COMMON VISA INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR NIGERIAN STUDENTS
If this is the first time you are going to attend a visa interview, you may have no knowledge of the kind of questions that may come up. The visa interview questions that every Nigerian student should prepare for are really not difficult at all.
Going for a visa interview should be one of the easiest things for a Nigerian student. The truth is that you do not need to be afraid when going for visa interviews of any sort. As long as you have good intentions about the destination country you are going to, you will do just fine.
The following depicted below are the kinds of questions that can be asked during a visa interview:
1. Why do you choose this Country for your study?:
Typically, this is the first question that most embassy officers will ask you. They ask this to ascertain just why you would apply to study in their country.
Education is different from tourism. Do not be tempted to say how many spots in the country you want to explore.
It is the quality of the education that should be the main driving force here and how getting an education in that country will help you.
Sample answer:
I have discovered that education in the States place value on acquiring practical skill along with theoretical studies. This is the best kind of education one should aspire for in this our age.
Again, the United States is the number one destination for international students round the world. So, I will have access to the widest range of intercultural immersion from international students from diverse countries.
More so, the educational system in the USA impact far more than academic knowledge, it also expand the mind of the student to have a better view of life.
Undoubtedly, Studying in such a highly developed system will single me out among equals in my career when I’m back to Nigeria.
2. Why don’t you want to study in your home country?:
This is another very important question.
In answering this kind of question, you can compare the quality of education in your country with the quality of education in your destination country.
Saying that the education in your destination country will open up a lot of doors for you will be an added advantage for you.
You can even take it one step further by giving the unique advantages of studying your course in the destination country will hold for you.
Sample answer:
I had already studied my first degree in Nigeria.
I later discover that my experience was not the same as those who studied the same course in the USA. We dwelled so much on the theoretical side than the practical exposure.
If I take a step further to have my post graduate study in the USA, I will be able to gain the practical and analytical skills relevant to my field.
This will help me to be able to function better in my career when I come back to work in Nigeria
3. Tell me about your educational/Work experience?:
Questions revolving around this area are usually very detailed.
It is the aim of the interviewer to determine if there are any falsehoods in your resume and educational experience. So be as authentic as the sky; having no skeletons in your cupboard.
Sample answer:
I had a second class upper degree in Chemical Engineering at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
My undergraduate research topic was the “ABC” I have been working in a plastic recycling company for the past three years.
4. What are your future plans after graduation?:
Here, you should never speak about staying back in your destination country.
This will not get you the visa that you are applying for. Speaking about returning to your home country is the perfect answer for those kinds of questions.
You could even add something more to your answer such as what having a degree from your destination country will do for your fellow Nigerians here at home.
Community development is also another winning answer. The aim of this question is to see if you will really return home after your study visa is expired. This is what they want to see. The more of it you show, the higher your chances of getting your visa application approved.
Sample answer:
I am already working with XYZ Company whose remuneration is on the top 10 in Nigeria.
My study leave letter was granted on the condition that I will return after two and a half years.
This agreement makes the company responsible for sponsoring my study partly and promise to make me Head of operation when return.
The person occupying this advanced position will be retiring almost the same time I will conclude my study in The USA. So I will definitely come back to Nigeria to continue my job with the company.
5. What do you know about your destination city?:
Research into the general information about the city you are going to study is what interviewers do take seriously.
The aim of these kinds of questions is to determine the social consciousness of your environment.
You need to have an awareness of your intended city and even the state or region in which you will be studying
Sample answer:
My destination city is Phoenix, the capital of Arizona State.
I found out that the city is blessed with cultural diversity and the winter weather is mild compared to other cities in the USA.
6. Why do you choose this university?
Again, research is extremely important in this matter.
You can find out the specifics about your department, the names of the faculty members, their fields of specialization and the courses they lecture.
You can e-mail them and carry printed copies of such communications to the interview. It is not rocket science to know why such questions are asked.
This is to determine your level of interest in the institution and the course applied for. This goes a long way in the determination of the success of the visa interview.
Sample Answer:
Actually, I gained admission into one other university but I really prefer Arizona State University.
They are ranked one of the top three universities in the world offering my course.
They have a platform where I interacted with other international students during my admission process and get firsthand information about my course of study.
