An Indian student headed to Arizona State University (ASU) for a bachelor’s degree in computer science was recently denied an F-1 student visa at the US Embassy in Delhi, despite having a full scholarship and multiple university offers.
The applicant came well-prepared for the interview, carrying a comprehensive folder of documents. During the interview, which reportedly followed a tense session with the previous applicants, the consular officer asked just a few questions before rejecting the application on grounds of insufficient proof of strong ties to India.
When asked why she wanted to study in the US, the student explained her interest in ASU’s unique LROC program—a student-led project collaborating with NASA to capture and study images of the moon. She also mentioned other universities she had applied to, including Montclair University, George Mason University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago, all of which had offered her admission.
Despite these credentials, the visa officer’s decision came swiftly after only a few questions. The applicant expressed confusion over whether mentioning NASA and the specialized program may have influenced the rejection.
The story sparked reactions online. One user wrote, “How do these people expect strong ties to the country when you’re just 16-18 years old? It’s not like you can be married with kids or own property at such an age. F*** these VOs, sorry for you.”
Another user pointed to the second question as the turning point, saying, “It’s definitely because of the ‘why this university?’ question. Visa officers know their local colleges, but they want to hear why you want to study there. You talked about how great the university is, but you need to make it personal. I just graduated from ASU, by the way.”
The applicant is now seeking advice on how to better relate her answers to her personal goals and strengthen her case for a second attempt at the visa.