Study In USA.
USA Is One Of The Best Country In The World For International Education. We Will Guide You Why You Should Choose USA As Your Study Abroad Destination.
Guide For Study Abroad In USA
Whether you want to know about the Education System of the USA Or want to know what USA is Like. We will cover all the necessary topics to give you an overall understanding of the USA.
Why Study In USA?
The US
has the highest population of international students with more than one million students choosing to study at institutions across the country.
High-Quality Education
The United States is known for having one of the best university systems in the world. US universities rank high in the QS World University Rankings.
Program Flexibility
Program flexibility provides students with options for several electives including courses outside of their major course options. This gives students time to explore subjects and potential career paths that interest them.
Housing
On-campus dormitories are a popular option for many students, especially in their first year. Homestays are also a great option for students under 18-years-old. Students are matched with an American family who’ll provide a room and meals during their homestay.
Work While Study
Most international students studying in the US will have an F-1 visa, which allows students to work on campus. Students can only work off campus if they participate in Curricular Practical Training (CPT). They can also work off campus through Optional Practical Training (OPT) during and after the completion of their studies.
Post Secondary Education System
In the
2019-2020
academic year, there were nearly 270,000 new international students who started their studies in US schools. Graduate studies at US universities is one of the most popular academic programs for students around the world. A master’s degree is consistently pursued by over 500,000 students each year in both the US and around the globe.
Bachelor's Degree
(Undergraduate)
A bachelor’s degree is the most common undergraduate degree awarded by universities and colleges in the US. Typically, a bachelor’s degree takes four to five years to complete and consists of 120 to 130 semester credit hours.
Master's Degree
(Postgraduate)
All master’s degrees require the completion of a bachelor’s degree and usually require an undergraduate GPA of 3.0. Most master’s degree programs will take an average of two years from start to finish – about half of the time it takes to earn your bachelor’s degree. There is a variety of types of master’s offered in the U.S., but the two most basic are the Master’s of Arts (M.A.) and Master’s of Science (M.S.).
Pathway Programs
Pathway programs in the US make post-secondary education more accessible by providing English as a second language (ESL) education to international students whose language proficiency doesn’t meet the requirements for the program they want to enroll in. Pathway programs usually last about a year and often allow students to take courses counting toward their degree, while taking required ESL courses.
English Language Courses
The ELCI pathway program has a large network of universities students can attend after completing the Intensive English Program. This pathway program helps students receive the IELTS or TOEFL score they need for admission, and assists with a smooth transition to university enrollment after completing the course. Students can attend schools such as Cleveland State University, University of Illinois at Chicago, or University of Utah once they’ve successfully completed the ELCI pathway program.
Academic Pathways
Instead of focusing solely on improving an international student’s English proficiency, academic pathway programs place emphasis on improving academic performance to increase their chance of admissions. Students can focus on improving their skills in a variety of subjects, such as the humanities, natural sciences, engineering, technology, life sciences, business, and many more.
Many academic pathway programs prepare students for scoring well on entrance exams such as the SAT in combination with English language test preparation. Also, academic pathway programs are well-suited to students who’d like to boost their GPA.
A pathway course is designed to give a student’s current qualifications a boost, allowing them to enroll in a university or college program and be fully prepared for the subject-specific studies.
Financial Cost & Work Options
Planning for
your expenses as an international student is a top priority. One of the most important requirements to study in an undergraduate or postgraduate program in the US is having the money to pay for tuition fees. Tuition fees can vary depending on the US region a student wishes to study, the university or college they choose to attend, the type of program they’ve applied to, and the country they’re coming from. The fees can range from about US$5,000 a year to over US$50,000, depending on the university and whether it’s a community college or technical program, an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, or a public or private school. The average cost per year is about US$26,000.
Cost Of Living
The estimated average annual cost of living for an international student in the US is about US$17,000 to US$70,500 or more depending on the state, location, school, spending habits, lifestyle, and budget. Also, two-year colleges will be less expensive than the most prestigious private four-year universities.
