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US student visa checker for English study

Choose your passport country, class hours and course length to see the guidance for your course.

  1. 1

    A passport from a Visa Waiver Program country does not establish personal eligibility. Other entry routes and nationality exceptions also exist.

  2. 2

    United States

    This directory lists US programs only. Other countries have different rules. Compare country guidance

  3. 3
    15hours per weekCourse hours

    Get the actual instructional hours from the school. Fewer hours do not automatically make a course recreational or permit study as a visitor.

  4. 4
Individual review needed

Check both course purpose and total VWP stay

A 8-week course spans about 56 days. Even if the full visit stays within 90 days, a language-training program is not made permissible on ESTA by its length or weekly hours. Ask whether this is genuinely a short recreational, non-credit activity during tourism.

  • Ask the school whether this specific course requires F-1 status and a Form I-20.
  • Confirm your purpose of travel, course credit and immigration circumstances with the relevant consulate before paying or booking.
  • Include all travel days in the 90-day VWP limit. Nationality and course length alone do not establish VWP eligibility; ESTA does not guarantee admission.
  • Add days spent in the US outside class to the course calendar before evaluating the 90-day limit.
Browse programsF-1 student visa guide

If this is a short recreational course during tourism, also read the US visitor-study guide. Ask the school about this exact course with the school email template; use the document checklist before applying.

Email me this checklist

Select or calculate your information, then enter your email.

This tool is general guidance based on published rules, not legal advice. Always confirm with the school and relevant embassy or consulate before booking travel.

Sources checked 2026-09-29: Department of State student guidance / Visa Waiver Program requirements

Browse example passport, hours and duration combinations

Visa-planning examples by passport and course length

Start with a server-rendered example, then adjust the selections for your actual course. Each example is general guidance, not an eligibility decision.