Interested in studying in USA? Great choice! The USA is a very popular destination for international students. In 2019, the total number of international students enrolled in US colleges was 1,095,299, making up 5.5% of the total US student body. Studying at a college or university in USA can open up a world of opportunities for you. Let us look at a few other reasons why you should study in the USA.
Why study in USA?
Not just one, there are plenty of reasons to study in USA:
The Universities in USA
Take any world university rankings, you will always find US universities monopolizing the list. Some of the top universities that you have been hearing about for years, such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, are all located in the United States.
Technologically and scientifically advanced
Post World War Ⅱ, the USA has emerged as the global leader in Science and Technology. Almost half of the Nobel Prizes laureates have been from the USA since 1950. It is also home to tech giants like Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook, among various other leading companies of the industry.
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Economic power
The USA is the largest economy in the world. It has become the driving force for industry development in military equipment, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, computers, etc. The US dollar is a global currency that is accepted for trade all over the world. Almost ¼ of the world’s 500 biggest companies have their headquarters in the USA. New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq are the largest stock exchanges in the world. Above all, the USA is home to the top universities in the world. These things make the USA a land full of opportunities.
The beauty of the USA
Though your priority is getting a quality education, you would agree that the chance to experience and explore a new country matters too. In this aspect, the USA has a lot to offer.
The USA is a union of 50 states and is the third-largest country in the world. If experiencing different seasons excites you, the USA is known for its distinct summers, winters, autumn/fall, and spring. From the breath-taking natural beauty like the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls to man-made marvels like Disneyland and the Statue of Liberty, there are many things to explore while studying in USA.
The education system in USA
There are three kinds of higher education institutions that Indian students looking to study in USA can opt for:
Universities
Universities in USA offer many graduate programs. Generally, universities are larger in terms of size and opportunities than colleges. Universities in USA are of 2 types – public and private.
Public universities are US state government-funded. They are often rooted in their local communities, and this is what makes them dynamic and vibrant. Public universities in the USA offer a variety of courses and are home to many international students. The tuition fees at public universities in the USA are lower when compared to private universities.
Private universities are funded by tuition fees from students, donations, research outcomes, and other funding sources. Private universities in the USA include the most famous universities in the world like Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and others. Private universities in the USA have academic departments in everything from Archaeology to Zoology and graduate professional education in law, business, medicine, engineering, etc. These universities are quite expensive and often charge ~ $50,000 as a tuition fee for a year.
Also read: Foreign Remittance: Sending Gift Money To The USA From India In 2024
Community colleges
Community colleges in the USA are small community-based colleges that offer two-year certificate and vocational programs to students. The class size in community colleges in the USA is relatively small. Indian students planning to study in the USA can choose such colleges to enhance specific skills or opt for bridge programs before taking it to the next level.
Liberal arts colleges
Colleges that provide undergraduate degrees in liberal arts and sciences are called Liberal arts colleges in the USA. These colleges can either be private or public. A liberal arts degree is four years of full-time study.
Course in the USA
Some of the most popular courses at the undergraduate level are Computer Science, Business Administration, and Mechanical Engineering. At the postgraduate level, Business Analytics, Data Science, Engineering, Computer Science courses are some of the most popular courses. Specialized postgraduate courses in streams like cosmetic surgery, parapsychology, medicine, diabetes, and genetics are also quite popular.
School calendar – When to apply?
Most of the universities in USA have a two-semester year. Each semester is usually 16 weeks long. The school year begins from the fall semester which usually begins by late August or early September and ends in December. After a few weeks off, college starts again in the spring semester which starts in early January and ends by late April or early May. It is usually better to begin your studies in the US from the fall semester so that you follow the school year. Some smaller colleges have a quarter system. Here, you can take up to three semesters per year. Each semester lasts 10-12 weeks. The students get a break in the remaining 10-12 weeks. There is no central admission authority and so colleges and universities in USA set their own deadlines. Most top universities in USA keep their application deadline in November or December for courses starting in the fall. For programs starting in the spring, March or April the previous year is the deadline.
Other good ranking universities in the USA have deadlines in March/April for the fall semester and the spring semester is July/August. Lower-ranking universities and Community Colleges don’t often close application windows for the fall semester till June/July and October/November for the spring semester. However, as you will be an international student, you should remember that you’ll require a couple of months to apply and arrange a visa, compile documents, etc. So, don’t apply too late!
Admission requirements for Universities in the USA
To find out the admission requirements of your college or university in USA, go to their website and look up the admission requirements. Here, you’ll be able to find out what documents you will need to prepare and fill in for the application process. You’ll have to show proof of English level proficiency and that you have enough money to fund your studies. Most universities in the USA prefer TOEFL for proving English level proficiency, but they also accept IELTS.
