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    Student visa guide · Nigerian students

    United States student visa for Nigerian students: fee, requirements and processing time

    The F-1 Student Visa costs $535 in fees nobody can skip, up to $575 if every situational extra applies.

    About ₦712,000 for the F-1 Student Visa at the ExchangeRate-API rate on 18 September 2026. The fee is charged in the destination's currency, so the exact amount moves with the exchange rate.

    By Global Admissions Editorial · Checked against 5 official sources

    What is different when you apply from Nigeria

    The general process is on the United States student visa guide. These are the parts that only apply to you.

    Your F-1 is issued for a single entry, valid three months

    Under the reciprocity schedule for Nigeria, F-1 and F-2 visas are issued for one entry with three months' validity. Students from most other markets receive multiple-entry visas valid for several years, so once you enter the United States you cannot leave and come back on the same visa.

    U.S. Department of State: Visa Reciprocity Schedule, Nigeria

    Any trip home means applying for a new visa

    Because the visa is spent on first entry, a visit home during your degree requires a fresh DS-160, a new $185 application fee and another interview appointment in Nigeria before you can return. The I-901 SEVIS fee is not charged again while your SEVIS record stays active.

    U.S. Department of State: Visa Reciprocity Schedule, Nigeria

    No visa issuance fee applies

    The reciprocity schedule lists no issuance fee for Nigerian F-1 and F-2 applicants, so your government costs are the $350 SEVIS fee and the $185 application fee only.

    U.S. Department of State: Visa Reciprocity Schedule, Nigeria

    United States student visa documents for Nigerian applicants

    9documents every applicant provides.

    DocumentWhat it involves
    Form I-20 from a SEVP-certified schoolYour school issues the Form I-20 once it has entered your details in SEVIS. You and a school official must both sign it, and you must present it to the consular officer at your interview and again to border officers on arrival. source
    Paid I-901 SEVIS feeF and M visa applicants pay a $350 I-901 SEVIS fee. It is separate from the visa application fee and from any school SEVIS administration charge, and you print the payment confirmation from FMJfee.com rather than waiting for a mailed receipt. source
    Passport valid six months beyond your stayYour passport must stay valid for at least six months past the period you intend to remain in the United States, unless a country-specific agreement exempts you. Every family member who needs a visa files a separate application. source
    DS-160 confirmation pageComplete the online DS-160 nonimmigrant visa application and print the confirmation page to bring to your interview. source
    Digital photograph meeting State Department specificationsYou upload the photo inside the DS-160. If the upload fails, bring one printed photo in the required format to the interview. source
    Visa application fee receiptThe nonimmigrant visa application fee is $185 and is non-refundable. Most posts require you to pay it before the interview; check the instructions of the embassy or consulate where you apply. source
    Academic recordsConsular officers commonly ask for transcripts, diplomas, degrees or certificates from schools you attended, plus any standardized test scores your U.S. school required. source
    Evidence of how you will pay for study and living costsThere is no fixed national figure. The consular officer decides whether you have shown you can cover all educational, living and travel costs, so bank statements, sponsor letters and scholarship or loan awards should add up to the cost of attendance on your Form I-20. source
    Evidence of intent to depart after your studiesThe F-1 is a temporary visa, and you must satisfy the officer that you will leave the United States when your course of study ends. Refusals under section 214(b) turn on this point. source

    United States student visa processing time from Nigeria

    A visa for a new student can be issued up to 365 days before the course start date, but you cannot enter the United States more than 30 days before it. Interview wait times vary by post and season, so apply early.

    U.S. Department of State: Student Visa (F and M) · checked August 2026

    How to apply for a United States student visa from Nigeria

    1. Get accepted by a SEVP-approved school

      Apply to a school approved by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. Once it accepts you, the school registers you in SEVIS and issues your Form I-20.

      source
    2. Pay the $350 I-901 SEVIS fee

      Pay before you schedule the visa interview, using your SEVIS ID from the Form I-20. Print the confirmation from FMJfee.com and keep it with your application documents.

      source
    3. Complete the DS-160 online application

      Fill in the DS-160 on the Consular Electronic Application Center, upload your photo, and print the confirmation page.

      source
    4. Pay the visa fee and book your interview

      Pay the $185 application fee and schedule an interview at the embassy or consulate in the country where you live. Wait times vary by post and season, so book early; a new student's visa can be issued up to 365 days before the course start date.

      source
    5. Attend the interview and give fingerprints

      Bring your passport, DS-160 confirmation, fee receipt, Form I-20 and supporting documents. Ink-free digital fingerprints are usually taken at the interview. Some applications then go into additional administrative processing.

      source
    6. Travel and seek admission at the port of entry

      You may not enter more than 30 days before your program start date. A Customs and Border Protection officer inspects your passport, visa and Form I-20 and decides whether to admit you; the visa alone does not guarantee entry.

      source

    Work rights, dependants and what comes after

    Work rights

    F-1 students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week while school is in session. Off-campus employment only becomes possible after one academic year, and always needs authorization first.

    source

    Dependants

    A spouse and unmarried minor children may apply for F-2 visas. Each needs their own Form I-20 from your school and pays the visa application fee, but they do not pay the SEVIS fee. F-2 children may attend school in the United States.

    source

    After graduation

    Optional Practical Training gives 12 months of work authorization per educational level, and graduates of eligible STEM programs can apply for a 24-month extension. You may not accumulate more than 90 days of unemployment during OPT.

    source

    Language requirement

    There is no federal English-test score for the F-1 visa itself. Your school sets the language standard, and the consular officer may ask for the standardized test scores that school required.

    source

    United States student visa for other nationalities

    Student visas for Nigerian students elsewhere

    FAQ

    Frequently asked questions

    How much does a United States student visa cost for Nigerian students?
    $535 in mandatory fees for the F-1 Student Visa. About ₦712,000 for the F-1 Student Visa at the ExchangeRate-API rate on 18 September 2026. The fee is charged in the destination's currency, so the exact amount moves with the exchange rate. Situational extras can take it to $575.
    Can you work on a United States student visa?
    F-1 students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week while school is in session. Off-campus employment only becomes possible after one academic year, and always needs authorization first. Source: DHS Study in the States: Working in the United States (August 2026).
    How long does a United States student visa take?
    A visa for a new student can be issued up to 365 days before the course start date, but you cannot enter the United States more than 30 days before it. Interview wait times vary by post and season, so apply early. Source: U.S. Department of State: Student Visa (F and M) (August 2026).
    Can you bring your family on a United States student visa?
    A spouse and unmarried minor children may apply for F-2 visas. Each needs their own Form I-20 from your school and pays the visa application fee, but they do not pay the SEVIS fee. F-2 children may attend school in the United States. Source: U.S. Department of State: Student Visa (F and M) (August 2026).

    Official sources