Study in USA
Why Study in USA?
Study in USA for Indian students has always been an attractive prospective, the reasons being quality education, cutting edge technology, work opportunities, excellent funding options and flexible curriculum. Higher education in USA for Indian students offers a mind boggling range of universities with highly sophisticated and enlightening educational environments. Study in USA also provides phenomenally higher returns over one’s investment. The USA is an educational hub with over 4500 institutions offering undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate degrees. USA education is the best investment for the future. Study in USA is affordable as its institutions/universities provide a wide spectrum of tuition fees, accommodation options and financial help in the form of scholarships, fee waivers, aids, etc. The U.S. pride themselves on being at the forefront of technology, research and techniques as they make the best possible equipment and resources available to their students.
Top Courses
The United States is a country that combines diverse geography and culture while having a reputation for academic excellence, making study in USA for Indian students a prominent factor. The USA is a leading destination for students pursuing a Master’s degree. It’s a melting pot of ethnicities, nationalities, races, classes, and opinions, and with a large number of foreign students enrolled in Master’s degree programs all over the country. Study in USA from India after graduation helps students enhance their career.
No matter what program of study interests you, you’re sure to find something that meets your needs. The USA is particularly well-known for a large number of non-traditional options for pursuing a Master’s degree, such as part-time studies, online programs, and distance learning options. According to the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), around 15% of all graduate-level students in the US are international.
The most popular subject to study in USA for international graduate students is Engineering, Business, followed by programs relating to Physical and Earth Sciences.
Higher education in USA for Indian students usually ranges around these prominent fields:
Biological and Life Sciences : This field studies the interaction between humans and the earth. Students explore the structure, function, behaviour, and evolution of cells, organisms, populations, and ecosystems.
Business Studies : It is the study of Economics and Management, through which the student is equipped with the essentials to be a business professional.
Economics and Administration : The students learn to analyse and solve problems of products and international markets in multinational and international companies.
Energy : An Energy degree focuses on energy efficiency issues by studying ways to reduce the load on energy and improve the ecosystem.
Engineering and Technology : Study in USA for Indian students is most prominent in the said field of study. It prepares the student for the technologically oriented prospects of the world. The USA leads the world on the list of “Most Technological Innovations”.
Fashion : Fashion Studies, include Designing, Marketing and Production of clothing. The USA is the center for trends and style, with Hollywood and its celebrities setting the style statement.
Humanities and Social Sciences : It is the field of study that broadly includes the anthropology of humankind occupying the disciplines of societies.
Law and Regulations : General skills include research, interpretation and explanation of complex subjects, analytical thinking and practical problem solving.
Management : The course builds on existing communications and consumer behaviour models in order to explore many of the issues facing a modern day manager.
Marketing and Communication : Communication is a set of activities involved in managing and orchestrating all internal and external communications aimed at creating awareness in prospective markets.
Natural Sciences : Study in USA for Natural Sciences is an attempt to understand how the world and universe around us works.
Professional Studies : It is a field of study used to classify academic programs which are applied or interdisciplinary in focus. The term can also be used for non-academic training for a specific profession.
Sport : It is a field of education concerning the business aspects of sports and recreation.
Tourism and Hospitality : Tourism and hospitality courses cover the fundamentals of each industry including Tourism Economics, Food Service, and Legal Issues.
Career Opportunities
USA is one of the strongest economies of the world. Majority of Americans derive most of their income from occupational earnings. In the United States, the highest earning occupational groups are the white collar professionals including managers, physicians, mathematicians, financial managers, software publishers, computer engineers etc.
The USA has also been on the forefront in telecoms, medicine, health care and genetics. Study in USA for Indian students encapsulates on campus jobs as well. They are allowed to work 20 hrs per week during semester (on campus). On campus jobs may include teaching assistantship or research assistantship where a student is paid on an average $8 to $10 per hour.
Thus, students can approximately earn $ 500-$ 600 per month or can get a waiver on their tuition fees. With this, a student who decides to study in USA can also undertake an internship in the related field which may be paid. During vacation, the student is allowed to work for 40 hours per week.
Study in USA from India after graduation, enables students to work for 1 year popularly known as OPT (Optional Practical Training). Students with certain degrees in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) field are allowed to work for 36 months. On completion of their OPT, students can apply for a H1 B visa (Work Permit Visa) for work.
Education Cost
Tuition Fees
The USA is a vast education hub. An increasing number of students study abroad in USA, resulting in the country having one of the highest number of international student population. Students can pursue graduate, undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees. The USA has a unique climate, culture, history and economy. The universities in the USA are broadly classified as Public and Private.
