Many students from all over the world aim to study in USA for their under graduation or post-graduation. Universities in the United States are famous not just for their exemplary campus and research facilities but are also perceived by many students as an incubator for developing a global citizenship by communicating with people from different ethnicities.
American universities are amongst the best in the world and there are a number of benefits that a student can enjoy if he completes his higher education in the country.
Study at the best institutions – USA is one of the front runners when it comes to quality of education. Out of the top 10 universities in the world, USA is the country with the highest representation. Ivy League Universities such as Harvard, Yale and Cambridge have been well known for their ability to churn out world leaders, Nobel Laureates and industry stalwarts
Participate in groundbreaking research – If you are studying in any of the STEM related fields then you should study in USA if you want to participate in cutting edge research efforts. The US universities have some of the best research facilities, highest research funding and experienced faculty as compared to other countries.
Work while you study – Universities in USA allow you to work for up to 20 hours at a part time job, on or off campus while you are pursuing your course of study. This will help you gain much required experience on your resume as well as partially help you with cost of tuition
Be a global citizen – Students who study in USA can experience diversity of different cultures first hand as most American universities have a significant number of students from diverse backgrounds. The universities also conduct a variety of social and cultural programs all through the academic to help international students.
Be a part of a global network – Most Universities in USA boast of really strong alumni networks, sororities and fraternities that you can tap into for your future career.
- You can work part time while you study in USA subject to certain conditions
- You can work on campus for the first academic year of your course
- You can work for up to 20 hours per week while your course is in session
- Students who are pursuing a course in STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) fields can work under the OPT(optional Practical Training) program
- OPT program allows you to work after completing 9 months of course study
- You will have to work in a field related to your course
- You can work for a period of 12 months after completion of course without applying for a work visa under the OPT program
- Students can opt to work under the CPT (curricular practical training) program which allows students to work in a field related to their subject either as an intern or through co-op education
- For pursuing a undergraduate course students will need to give the SAT exams
- Most of the top universities will look for scores above 700 in each of the sections while mid-range universities will be looking at scores upwards of 580
- Students intending to pursue their masters in subjects other than management will need to give their GRE.
- Students intending to pursue an MBA in USA will need to furnish scores of their GMAT test
- The ideal score for GRE or GMAT can differ from university to university. our expert consultants can guide you on the best scores to aim for based on your targeted university
- All universities in USA will need the student to take either the IELTS or TOEFL test to demonstrate ability for communicating in English. Each university will have a different cutoff score for these tests and our education consultants can guide you based on the university you are applying for
Submit online application/paper-based application and send required documents to the universities. From the initial application until the final admission decision, it takes anywhere between 1 week and 6 months depending on the level and ranking of the university. The admissions into Universities in the USA are a very complex process since it is contingent on a large number of factors.
As the review on each file is made by different departments like graduate admissions, Transcripts Evaluation, GPA Calculation, Departmental Review, and then the Immigration Department for I-20, the process takes a long time for confirmation.
Entry Criteria
- Good Academic percentage in High School/Undergrad Transcripts
- Proof of English Proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL/PTE)
- GRE/GMAT/SAT/ACT if required by the department and University
- Letter of Recommendations
- Proof of Financial documents
- Statement of purpose
- Resume
- Related experience certificate if applicable.
Tuition fee
Tuition fee varies from one institution to another and this is depending upon the chosen program.Generally, in public/State Universities and private universities, tuition fee ranges $12000 to $40,000 per annum.
In Ivy League universities tuition fee ranges $48000 to $60000.
Living Expenses
Estimated Living Cost – $8000 to $14000 (per year). An average of $700 to $1000 per month should be considered as a reasonable amount.This includes your accommodation (room and board), travel, food, and some university mandated books.
Heath Insurance Cost – This is mandatory for international students. It would range from $1750 to $2000 per year.
Miscellaneous Charges – $2000 per year
Scholarships to Study –
The USA is the only country which offers up to 100% scholarships on tuition to deserving students. This may be based on the students overall profile, both academic or extracurricular profile and the financial need of the student.
Few states may offer In- State Tuition waivers which work out to be 50% to 80% on the overall tuition fee.
US universities have 3 intakes for students.
