the ultimate guide to help you study in the us

Your Ultimate

Guide to Study in

the USA

INTRODUCTION

The United States of America, the USA, the US, or just simply America – a land of

a million dreams and opportunities, awaits you to fulfill your dreams.

For over two generations of Indians and other South Asians , the USA has been a

dream destination; be it to study, to land a job, or to eventually immigrate and

settle, the USA has been their first choice. As global dynamics change, the lure of

living in the USA may have dimmed down a little, but the USA continues to

remain a top-ranking 'study-abroad destination'.

We, at Hotcourses India, constantly innovate to offer you an excellent variety of

services that help you find the perfect institution and course. Be it assisted

applications, detailed course-listings, prospectus links, institution information,

scholarships or the student community-centric Q&A forum, Hotcourses India

guides you at every step.

This ebook has been designed with input from experts (Ms Biruda Virkud of

iGradGlobal, Mr Richard Lasrado of the Education Abroad Counselling Centre

and Mr Gigeo Sakkaryas of IMTP Consultancy Services) and various other

credible sources. This ebook provides answers to various important questions

asked by students aspiring to study in the USA.

We hope this ebook is useful in your endeavours to study in the USA – and if you

like it, don’t forget to share it with your friends!

All the best!!!

CONTENT

Why should a student consider America as a study destination? - 6

What would be the average cost of education in the USA? - 9

When does the academic semester start? Which is the best semester to apply? - 11

What are the main eligibility tests required to study in the USA? - 13

How to apply to universities in America? What is the process? - 15

Document list – What you need to submit with your application? - 17

Financial support for studying in the USA - 19

Securing a student visa - 23

Why should a student

consider America as a

study destination?

CHAPTER 1

There is not one, but a whole lot of reasons that make studying in the USA a great

option:

World-Class Institutions

American institutions are renowned for their diverse teaching skills, which attract

international students for higher education. As of 2012, there was a 31% increase

in international students in American colleges and universities compared to the

last decade. 64% of international students in the US are from Asia. Most of these

students are from China and India.

Credibility of Institutions

Education and experience from an American institution has a good reputation in

the international job market. American education noticeably develops a

student's long-term career aspirations and the experience builds significant logic,

confidence and cross-cultural skills. These qualities are highly appreciated by

employers worldwide.

Flexibility

The American higher education system offers many choices within a programme

and the opportunity to modify majors or select multiple specialisations. At an

advanced stage of an undergraduate program, a student can alter the

programme to meet detailed career objectives. At the graduate level students

can create their own timetable and complete courses at ease within the

stipulated time-frame.

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6Your ultimate guide to study in the USA

Work Opportunities

The F1 Visa limits students allowing them to work a total of 20 hours a week on

and off-campus, maintaining full-time status while attending school. Students

graduating with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) degrees are

qualified to stay in the US for an additional 17 months upon completion of 12

months of OPT on an Optional Practical Training (OPT) STEM Extension.

Diverse Cultures

America is a melting pot of different cultures. In fact, this sort of diversity is

celebrated as an integral part of American heritage. This means that Indian

students will find plenty of other Indian students on most campuses, and they'll

also be introduced to a wide array of cultures during their studies.



What would be the

average cost of

education in the USA?

CHAPTER 2

Expenses

It is advisable to opt for university accommodation unless you have a friend or

guardian residing in the same city as your institution. Day-to-day expenses

include transportation, food, entertainment and other related costs. During the

student visa interview, students need to show that they have sufficient funds in

their bank account to fund the duration of their stay in the US. Indian students

who want to study in the USA may need to prove that they have at least US

$10,000 [INR 5,92,000] in their bank accounts, before being granted permission to

study in America.

Average Tuition fee

Undergraduate Studies

Universities: US $28,500 per year

Colleges: US $22,092 per year

Postgraduate Studies

Universities: US $38,665 per year

Colleges: US $28,375 per year

Disclaimer: All rates shown are for indicative purposes only. It is important to note that foreign

exchange rates fluctuate and rates will vary.

*Note – fees vary depending on the course subject

Living expense

$700-1000 per month

*Cost depends on the location and the student's lifestyle

Duration

Typically, undergraduate coursework lasts for four years. However, some college

programmes which give students access to associate’s degrees last for only two

years. Postgraduate studies may last for up to 2 years. Again, every college or

university is different, so it’s important to perform research based on particular

schools.



When does the academic

semester start every year?

Which is the best semester

to apply?

CHAPTER 3

Fall Semester – September/October

Spring Semester – January/February

Summer – June/July

When you choose the Fall intake, you’ll be able to enjoy lots of fun activities that

are designed for “freshman”, such as orientations, social events and so on.

Fall is probably the best intake option for international students, for financial

reasons (availability of scholarships) and because this time of year is the

“traditional” time for students to go to college or University.

Admission intakes

Application deadlines:

Usually, applications will need to be submitted three months before the start of

programmes. However, each USA college or university will have its own rules.

Since almost every college or university in the United States now has an official

website, it’s very easy to check application guidelines, such as start and end

dates.



What are the main

eligibility tests required to

study in the USA?

CHAPTER 4

There are two types of eligibility tests

A) Language

B) Aptitude

Language:

Prospective students will have to prove their proficiency in English through

standardised tests such as IELTS/TOEFL.

Aptitude:

Students aspiring to study an undergraduate course in the USA should write the

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). For postgraduate applications, the aptitude test

varies depending upon the course of interest. Some popular ones include GRE

and GMAT.

Students who take the TOEFL test are expected to get a minimum score of 80-

120, but a score of 100-120 would increase their chance of admission; meanwhile

students who take the IELTS tests are expected to score 7-9. Similarly, a good

score for the GRE would be 320-340, and for GMAT would be 700-800.