Tests like the ACT or SAT might be required for an undergraduate degree program and GMAT or GRE are required for graduate programs. Apart from these standardized tests, recommendation letters, statement of purpose (SOP), highest degree certificates, and official transcripts are also common requirements. Some universities also interview their applicants.
Also read: Ultimate Guide To Send Living Expenses To USA From India
Study Visa in USA
You will need an F-1 USA study visa to study in the US unless you are going for a short language course that only has a few hours per week. There are 3 kinds of US study visa:
- F-1 Student Visa: to study English at an English language institute or study at an accredited U.S. university or college.
- J- Exchange Visa: to participate in exchange programs for high school and university study.
- M- Student Visa: for vocational or non-academic training or study in the United States.
Applying for a US student visa can be a lengthy process, so you must start preparing at least three to five months before your course starts. In general, there are 5 steps in applying for a USA study visa:
- Get accepted by a SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program)-approved school in the USA. (Once you have enrolled at a university in the USA, they send you an I-20 document which is required for the visa application)
- Pay the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) fee.
- Complete the USA study visa application.
- Pay the visa application fee.
- Schedule a visa interview and attend it.
You must know that two separate U.S. government agencies handle the arrival of an international student and their status while studying in the USA. The State Department takes care of the visa application process and visa issuance. Once the visa holder arrives in the USA, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is responsible for entry into the country. They are also responsible for issuing and enforcing international student rules and regulations.
Cost of studying in the USA
The tuition fee would be your prime expenditure. The cost of studying at a public university is comparatively lower than studying at a private institution. Your tuition fee will depend on the type of university or college and the qualification you opt for. You will need approx $8,000 to $55,000 for covering your tuition fees for a year (indicative). In general, humanities and art courses are cheaper, while subjects like engineering and medicine are more expensive. If you wish to pursue a graduate course in the USA, the tuition fees will be higher and the costs will vary depending on the program. The average cost for graduate programs is approximately $35,000 for a year (indicative).
Living costs: Your living cost will vary depending on your location and the type of accommodation. The coastal areas are mostly more expensive than the inland areas. Big cities like Boston, LA, New York, and Chicago have higher living costs. Renting a studio in big cities can be very expensive, up to $ 2000-3000 USD monthly, while you can get the same in Midwest for only about $ 500 USD per month. Sharing an apartment or an on-campus dormitory is usually the most economical accommodation. The average cost for housing and food for US college students is almost $9000-$10000/year. Then there are expenses for textbooks, insurance, etc. that also need to be taken into account. All in all, a budget of $1500/month is recommended for living costs in the US. You can get by with less money if you live in a non-expensive area, but in big cities, it is easy to spend more.
Scholarships for international students
Studying in the USA can be very expensive as universities in USA have some of the highest tuition fees in the world. This also means that colleges and universities in the USA have the money to give back to students as scholarships. There are many scholarships available for both American citizens and international students. Academic scholarships and sports scholarships are the most common in the USA. Students that maintain good grades are given a scholarship discount of 5-30% on their tuition fee. Full scholarships are very rare at the undergraduate level unless you are exceptional in your academics or are a very talented athlete or have other equivalent talents. On the graduate level, talented scholars get big scholarships, often in return for some services to the university or college, like being a research assistant or a teacher assistant.
Here are a few good scholarships that you can apply for are:
- Fulbright foreign student program
- ETS TOEFL scholarships
- AEF Scholarship
- American University Emerging Global Leader Scholarship (Undergraduate Students)
- Cornell University Tata Scholarship
- Aga Khan Foundation international scholarship program, and many other scholarships.
Working as a student in the US
You can work as a student in the USA, but the requirements can be quite strict. You need to make sure you read into the rules and regulations of your chosen job. International students with an F-1 and M-1 visa can work on-campus and in certain training programs. International students are not allowed to work off-campus during the first academic year. In general, working on campus is the easiest while studying in USA. These types of jobs are usually flexible for the student. On-campus jobs are student-oriented and include jobs at the library, student center, or cafeteria.
Students can start taking up work off-campus after completing the first academic year through programs specifically for international students seeking work like Optional Practical Training (OPT), Curricular Practical Training (CPT), and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Optional Practical Training Extension. Most colleges and universities in USA help international students in finding employment both on-campus and off-campus.
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Conclusion:
The benefits of studying in the USA are many fold. It offers a wide variety of courses and is known for its world-class education. They offer many job-oriented management courses and so, American degrees are highly valued by employers around the world. Now that you have all the basic information relating to studying in the USA, we hope you have a great stay in the USA!
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