Fall: August/September
Spring: January/February
Summer: April/May
The deadlines for each intake are usually a few months before the start date. It is highly recommended that you apply early to maximize your chances for admission. Some universities even offer rolling admissions, i.e. admissions are open through the year. The major intake for the US is the Fall intake which offers the highest degree of competition but also features the largest number of corporate internships.
Students who study in America are indeed lucky as they not only get to study in some of the best courses in the world but are provided a wide range of scholarships for pursuing the field of study they are most interested in. Some of the well-known and prestigious scholarships for students pursuing higher education in United States of America are
- Fulbright Scholarship for all universities in USA – A need and merit based scholarship that covers the entire cost of tuition, stay and travel
- QS connect Masters Scholarship – A need based scholarship that covers up to 2000 USD of tuition cost
- Tata Scholarship for Cornell University – A need based scholarship that is available to students pursuing their masters at Cornell University
- Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowship for Stanford – A need and merit based scholarship exclusively open to students pursuing their masters at Stanford. The scholarship covers up to 90, 367 USD of tuition cost for the student.
- Go Clean Scholarship for all universities in USA – A merit based scholarship that is open to students studying at any university in USA or Canada and covers up to 3500 USD of total cost
Most affordable Universities in USA
- Queens College of the City of New York – Cost of studies USD 6200
- CUNY, New York New York City College of Technology – Cost of studies – USD 6157
- University of Texas – Cost of studies – USD 6089
- Dalton State College – Cost of studies – 6000 USD
- Fayetteville State University – cost of studies – 6000 USD
Top Universities in USA
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is one of the top five universities in the world. It is well known for its engineering division, economics department as well as the Sloan School of Management. The university which is situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts has been featured among the top 10 for a number of years now. The admission process for getting into the university is very rigorous and only 10 percent of all applicants are accepted into the university at under graduate level.
Stanford University – Stanford University, in California continues to hold the second position for best universities in USA. It is famed for its courses on business development and entrepreneurship and is hailed as the birth place of many successful IT startups. The alumni of the college resembles a who’s who with stalwarts such as the founders of YouTube, Netflix, Google and WhatsApp graduating from the college
Harvard University – Harvard University, established in 1636 is one of the first universities in America. Students who study in USA always opt for this university as their first choice. The university has a huge residential campus which is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and is recognized for its law, business and medical programs.
California Institute of Technology – California Institute of Technology is located in Pasadena and is colloquially nicknamed as Caltech by locals and students. It is considered to be one of the best schools in the world for technology according to QS world rankings though it is one of the smallest in terms of student size
University of Chicago – The University of Chicago, which was founded in the year 1890, is well known for its excellence in research the physics department of the university has had the praise worthy honor of being the creator of the worlds y first self-sustaining nuclear reaction. The university attracts students from all over the world and has one of the most diverse student bodies in USA
There are three types of student visa
F-1 (Student Visa) – The F-1 visa which is for full-time students who are enrolled in an academic or language program. F-1 students can stay in the US for the whole duration of their academic program plus 2 months. It is a prerequisite for F-1 students to maintain a full-time course load and complete their studies by the expiration date listed on the I-20 form.
J-1 (Exchange Visitor Visa) – The J-1 visa is for students who need practical training that is not available in their home countries in order to complete their academic program. The training must be directly related to the academic program. The J-1 visa obligates the student to return to their home countries for a minimum of 2 years after the end of their studies in the US.
M-1 – The M-1 visas for full-time students at vocational or other nonacademic institutions.
For more information about how to apply for a visa to study in the USA, please contact Mercy Education
USA F1 Student Visas are generally valid for a period of 5 years including OPT (optional practical training).
During study program, students can work only under certain conditions and in accordance with complex guidelines and restrictions issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). After meeting the guidelines and taking permission from the university where they are studying students are eligible to work for a maximum period of up to 20 hours per week during the academic year. Students can work full time (40 hrs) only during holidays. The average wage for part time jobs is between $10 and $12 per hour. Students can opt for OPT which is related to their field of work. International students who have graduated from a university in USA are eligible to work full time for the remaining period of their visa in USA.
ON Campus Employment
As an undergraduate or postgraduate international student studying in the United States, employment is possible on a part-time basis for up to 20 hours every week.
OPT
Optional Practical Training (OPT) is the work authorization letter where students can work anywhere in USA to get hands-on work experience related to the academic field of study. OPT is valid for one year and which is extendable to 24 months for the students who graduates in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) field.