I also related freely with the faculty members and got prompt responses. I am already feeling very comfortable with the university environment and I believe it is a place I can perform at my best.
7. Who is sponsoring you?:
These sorts of questions are usually asked to determine the financial capability your sponsor.
All other things being equal, there is no need to fear those kinds of questions. It is important to know enough about your sponsor his or her business activities.
If you are on a scholarship, you can express the impact of such scholarship in Nigeria. It creates the required effect of having gratitude towards your sponsor.
Sample answer:
My majour sponsor is my parent. My father is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. He has been working as a human right lawyer in Nigeria for the past 25 years.
My mother is one of the top distributors of FriedslandCampina products in Nigeria and the Republic of Benin- a job she has been doing for 18 years.
My parents’ income put together is an average of 26million naira per annum.
I will be the first of my sibling they will be sponsoring on international education so there will not be any issue in financing my education.
My company has also offered to pay for my flight ticket should I present my study visa to them.
8. Questions about immediate relatives:
These questions usually come up to determine the kind of support that you would be getting; if any. You have to be truthful, frank and honest about the information of your families and relatives.
9. What was your academic performance in the last school you attended?:
Again, this very set of questions are aimed at determining if possess the academic abilities that are required for the visa.
You do not have to be first class or be a first class candidate but you do need to have good enough grades.
Also, the grading system of your destination country may also differ, so find out how the system works.
Sample Answer:
I have always given my best into my studies. In my undergraduate days, I tried to stretch myself beyond my limit.
Even though I didn’t come out with a first class honour as I always dreamt of, I was the second best graduating student with a Second class upper (CGPA of 4.2 on a scale of 5)
1o. Are you married?
These are questions about your social status in your home country and they are almost unavoidable.
They are used to determine the possibility of you returning to Nigeria after your study. Of course, you would have answered the same question in the visa application form you submitted.
So, just say either Yes or No and explain further the state of your marital status.
If you are married, it generally boost visa credibility but not in all cases. Please, don’t try to patch anything here, otherwise, it will bounce back in the future
Sample answer 1:
Yes: I am married with two kids. My family will stay in Nigeria while I am away to study.
We traveled to Ghana together last year for holiday.
This time, I am not going to take them along so as to give my study 100% concentration it actually requires. My wife is well educated and has a good Job.
I can trust she will take very good care of our kids while I am away.
Sample answer 2:
I am single at the moment. I intend to tie the knot with my fiancée of 3 years immediately I come back from my studies.
We both want to be more emotionally matured before going into marriage.
11. Questions on Culture of your destination country:
Again, many interviewers would want to know how extensive your knowledge on the culture of your destination country is. They would frame it in a way that your apparent knowledge or ignorance of the destination country would become clear to them.
You will have to do as much research as you can and answer the questions comprehensively. This is where your ability to answer general knowledge questions comes in handy.
You have to show a considerable knowledge of certain aspects of your destination country with a lot of interest. Show emotions that denotes excitement and curiosity. This will lighten the atmosphere and make the interviewer take a specific interest in you.
In essence, you should not look at the visa interview as an examination.
Otherwise, you would become more nervous or lose your self-confidence and make things go further downhill. Go into the interview feeling refreshed and confident.
Answer all the questions well. If you’re not given the visa, you could ask the interviewer why he or she declined your application.
If you do this in a respectful way, the interviewer will give you the required tips as to why you were denied. This will help you when you are preparing for the next one.
You should always realize that the interviewers are also human beings as well. Therefore, Making them feel comfortable with you is really important.
Remain calm and see your visa application successful!
Do you have any more tips, suggestions or questions that you think are part of visa interview process?
Please endeavor to share!
Thank you
3 Responses
Thank you so much, reading your article got me motivated on my soon coming interview to study in bodo, norway.
Please, I have a question for you.
For one going on undergraduate study to Norway. What if you are asked why you don’t wanna get your first degree in your country?
@Anyanwu. You are welcome. Thank you for readin this article on tips for answering interview questions:COMMON VISA INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR NIGERIAN STUDENTS call 2348031504604. Thank you.
Thanks so much for this and it’s really helpful. What if I want to go with my family. As a mother of 3, leaving three kids here in Nigeria will not make me concentrate at all