a 33 yrs old US Citizen and my boyfriend of 1 year is from nigeria.he is 36yrs old and we met here in the US on one of his visits. He currently has a b1/b2 visa that is valid until 2016 and visit's me in Texas often. We would like to get married here in the US during his next visit in December, he will be here for 3 weeks and will return to nigeria in January 2016. I know that it is ok for us to marry in US with his passport as ID as long as he intends to return to nigeria and not stay in US.

My question is, he was once married before and he has 3 kids but he is divourced now.
Can I go ahead with the marriage ? And after our marriage here in the US, can he decide to stay here while I file for him or must he return back to Nigeria ?

imperiouxx:


Check this again, it should be a typo. GRE/GMAT is required for every PhD admission.

In his post, he said GRE/ GMAT is not required for the school he wants. It is not a typo

sakibuyomi:
I have a question about this b1/b2 visa. I am a 33 yrs old US Citizen and my boyfriend of 1 year is from nigeria.he is 36yrs old and we met here in the US on one of his visits. He currently has a b1/b2 visa that is valid until 2016 and visit's me in Texas often. We would like to get married here in the US during his next visit in December, he will be here for 3 weeks and will return to nigeria in January 2016. I know that it is ok for us to marry in US with his passport as ID as long as he intends to return to nigeria and not stay in US.

My question is, he was once married before and he has 3 kids but he is divourced now.
Can I go ahead with the marriage ? And after our marriage here in the US, can he decide to stay here while I file for him or must he return back to Nigeria ?

You go ahead with the marriage but it can only be done in Nigeria, after that you return to America and file for him. Court-wedding is much more suitable at this stage and is required by the US Embassy.

Also, if he's truly divorced, then he needs to have a certificate of divorce before he proceeds with court-wedding.

Better he stays in Nigeria while you file for him.

Walspring:

godG if I am not wrong

Yup. In UW-Madison.

Walspring:


godG if I am not wrong

alright.

slimmy05:
In his post, he said GRE/ GMAT is not required for the school he wants. It is not a typo

Got you now. He needs to get the facts straight because every PhD admission requires standardized test.

sakibuyomi:
I have a question about this b1/b2 visa. I am a 33 yrs old US Citizen and my boyfriend of 1 year is from nigeria.he is 36yrs old and we met here in the US on one of his visits. He currently has a b1/b2 visa that is valid until 2016 and visit's me in Texas often. We would like to get married here in the US during his next visit in December, he will be here for 3 weeks and will return to nigeria in January 2016. I know that it is ok for us to marry in US with his passport as ID as long as he intends to return to nigeria and not stay in US.

My question is, he was once married before and he has 3 kids but he is divourced now.
Can I go ahead with the marriage ? And after our marriage here in the US, can he decide to stay here while I file for him or must he return back to Nigeria ?

You can get married to him either in Nigeria or US, I'll recommend you guys get married in US, then he can leave to Nigeria or he can be in US there, then you can file for him.

slimmy05:
You can get married to him either in Nigeria or US, I'll recommend you guys get married in US, then he can leave to Nigeria or he can be in US there, then you can file for him.

OK thanks very much. So he can stay here with me in the US after our marriage. I will prefer he stays, and i can never go to nigeria to do the wedding. Nigeria is really stressful. So far he can stay with me here legally after our wedding, i think we are good to go. Thanks so much for your help

Great people, I greet you guys

Pls I have few questions to ask. I graduated with a third class 2.2CGPA B.sc Banking/finance

....Now to my questions:

1. Can I get a [size=4pt]cheap[/size] school that offers masters in the US with that CGPA above, If NO, what are my options?? Any room for PGD?

2. with a budget of #2m, am I good to go for a masters programme in the states? (I have an uncle that will help me with a bank statement of any amount that I want; but he is not the one sponsoring me though)

3, If questions 1 & 2 is answered in affirmative, when is the right time for someone that will like to start his programme in august/september 2017 start the necessary applications (school applications, visa applications and all other stuffs).

