Why USA:
The
USA has the world’s largest international student population, with over 700,000
students choosing to broaden their education and life experience in the United
States. Nearly 4% of all students enrolled in higher-level education in the USA
are international students, and the numbers are growing.
Study in USA:
USA
offers the world’s most flexible education system. Each University can
determine the content of the program and admission standards. Transfer of
credits is possible ensuring smooth lateral movement i.e one can change from
one Institution to another. Students can decide their area of specialization
and US has it on offer
There
are many reasons that students like to come to the USA to study at the
undergraduate and graduate level
1.
Academic Excellence: At the undergraduate
level, excellent programs exist in traditional disciplines, as well as in
professional fields. At the graduate
level, students have the opportunity to work directly with some of the
finest minds in their field of study, with the chance to become involved with
exclusive research and educational opportunities. U.S. degrees are recognized
throughout the world for their excellence.
2.
Variety of Educational
Opportunities: The
United States is home to several thousand colleges and universities. Some
universities stress broad educational principles; others emphasize practical,
employment-related skills; and specialize in the arts, social sciences or technical
fields. There is vast options and educational opportunities As a result, the
higher education system in the U.S. very special to everyone.
3.
Progressive Technology: Universities in the U.S. give
importance to themselves on being at front of technology, research and
techniques, and in making the best possible equipment and resources available
to their students. Even if your field does not directly involve science or
engineering, there will be opportunities to become skilled in using the latest
technology to conduct research, as well as obtain and process information.
4.
Ample Opportunities: There is ample opportunities to
gain Valuable experience through teaching and/or research while you help to Finance your Education. Particularly graduate students. Many graduate
programs offer training and teaching opportunities that enable students to
become teaching assistants to undergraduates and/or research assistants on
special projects exploring different aspects of their field of study. International
students are some of the most valued teachers and researchers in U.S.
universities because they bring new skills and ideas to the classroom and
library or laboratory. This practical component of your education will prove
useful in your future career, and may give you insights into your field that
would not be possible through course study alone.
When do semesters start in
the US?
US Universities offer two main semester intakes: There are usually 3 Semesters
in a year but most
universities in the U.S. accept applications only two times in a calendar year
for the Fall and the Spring semesters of the academic year. Also, some
universities only entertain applications for the Fall semester. The application
process for the Fall semester usually starts one year before your joining
during October and ends on December or January.
Fall Semester (August-October):
This
is the main intake and almost all programs are offered at this times. More
financial aid is also available for this semester and as funding is allocated
for the entire year during this time
Spring Semester (January/February):
This
is the mid-year intake. There is limited financial assistance available for this
semester as most universities allocate funds to projects in the Fall semester
Summer
semester (May/June)
The period from mid May to mid August is called as the Summer semester. The
Summer quarter consists of 10 to 12 weeks. Some Universities do NOT give
admission for the Summer semester.
University Deadlines:
·
Fall: To apply to top universities (A, A+)
apply by Nov/Dec of the previous year. A-, B, B+ or C+ Grade Universities
deadlines will be around in Feb/March of the same year.
Some C- , D Grade universities will have deadlines of June / July for Fall
admissions.
- Spring: To
apply to top universities (A, A+) apply by March/April of the Same year.
A-, B, B+ or C+ Grade Universities deadlines will be around in July/August
of the same year.
Some C- , D Grade universities will have deadlines of Oct / Nov for Spring
admissions.
- Summer: Usually deadlines are by March
of the year.
Grading System
The GPA system is followed throughout the United States to judge
student's performance. It is graded on the scale of 0 to 4. Following is the
evaluation of GPA (for reference)
>4 >A = High Achievement
>3 >B = Satisfactory
>2 >C = Minimum Passing
>1 >D = Fail
Types
of degree
Masters Degree:
The
duration of Masters level courses may range from a year to two depending on the
university and the area of specialization. In general, most Masters level
courses in the USA are two years, which students can also finish in a little
over 18 months, should they utilize their vacations studying additional credits
early.