Texas is the fifth most affordable state for international students and has more options for higher education than Wyoming. The city of Houston, Texas is in the top 100 best student cities and has a lower cost of living than many other large cities in the US. This region is also home to some of the world’s top educational institutions.
Wyoming is the most affordable state in the US for education and cost of living for international students. The neighbouring states of Wyoming, including South Dakota, Nebraska, Idaho, and Utah, are also known to have affordable living costs. New York City is another exciting place for international students to live and study.
Many places in the US offer student discounts that can save about 10%–50%, so students should always carry their student identification with them. Websites such as ISIC, UNIDAYS, and Student Beans are convenient websites to find student discounts.
Student discounts are offered at numerous entertainment venues, restaurants, clothing stores, health and beauty shops, and for specifics such as school supplies, books, technology, and travelling.
Working While Study
One of the greatest benefits of studying in Canada as an international student is the opportunity to work while studying. This opportunity allows students to gain valuable work experience while completing their education, sometimes resulting in full-time employment after graduation.
Students who work while studying when they’re not eligible risk losing their permit and may have to leave Canada. Similarly, students who are eligible for work but do not adhere to the conditions also risk losing their permit and may have to leave.
Eligibility criteria is subject to change over time, so international students should always check the Government of Canada website for the most recent information on working while studying.
On Campus Employment
On-campus employment is the easiest form of employment for F-1 students to pursue. Employment opportunities on campus can come in many different forms. This kind of employment is defined as the following:
- Work on the premises of the student’s school in service of the school including grant and assistantship-related work.
- Work for on-campus firms providing service to the school’s students, such as working in the campus bookstore, cafeteria, or print shop.
- Work off campus that’s educationally affiliated with the student’s school. In this case, the work must be educationally integral to the student’s curriculum among other specific restrictions.
Off Campus
Employment
If a student with an F-1 visa encounters unexpected financial difficulties, they may be eligible to work off campus without applying for an OPT or CPT. The USCIS evaluates applications for off-campus employment based on severe economic hardship on a case-by-case basis, but includes the following reasons as solid grounds for applying:
- Loss of financial aid or on-campus employment if the student isn’t at fault.
- Large increases in tuition or living expenses.
- Substantial decrease in the relative value of currency the student uses to pay for living expenses.
- Unexpected changes in the financial conditions for a student’s source of financial support.
- Other substantial unexpected expenses.
Postgraduate Work Permit
International students can find income opportunities during and after their studies by applying for separate visa programs that offer more benefits than the standard F-1 student visa.
Here are two alternative visa programs that may provide international students with more employment opportunities:
The H-1B: This popular postgraduate pathway visa allows graduates to gain employment in a specialty occupation, such as a Department of Defense (DOD) Researcher or Development Project worker, a Specialty Occupation worker, or as a Fashion Model. International students can apply under the Specialty Occupation classification if they have a bachelor’s degree in a highly specialized field. For example, STEM graduates with specialized training are great candidates for an H-1B Specialty Occupation visa. Eligibility varies widely depending on the graduate’s occupation, but H-1B visa holders generally need to meet the following criteria to apply:
- A US employer must sponsor the applicant
- They must have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent
- There must be a correlation between the job duties and the applicant’s educational and work experience
H-1B visa holders can generally work in the US for up to three years, and may be able to extend it to six years. H-1B visa holders may bring their dependents with them under H-4 visa status.
EB-5 Visa or Immigrant Investor Visa Program: The Immigrant Investor Visa Program is available to a foreign national who makes a one-time investment of at least US$900,000 in a US venture identified as an EB-5 business project. Applicants in the EB-5 program are eligible for a Green Card and conditional permanent residency for themselves and their immediate family. Be sure to check the US Citizenship and Immigration Services website for details.
International students with an EB-5 visa can work and study as permanent residents. Other benefits include the following:
- No restrictions on fields of study or work while studying.
- Qualification for reduced in-state tuition fees at many universities.
- Opportunity to apply for US citizenship after five years of conditional permanent residence.
- Increased financial aid accessibility including loans and scholarships.