4. Where can a prospective applicant write GRE xams or is it online (make una no laugh me plss, am a JJC here)


Thanks guys...

sakibuyomi:

OK thanks very much. So he can stay here with me in the US after our marriage. I will prefer he stays, and i can never go to nigeria to do the wedding. Nigeria is really stressful. So far he can stay with me here legally after our wedding, i think we are good to go. Thanks so much for your help

In as much as his visa is valid. But make sure he stays at least for a while. You guys can get married and you can file for him.

himkers:
Great people, I greet you guys

Pls I have few questions to ask. I graduated with a third class 2.2CGPA B.sc Banking/finance

....Now to my questions:

1. Can I get a [size=4pt]cheap[/size] school that offers masters in the US with that CGPA above, If NO, what are my options?? Any room for PGD?

2. with a budget of #2m, am I good to go for a masters programme in the states? (I have an uncle that will help me with a bank statement of any amount that I want; but he is not the one sponsoring me though)

3, If questions 1 & 2 is answered in affirmative, when is the right time for someone that will like to start his programme in august/september 2017 start the necessary applications (school applications, visa applications and all other stuffs).

4. Where can a prospective applicant write GRE xams or is it online (make una no laugh me plss, am a JJC here)


Thanks guys...

Errm, I'm a prospective applicant like yourself but I do feel a 2.2 GPA for master's application is a long shot. Even if you have it evaluated and converted to a 4.0 scale, It would probably fall around a 2.5 of 4.0. I have yet to see a school with less than a 2.7 of 4.0 GPA requirement. My advice is that you go for a PGD here in Nigeria first, give it your best and try to graduate with a good GPA. It would help ameliorate the previous to an extent. You could then write the GRE, do well, and apply for a masters in very safe US schools afterwards.

DeeTus:
You go ahead with the marriage but it can only be done in Nigeria, after that you return to America and file for him. Court-wedding is much more suitable at this stage and is required by the US Embassy.

Also, if he's truly divorced, then he needs to have a certificate of divorce before he proceeds with court-wedding.

Better he stays in Nigeria while you file for him.

That's not true Mr Man. He doesn't have to go to Nigeria before she files for him. If he goes back, he has to file a K-1 petition but if he stays here he only needs to file for AOS (Adjustment of Status)

You realize how long both K-1 and AOS takes right? K-1 takes forever and AOS can take as short as 4months. AOS is his surest bet. Telling him to go back to Nigeria and all the reasons you listed has no basis. He can file for AOS here so far he has all his divorce papers and stuff. Even if he doesn't have it, he can always have it couried to him.

Also, while filing for AOS if at anytime he lives to go to Nigeria or any other part of the world, they consider his petition abandoned unless he applied and is approved for advanced parole. So no, it's not better for him to go to Nigeria and she file from when he is there.

MsNas:

That's not true Mr Man. He doesn't have to go to Nigeria before she files for him. If he goes back, he has to file a K-1 petition but if he stays here he only needs to file for AOS (Adjustment of Status)

You realize how long both K-1 and AOS takes right? K-1 takes forever and AOS can take as short as 4months. AOS is his surest bet. Telling him to go back to Nigeria and all the reasons you listed has no basis. He can file for AOS here so far he has all his divorce papers and stuff. Even if he doesn't have it, he can always have it couried to him.

Also, while filing for AOS if at anytime he lives to go to Nigeria or any other part of the world, they consider his petition abandoned unless he applied and is approved for advanced parole. So no, it's not better for him to go to Nigeria and she file from when he is there.

I asked him to return to Nigeria as a precautionary measure and not other way round because he is on tourist visa.

You ought to have asked how long he'll probably stay in the US before his petition gets approved. And please talk to me in a good manner and not Mr. Man.

After all, nobody knows it all. Again, I am only concerned with "abandoned petition" that's why I advised him to return home while the wife files for him.

Did i talk about K1 visa? No. So why bring it up here? Is it to show superiority or something?