Public Universities
These are state-affiliated institutions that are financially supported by public taxes and are usually large in size. Study in USA through Public Universities normally offers students all levels of degrees across many different fields of study. Tuitions fees are usually less compared to private institutions. Examples: Pennsylvania State University, Ohio State University, University of California, Kansas State University, University of Texas etc.
Private Institution
A private university runs without the control of any government entity. Tuition fees at private universities tend to be much higher than at public universities. Examples: Long Island University, George Washington University, New York University, Carnegie Mellon University, etc.
| USA (PUBLIC) | ||
| TUITION FEES in USD | TUITION FEES IN ETB. | |
| UG | 15000-20000 / Year | 525,000-700,000 / Year |
| PG | 15000 – 25000 / Year | 525,000-875,000 /Year |
| USA (PRIVATE) | ||
| TUITION FEES in USD | TUITION FEES IN ETB. | |
| UG | 20000-30000 / Year | 700,000-1,050,000/Year |
| PG | 20000-35000 / Year | 700,000-1,225,000 /Year |
Conversion Rate USD 1 – 35.19 birr
Living Expenses
When calculating the cost to study in USA, living expenses play a critical role. On average, a student spends approximately $15000 – 18000/year. But the expenses also depend on the place where a student stays i.e. if a student stays in metropolitan city like New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, etc the expenses could go up to $20000 in comparison to a student studying in a suburban area where the expenses around $10000 to $12000 / year. Higher education in USA for Indian students often involves living in suburban areas, however this may add up to the students transportation cost. But colleges do provide transportation passes for the same. Living afar in an outlying place would result in more time consumption.
Accommodation
Most educational institutions will assist you in finding accommodation while you decide to study in USA. Accommodation are of two types i.e. a student can either stay on campus (Halls of Residence/Students hostel) or Off Campus (Home stay, Apartments/Flats). Staying Off Campus is much cheaper than staying On Campus but it is always advisable that the student should stay on campus for the first six months so that they can interact with classmates in the first year of studies and also be accustomed to the environment.
Health Insurance
Insurance Policy for international students is mandatory as students have to stay abroad for a long period of time. Insurance costs approximately between $1000-$2000/year. It is advisable that higher education in USA for Indian students must include insurance from an Indian Insurance Company, but make sure that it covers medical expenses, personal accidents, dental treatment, study interruption, passport loss etc. Insurance is basically cashless so a student does not need to pay money at the time of hospitalization.
Application Procedure
Higher education in USA for Ethiopian students can be very competitive. Each university/ department has its own admission requirements for the course of study selected.
Intakes
US universities have 3 intakes: Fall : August/September, Spring: January/February and Summer : April/May. The major intake is the Fall intake, but most of the universities are open for Spring and few of them for Summer intake too.
English Language Requirements
All students must have the required English language proficiency in order to study in USA. TOEFL score of 80-90 for Postgraduate and 70-80 for Undergraduate studies is a decent score. IELTS score of 6.0- 6.5 for Undergraduates and 6.5-7 band for Postgraduate studies is required. Over 3000 institutions in the USA recognize the IELTS & PTE exam including several top ranked institutions.
Entry Requirements + Eligibility to study in USA for Indian students
- Undergraduate: 10+2
- Graduate:16 years of education required
- Some institutions accepts 3 years of degree i.e. BCom, BSc, BA etc- into their Masters or MBA Program
- Strong academic background
- Good scores in entrance exams like SAT/ACT/GRE/GMAT & TOEFL/IELTS/PTE
- Strong Recommendation Letters
- Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement, Essays & Resume
- Certificates of achievement & extra -curricular activity participation
- Sound financial background
The Application Process
The Application Process to study in USA consists of 6 stages
Pre Application Stage : This stage comprises of collection of information through education fairs, events and consultants
Preparations for the Entrance Exams.
Identifying the desired university and starting with the university selection.
Preparing the Passport.
Test Taking and Universities Selection
This step consists of 2 sub steps :-
Test Training (GRE/GMAT/SAT/TOEFL/IELTS/PTE)
Test Training Consists of : Computer Adaptive Tests, Mock Sessions, Seeking Application Material for test registration, Actual Test Registration
The second step is University Selection,
It consists of : Finalizing the subject, Checking the University ranking, Overall / Subject-wise ranking, Curriculum prospectus, Faculty profile, Student demography, Research demography, Research facilities at university, Funding option / cost, Infrastructure.
