We sometimes hear people ask, “can I use my visitor visa to take a short course in the U.S. or do I need a student visa?”
You may use your visitor (B) visa if you are going to the U.S. primarily for tourism but would want to take a short course that is recreational and not for credit toward a degree or academic certificate.
Study leading to a U.S.-conferred degree or certificate is not permitted, even if you only study for a short time.
When you get to the U.S., you may inform the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials that aside from general tourism, you also intend to engage in a short course of study.
For more information about student visas, check out the Embassy YouTube channel for a special student edition of The Visa Hour. Vice Consul Diego and Education USA advisor Eileen Valdecanas answer your questions about student visas and studying in the U.S.