Study in USA
The USA has the world’s largest international student population, with over 800,000 students choosing to broaden their education and life experience in the United States.
The United States has more institutions of higher education than any other country, but despite the numbers it is the quality of education provided by these academic bodies which is acknowledged worldwide. The teaching forces of these institutions are leading authorities in their respective fields. The quality of the research program along with the resources available and the faculty ensures that the institutions have high standards.
More than 4000 institutions offer undergraduates, post graduates, masters and doctorate degrees. One can specialize in any desire areas of focus. The USA education system has variety of academic & social environments which allow the student to build up in all aspects.
The education definitely falls in the category of value for your money. USA education is the best investment for the future. A wide spectrum of tuition fees accommodation options & financial help from the institutions in the form of scholarships, fee waivers, aid etc makes USA education affordable.
Why study in USA?
Technology & Research
USA is known for its latest technologies and advancement in technical fields which gives the student a very good chance to make his/her future in these fields. USA has always been a hub of inventions.
Flexibility
The USA education system is flexible in terms of choice of courses within a college or university. During the course of study, a student can transfer from one course/stream to another or one institution to another.
Affordable
American education is the best preparation for the future. It becomes all the more within your means with financial aid, scholarships and assistant ships on hand.
Top Ranking University
Among the top ranking colleges world-wide, majority of them are in USA. These colleges and universities rank high in world ranking because of their infrastructure, technological advancement and top quality of education provided by them.
Technical Institutes
These are schools emphasizing principally on engineering and science they are known for their research and graduate programs. Most International students who attend these schools are of graduate level. Undergraduates admitted to these schools usually have incredibly strong backgrounds in math and sciences.
The Ivy League
These schools are the oldest and most famous in the country members of the Ivy League are: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania. Tuition at these private schools is among the highest in the country, and admission is generally highly competitive.
USA Overview
EDUCATION CHART
USA has the world’s most flexible education system, students can study their area of interest as specialization. As the education system of USA is not centralized each institute can determine its program and admission standards. Lateral movement in the education system is possible any time.
PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES
State-affiliated institutions financially supported by public taxes are usually large in size. All levels of degrees with different fields of study are offered. Public colleges and universities are relatively easy on the pocket for residents of a state where the schools are located. Foreign students pay “out-of-state” tuition, which is higher. There are many notable public universities across the country just a few examples: Pennsylvania State University, Ohio State University, University of California, Kansas State University, University of Texas
PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES
Private Institutions run without the control of the Government entity. Tuition fees of these institutions are on the higher but the international as well the domestic students pay the same amount of fees. The notable private institutions are Long Island University, George Washington University, New York University, Carnegie Mellon University.
COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Community college, sometimes called a junior college, is a two-year school that offers reasonably priced higher education as a pathway to a four-year degree. According to the American Association of Community Colleges there are 1,167 community colleges in the United States. Rio Salado College, Portland Community College etc are some of the community college in USA.
SMALL LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES
Generally have the focus on undergraduate study of the traditional arts and science disciplines: humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Strictly liberal arts colleges are often quite old and mostly private schools. They are highly-rated institutions as they stress on small classes, individual attention to the students, and closer relationships between the faculties and students. Many of them also generally have rigid admission standards. Among these schools are: Amherst, Marist, Swarthmore, Manhattan, Smith, Mount Holyoke.
ASSOCIATE DEGREE
It is an academic degree awarded by the community colleges, junior colleges, business colleges upon completion of a course of study usually for two years (60 Credits). In the USA , an associate degree is equivalent to the first two years of a four year college or university Bachelors degree. It is The lowest in hierarchy of post secondary academic degrees offered in USA.
BACHELOR’S DEGREE
Commonly known as Undergraduate degree in Nepal. The duration of the bachelors course is 4 years. Students who have completed a part of their undergraduate degree and want to go to the USA, can apply as a transfer Student. There are two types of bachelors degree: B.A or B.S. Some universities in the USA Offer either of the degrees in all fields and at times both the degrees in some field. Students need to appear for SAT & TOEFL/IELTS exams for admission.
MASTER’S DEGREE
The duration of master’s courses may range from a year to two depending on the university & your area of specialization. The binding requisite for Masters is the 16 year of education criteria. Students with Bachelors in engineering are qualified whereas the students with B.Com, B.Sc, and B.A need to complete at least one year of Masters, post graduate diploma is also accepted by some specific institutions for specific programs. Exams required are GMAT for management related subjects / GRE for arts, science or any other subjects and TOEFL/ IELTS exams for admission.