Application Documentation
In this step you have to collect and complete all the set of documents, namely :- Covering Letter, Application Fees, Application Form, Statement Of Purpose, Essays, Resume, Recommendation Letters,Transcripts, Mark Sheets & Certificates, Bank Certificate, Affidavit of Financial Support, Test Score Report
Admission Confirmations :
This includes, receiving an Unconditional Admit Letter, receiving and verifying University I-20 Form, Financial Aid/Assistantship/ Waiver letter
Student Visa (F-1) :
In order to pursue higher education in USA for Indian students, this is the stage where students are required to complete the Visa process: Submitting the I-20 Form, Verifying Passport, Resume, Paying Visa Fee, Paying SEVIS Fee, Test Score Report, Academic Documents, Affidavit, IT Returns, Supporting Documents for all Finances
Lastly, students have to make Pre-Departure arrangements that include Accommodation, Air Ticketing, Insurance, Airport Pickup, Forex
Education System
To study in USA means to be part of the world’s most flexible education system. Students can study their area of interest as specialization.
Types of Institutions to study in USA for Indian students
Public Universities:
These are state-affiliated institutions which are financially supported by public taxes and are usually large in size. Tuitions fees are usually less compared to private institutions. Examples: Ohio State University, University of California, Kansas State University, etc.
Private Institutions:
A private university runs without the control of any government entity. Tuition fees at private universities tend to be much higher than at public universities, Examples: Long Island University, New York University, etc.
Technical Institutes:
These are schools specializing primarily in Engineering and Science and are particularly noted for their research and graduate programs. Example: M.I.T. (The Massachusetts Institute of Technology), NYIT ( New York Institute of Technology) etc.
The Ivy League:
Members of the Ivy League are: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania. All these schools are in the Northeastern part of the USA. Tuition fees at these private schools are among the highest in the country and admission is generally highly competitive.
Small Liberal Arts Colleges:
These schools focus on undergraduate study of traditional Arts and Sciences disciplines : Humanities, Sciences and Social Sciences. Liberal Arts Colleges are often quite old and are usually private schools. Examples: Amherst College, Marist College, Swarthmore College, Manhattan College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, etc.
Community Colleges:
Community College is an educational institution providing higher education and lower-level tertiary education, granting Associates degrees, Certificates, Diplomas. Example: Foothill and Deanza College, College of San Mateo, etc.
Grading System :
The grading system which is followed throughout the United States to judge a student’s performance is on a scale of 0 to 4. To convert the percentage into the GPA, a credential evaluation needs to be done.
Types Of Degrees
Associate Degree: It is an academic degree awarded by the Community Colleges, Junior Colleges, and Business Colleges. Usually for two years (60 credits).
Bachelor’s Degree: Commonly known as an undergraduate degree in India. The duration of the Bachelor’s course is 4 years (120-150 credits). Students who have completed a part of their undergraduate degree and want to study in USA can apply as a transfer student. There are two types of Bachelor;s degree: B.A or B.S(120-150 credits).
Masters’ Degree: The duration of Master’s courses may range from a year or two depending on the university & your area of specialization (30-48 credits). The binding requisite for Masters is 16 years of education.
Doctorate: Commonly known as a PhD, the duration of the same may range from 3 to 5 years. Students can take admission for a PhD only after the completion of their Master’s degree.
Summer Program : These are study programs during the months of summer vacation. They usually last for 6 to 10 weeks depending on the school and the course of study.
Visa
Admission to a coveted US university takes you only half way through your dream to study in USA. The remaining important half is to obtain a study visa for the US. Complexities and careless mistakes along with lack of sufficient knowledge about the US student visa formalities cause undesired delays and even refusal of a visa in some cases.
To be able to study in USA for Indian students, an F1 visa is issued to international students who are attending an academic program or English Language Program at a US college or university. F1 students are expected to complete their studies by the expiration date on their I-20 form (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status) which is provided by the US College or university.
The US Embassy in India has implemented a visa processing system throughout India, providing all visa applicants with an efficient, transparent, and standardized application process which simplifies fee payment and appointment scheduling through a new website www.ustraveldocs.com
Where To Apply
US Visa is an Interview based visa, thus applicants have to apply to the US embassy for their interview
Process
Step 1 – To obtain I-20 from University / College
Step 2 – To obtain SEVIS FEE Receipt
Step 3 – To Complete DS-160 Form
Step 4 – To Pay Visa Application Fees
Step 5 – Schedule Appointment
Step 6 – Attend Appointment Scheduled
Step 7 – Passport Collection if visa is granted