Minimum scores will vary based on which schools you are applying to. At some

schools, academic transcripts will also play an important role in whether or not a

student from India is able to study in America, at his or her preferred school.



How to apply to

universities in America?

What is the process?

CHAPTER 5

Applying to US colleges and universities is not as simple as applying to an Indian

university. Most applications are online and students have a fairly wide window of

time within which they have to complete their applications.

Though admission procedures vary from one university to the next, most decide

admission based on certain criteria: the student's course of study in high school,

their high school Grade Point Average (GPA), contributions to and involvement in

extracurricular activities, SAT or American College Testing (ACT) scores, any written

essays and their personal interview. For postgraduate study, the applicant’s

performance in recent undergraduate academics plays a key role.

Each university will set their own application deadlines and fees, as well as

admissions requirements. Fortunately, most application forms follow a similar

format that allow you to reuse or adapt some of your application materials.



Document List – What you

need to submit with your

application?

CHAPTER 6

Once you have all the right documents, re-check it as many times as you

want. Have attested copies of all the documents in a folder and arrange it

according to the check list. This will help you organise your application

better.

You will have to submit the following documents along with your application

form:

• Academic certificates

• Competitive exam score sheets

• Statement of purpose

• Resume

• Letters of recommendation

• Passport size photographs

• Experience documents

• Achievement certificates[Awards]

• A copy of your passport



Financial support for

studying in the USA

CHAPTER 7

In the United States international students are provided with scholarships from universities in various forms like tuition waivers, teaching assistance or stipend for research assistant

Tuition Waivers

Tuition waivers are provided based on his/her past academics, entrance exam

scores, technical portfolio, community service initiatives and extracurricular

activities. This will offer a flat reduction on fees by 30% to 40%.

Research Assistantship

Students looking forward to do a PhD are provided with a research stipend and

will also let the student work as a research assistant under a professor.

Teaching Assistantship

The student’s proficiency in English language could give him/her the opportunity

to do teaching assistance. This gives you a chance to groom and mould the

undergraduate students.



Apart from the scholarships offered by universities, students can look

forward to scholarships offered by the government and non-governmental

organisations in their home country.

Scholarships for higher education in US are offered as a minimal or interest-

free loan; study-grants are also offered to students.

Financial assistance from India:

• The K.C. Mahindra Scholarship

• Fulbright Nehru Scholarship

• National Overseas Scholarship\Passage Grant

• Narotam Sekhsaria Scholarship Programme

• R.D. Sethna Scholarships

• Sahu Jain Trust Scholarships

• JN Tata Endowment

• Lady Meherbai D. Tata Education Trust Scholarships

• Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarships

• Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarships

• BD Bangur Endowment Scholarships

• Bharat Petroleum Scholarship



http://www.mahindra.com/How-We-Help/Education/Grants-and-Scholarships

http://www.usief.org.in/Fulbright-Nehru-Doctoral-Research-Fellowships.aspx

http://www.socialjustice.nic.in/nos0910.php

http://www.nsscholarship.net/nsf-scholarship-program.asp

http://www.rdsethnascholarships.org/eligibility.htm

http://www.sahujaintrust.timesofindia.com/

http://www.dorabjitatatrust.org/id/72/J.N. Tata Endowment for the Higher Education of Indians/

http://www.dorabjitatatrust.org/id/73/Lady Meherbai D. Tata Education Trust Scholarships/

http://www.inlaksfoundation.org/

http://www.akdn.org/akf_scholarships.asp

http://www.bdbangurendowment.com/

http://www.bharatpetroleum.com/scholarship/scholarship.asp

Some more options to manage your finances...

Education Loans

Indian banks give a loan amount of up to 25 lakhs with a low interest.

Repayment can be made after 6 months following your return. For the

educational loan you will also need guarantors. If you know a person who is a

permanent resident US or citizen, then getting an educational loan will be

simpler.

After reaching the US

Part time jobs:

Students can work part-time for 20hrs/week during their classes and work full

time during holidays and on weekends. As per the US rule, the minimum wage

is on average $7.25 dollars per hour.

Accommodation:

Once you get settled down with your course, consider living off campus, as

this could cut a lot from your expenses which you have to pay (at least 25% of

your university accommodation fees).

With all these options available to you, you can manage your finances to

study in the US with ease.



Securing a student visa

CHAPTER 8

In order to study in America, you must obtain a student visa. Here is the process:

Complete form DS-160before the interview for

your student visa

Print out the confirmation page with the barcode

and pay the visa application fee with an

approved bank

Make an online payment for the I-20 form, which is issued by the American institution affirming your

enrolment

Pay the I-901 fee online through the U.S.

Immigration and customs enforcement website

Fix an appointment for a student visa interview

through the VFS website

Usually, these interviews happen at American embassies in home countries.



https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/

http://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/help/form-i-20

http://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/students/sevis-i-901-fee

Documents Required for US Student Visa

The US visa interview lasts only few minutes. Since this is a very short session,

all students are expected to carry all necessary documents, organised

properly.

You can organise the documents in individual folders, in the following order:

Passport, the I-20 form, the semester confirmation and visa appointment

letter

Bank statements (your parents’, your siblings’ and yours)

Other financial documents - bonds, fixed deposits, shares, debentures

and mutual funds

The acceptance letter from the university you’ve applied to

SAT, GRE or GMAT score sheets as applicable

Statement of purpose, transcripts, recommendations, resume/CV which

has been sent for the admission purpose in US

The affidavit support and the bank letters as a proof to show that the

parent/ parents are supporting your education

If your parent owns a business, you will have to show business documents

of the last two years’ profits or losses

If you have work experience, then appointment letters, salary slips & your

relieving letters have to be shown next as proof to support your work

experience

Finally your property documents have to be shown



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