internship and visa (community college, school, employment, accepted)

[tokyotonewyork]

Hello. I would like some advice. I am Japanese currently living in Japan and I accepted to do a non-paid internship for 3 months in new york and if I do well, then I will be hired. However, I will need to have a social security number in order to get paid in the future. I am a photographer and have works published so I am thinking of applying for an H-1B visa but according to a friend, I was told that it was nearly impossible that I would be given one because priority is placed on IT people. Another choice would be to get a F-1 visa (student) and go for the OPT-1yr which will allow me to work the following year...the thing is art school, the ones I have searched so far are way too expensive, and I don't think I want to enroll in a language school to brush up on my English grammar skills like most foreigners would do.

If I can find a relatively non-expensive art school or community college in an accessible area, then I would like to do that. If there are any suggestions, then I will really appreciate it!
Nothing is definite yet because it all depends on how well I do during the internship. I don't have much time to plan..as I want to start the internship asap ...from september. any advice on inexpensive schools would be appreciated and advice on my visa issue... thanks.

[Threestep2]

Time for you to do your homework.
Internship or school. Different visas. This is a good place to start.
USCIS Home Page

In a nutshell - you have to be accepted at a company with an established training program or at a school. Probably a J1 or F1 which means no employment the first year and then only very limited. You have to show prove sufficient funds for education, living and emergencies for the duration at your visa interview.

You cannot apply for an H1. There is no priority placed on IT people for H1. An employer has to prove he cannot find a suitable candidate for a position who is authorized to work in the US. The employer can then sponsor an H1 visa application due April with potential start date October. There is only a limited number of such visas available and it has turned into a lottery.