Studying in the USA from Argentina: Admission, Visa, and Cost Guide

How Argentina's school system lines up with US admissions

Argentine students finish secondary school with a bachillerato after roughly 12 years of schooling, then move directly into a university degree such as a licenciatura, which typically runs 4 to 6 years and includes more specialized coursework earlier than a US bachelor's degree. US admissions offices are used to reading Argentine records, but they still need your grades and credential translated and benchmarked against the US system before they can evaluate your application fairly.

If you already completed some university coursework in Argentina and want to transfer credit toward a US degree, expect the receiving school to accept only some of it, since course content and credit hours rarely match exactly. Ask each university's admissions or transfer office directly how much credit they typically award for Argentine coursework before you assume any specific number of credits will transfer.

Get your academic credentials evaluated

Most US universities and many graduate programs ask international applicants for a course-by-course credential evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services . A NACES member evaluator translates your bachillerato and university records, states their US equivalency, and in some cases converts your Argentine grading scale to a US-style GPA. Order this evaluation early, since it can take several weeks, and confirm with each school which specific evaluation service and report type they require before you pay for one.

Meet English and standardized test requirements

Most US degree programs require proof of English proficiency through TOEFL, IELTS, or the Duolingo English Test, even if your prior schooling was partly in English. Undergraduate applicants may also need SAT or ACT scores, though a growing number of US universities have made these tests optional, so check each school's current policy rather than assuming it is required or not required. Graduate applicants to many master's and PhD programs need GRE or GMAT scores, but requirements vary widely by field and by school, and some programs have dropped the requirement entirely. Confirm exact test requirements and minimum scores on each program's own admissions page, since these change from year to year.

Build your application

Most US undergraduate programs accept the Common App, which lets you apply to multiple member schools with one core profile, plus school-specific supplements. Graduate programs almost always use their own application portal instead. Every application asks for transcripts, your evaluated credential report, test scores, a personal statement, and letters of recommendation, and each has its own fee and deadline. A free EducationUSA advisor in Argentina can review your school list and help you build a realistic timeline that fits application deadlines across several schools.

What a US degree actually costs

Total cost of attendance covers tuition, mandatory fees, housing, food, health insurance, and books, and it varies enormously between a public state university, a private research university, and a smaller liberal arts college. Use each school's own net price calculator and official cost of attendance page rather than a single average figure, since sticker price and what students actually pay after aid can differ sharply. The College Scorecard , run by the US Department of Education, lets you compare official cost and outcome data across accredited schools.

Financing the gap

International students are not eligible for US federal student loans, and most US private student loans require a creditworthy US citizen or permanent resident cosigner, which is hard for a family based in Argentina to arrange. Focus first on university need-based and merit aid, then look at the Comisión Fulbright Argentina program for graduate study, and ask graduate departments directly about teaching or research assistantships that reduce tuition and pay a stipend. Argentina's currency controls and inflation make it important to plan your family contribution in US dollars from the start, then revisit the peso side of the plan close to each payment deadline rather than locking in an assumption a year ahead.

Get your Form I-20 and pay the SEVIS fee

Once a school admits you and you confirm you can pay for your first year, its international student office issues Form I-20 through the SEVIS system, listing your program, dates, and the cost figure you must show funding for. Before your visa interview you must pay the SEVIS I-901 fee tied to that I-20, using the official system linked from the SEVP I-901 fee page . Check the current fee amount and payment steps on that page directly rather than relying on a number you saw elsewhere, since the fee has changed in recent years.

Health insurance is mandatory

Federal rules require your school to confirm you carry adequate health insurance for the length of your program, and many universities require you to enroll in their own student health plan unless you can show a comparable outside policy that meets their waiver criteria. Check your school's international student office page for its specific insurance requirement and waiver process before you arrive, since a policy bought in Argentina rarely meets a US university's waiver standard on its own. Budget for this cost separately, since it is usually billed alongside tuition and is not always included in the headline cost of attendance figure a school advertises.

Decide between on-campus and off-campus housing early

Most first-year undergraduates live in university housing, which simplifies your first months in the US and is often required by the school itself. Graduate students more often arrange off-campus housing, which can cost less but requires a US-based cosigner, a large security deposit, or proof of income that is hard to provide as a new arrival from Argentina. Contact your school's housing office as soon as you accept your offer, since options fill up months before the semester starts and international students often have a separate, earlier housing deadline than domestic students.

Complete DS-160 and schedule your interview in Buenos Aires

The US Embassy in Buenos Aires is the only post in Argentina that issues nonimmigrant visas, so every F-1 applicant in the country interviews there. Complete the DS-160 online visa application, pay the visa application fee, and schedule your interview through the official appointment system linked from the State Department's student visa page . Appointment availability and wait times change through the year, so check the current estimated wait time before you commit to a travel or start date, and as of August 2026 confirm current interview and screening requirements on that same page, since visa policy for student visas has changed multiple times over the past two years.

Timeline: work backward from your start date

• 10 to 12 months before: shortlist schools, start standardized test prep, request your credential evaluation

• 6 to 9 months before: submit applications, take required English and admissions tests

• 3 to 4 months before: accept an offer, pay your deposit, receive Form I-20

• 2 to 3 months before: pay the SEVIS fee, complete DS-160, attend your visa interview in Buenos Aires

• Weeks before: book travel no earlier than 30 days before your program start date listed on Form I-20

After you land

Report to your school's international student office by the date it specifies, since your Designated School Official, or DSO, must register your arrival in SEVIS before you start classes. Your DSO is your main contact for anything that affects your status, including course load, address changes, and permission to work on or off campus. Your specific permitted length of stay is tied to your visa admission and I-20 program dates, and federal rules covering this have been under review, so confirm your situation directly with your DSO rather than assuming a rule you read elsewhere still applies.