Preparing for Visa Interviews can make one feel nervous. But there’s a way to overcome those anxieties and put your best foot forward during the interview. Proper planning and preparation help you go into the interview room with lots of confidence in order to face the panel/interviewer squarely. You also want to avoid last minute rush and forgetfulness by keeping the necessary required documents in the bag you intend going out with, a day to the interview. Here are some general tips for preparing for student visa interviews.
Every student visa interview is peculiar but all interviews share major similarities. You should be mindful of the following:
- Dress appropriately.
- Arrive early.
- Try not to look nervous.
- Greet the interviewers and smile.
- Be confident in your answers.
- Remember to be polite and demonstrate respect through your speech.
Likewise,
- Don’t be afraid to say “I beg your pardon” if you do not understand a question because of the interviewer’s accent.
- Have all the necessary and authentic documents at hand.
- Know your travel itinerary.
- Maintain strong ties in your home country such as a job, a company, or family members and dependents.
As aforementioned, every interview is peculiar however, they all have some things in common. Here’s a list of some common interview topics that you should be prepared to discuss.
- Current strengths.
- Your weaknesses.
- How you would describe yourself.
- Your extracurricular activities.
- Why you want to go to the school you have chosen and applied to.
- Possible contributions to the school or student body.
Others include
- What you want to get involved in while in school.
- Reason(s) for your interests in studying your chosen course and why.
- What you see yourself doing in the future.
- Challenges or obstacles you’ve overcome in the past.
- What you do in your leisure time.
- Your favourite book.
The answers to these questions should be well thought-out, you should absolutely practice them before every interview. Run through some of the questions with a parent, sibling, or friend and act as though it were the actual interview. The more you practice using the general tips for preparing for student visa interviews, the more prepared you’ll be. This will help you be more natural and less nervous during the actual interview.