Usually,
USA requires 16 years of education for Masters (especially MS). However, many
MBA programs have started accepting students with 15 years education (like BA,
BSc, BCom). Exams required to apply for Masters are GMAT for management related
subjects; GRE for arts, science or any other subjects; TOEFL or IELTS test for
admission
Doctorate:
Very
commonly known as PhD or Research. Duration of this course may range from 3
years to 5 years. Students can take admission for a PhD only after completion
of their Masters degree and in exceptional circumstances; some Universities may
wish to take on students without Masters. Students wishing to pursue PhD need
to submit a research proposal as well have to appear for GRE or GMAT and TOEFL
or IELTS exams for admissions
Education Cost
Isn't this the first aspect that comes to your mind when you think about
studying in the USA? Indeed you must add up a list of costs when you
decide to study in the USA. Before you go into details, remember that education
is an investment and students have done brilliantly in the USA, not only
recovering costs but have even made Better fortunes.
Cost of
studying in the US can be divided in to three categories
1. Cost of Application (including academic entrance
tests)
2. Tuition Fees and Living Expenses
3. Other Costs (like insurance, visa fee, air ticket,
etc.)
Cost of
Application:
a.
Application Fees: $50 to $150 per University
b. Courier Charges: Rs 1200
to Rs 1500 per University (US Universities need hard copies of your
authenticated documents like transcripts, recommendation letters, etc.)
c. Academic Test: Academic
entrance examinations will cost you around $100 to $200 per examination, and
most students take at least 2 tests. Assume that you will be spending at least
$500 on tests
d. Score Reporting: Test
scores like GMAT, GRE, SAT, TOEFL, IELTS have to be reported by the testing
agencies (like ETS), which may cost up to $ 20 per University (an average cost
for reporting scores of all tests you may have taken)
Tuition
Fees and Living Expenses:
Tuition
Fees
In the USA, tuition fee largely depends on whether you plan to study at
a Public or Private Institution (refer to the difference between public and
private Institutions here).
Estimated tuition fee (per year):
Private Institution: $15000 to
$30000 per year. At some Universities, it could go beyond $ 40000 per year
Public Institution: $10000 to
$20000 per year
Community College: $8000 to
$12000 per year
Note: The tuition fee is different for different
universities and varies widely with courses and popularity of the Institution.
It can vary from as low as $ 5000 per year for some private universities.
Living Expenses
Estimated Living Cost: $10000 to
$12000 (per year). An average of $700 to $1000 per month should be considered
as safe
This includes your accommodation (room and board), travel, food, some
books, some clothing and may be some entertainment expense too.
Please find below a range of costs that have been considered while
estimating the above listed living expenses:
a. Books and study materials will cost $500 to $1000
approximately per academic year
b. Travel costs within the US will be between $300 and $700
approximately
c. Room and Board will cost between $3000 and $7500 approximately
per year. Allow an additional $1000 to $2000 for vacation periods when the
dormitory might be closed
d. If you will be living off campus, the cost of renting an
apartment will be between $300 and $600 a month, but could be much higher
contingent on the location of the school. Meals should cost about $2500
a year, assuming that you do not fancy too many outings
e. Clothing will cost $500 or more annually (if you go to cold
place, you better buy some clothes that suit their weather; otherwise you may
shiver)
f. Personal expenses will cost around $2000 approximately per
year
The College Board publishes college costs, required
admissions tests, and other useful information in The International Student
Handbook of US Colleges
OTHER COSTS:
Air
tickets: $500 to $2000 (depending when you finish your admission process and /
or book tickets)
Health / Medical Insurance: $300 to
$500 per year per person
Car: If you wish to buy a car,
assume that it will cost you around $4000 a year
Family Member: If you take along other family
members with you, assume that your annual expenses will increase about 15% or
$5000 approximately for each additional family member
Remember: US Universities offer
scholarships, bursaries, financial assistance. If you apply timely and have
other factors working your way, you can be in for some luck.