DOCTORATE
Commonly known as PhD. Duration of the same may range from 3 years to 5 years. Students can take admission for a PhD only after completion of their master’s degree. PhD students need to submit a research proposal as well have to appear for GRE/GMAT & TOEFL/IELTS exams for Services.
INTAKE
US universities have 4 intakes:
Spring: January/February
Fall: August/September
Summer: April/May
Winter: December
Major intake is the Fall intake, but most of the universities are open for Spring and few of them for summer & winter intake too. However all subjects commence in Fall and only some in winter and summer intake.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS
All students must have the required English language proficiency with regards to the course. TOEFL score of 90 for Postgraduate and 80 above for Undergraduate studies is a decent score. IELTS score of 6.5 and above for Undergraduates and Postgraduates studies is required. Over 2500 institutions in USA recognize the IELTS exams including several top ranked institutions.
DOCUMENTS
Covering Letter, Application Fees, Application Form, Statement of Purpose, Essays, Resume, Recommendation Letters, Transcripts, Mark sheets & Certificate, Bank Statement, Affidavit of Financial Statements,Test Score Report are required.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS + ELIGIBILITY
Undergraduate: 10+2
Graduate:16 years of education required (10+2+4) some institutions accept 15 years education into their Bridge /Masters Programs
Good & strong academic background
Good scores in entrance exams like SAT, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, IELTS etc
Strong recommendation letters
To the point Statement of Purpose/Personal Statement, essays & resumes
Certificates of achievement & extra -curricular activity participation
Strong financial background or good grades to get a scholarship
The cost for Tuition Fees for international students varies from $5000 to $30000 per year.The cost of living California and area around New York is expensive.In general Students from countries like Nepal, the cost of living may vary from $4000 to $9000.
It is assumed that students will live in shared Apartments, Live out of Campus and have less Telephone bills and other expenses are at bay. Most of (nearly) all expenses can be met while working on campus Jobs.
The hourly pay for on Campus jobs Pay from $5.15 to $15 per hour. Foreign Students can work for 20 hrs per week and 40 hrs per week during summer. Students may be allowed to work out of campus (Internship) after nine months of their arrival at the university.
Scholarships and Financial aid available for International Students in United States. The Financial Aid is provided to comprehensive student. All aid is based on individual need, educational costs and availability of funds. Awards may consist of scholarships, loans, grants and/or employment. In USA, student can receive aids like TA/RA/Fellowship or GA.
Scholarships are provided in limit. Therefore, students are encouraged to complete their applications early as priority is given to earlier applications. Many opportunities for grants for graduate study are available from public and private institutions. Information about these outside sources of funding may be available in a student’s academic department.
PART TIME JOBS ON CAMPUS/WORK AFTER COURSE
International Students can take up on – campus jobs after joining the college. Students are allowed to work 20 hrs per week on – campus. On campus jobs may include teaching assistant-ship or research assistant-ship where in a student can earn a $7 to $10 per hour i.e. around $ 500 – $600 per month or can get a waiver in tuition fees.
With this, a student can also do internship in the related field which may or may not be with pay. On completion of the course student is allowed to work for 1 yr. Popularly known as OPT (optional practical training). On completion of the 1 yr OPT, a student can later apply for work on a HI B visa (work permit visa).
INDUSTRIES
USA has one of the strongest economies in the world. The vast majority of Americans derive the majority of their income form occupational earnings.
In the United States, the highest earning occupational groups are the white collar professionals including management, physicians, mathematicians, financial managers, software publishers, computer engineers. Hospitality, etc. USA has also been on the forefront in the telecom, medicine, health care, genetics, etc.
F.A.Qs
To apply for a student visa, you need to go to Nepal Investment Bank in Durbarmarg, fill out the forms DS-156, DS-158 (and DS-157 if you are male between the ages 16-45 years), and pay the USD $100 application fees. Nepal Investment Bank will provide you with an appointment date and time. If this date is after the reporting date noted on your I-20 (or DS-2019 for exchange student programs), you should notify the staff at Nepal Investment Bank and they will provide you with an earlier appointment if possible.
You should come to the interview with your original I-20 issued by the academic institution where you intend to study, all academic records (SLC, +2 certificate, etc.), and any evidence if financial resources to show that you can afford your education. While there are no specific financial documents required, you should feel free to bring everything you believe would support your case. Consular officers prefer to see at least six months transaction history from your bank accounts. A police certificate is not necessary for student visa applicants. All documents submitted should be genuine – if the consular officer at any time believes you have submitted a false document, you will be refused the visa and the document(s) could be turned over to the police.
Consular officers prefer to see at least six months transaction history from each of your bank accounts. Bank statements can be from any bank, savings and loan or credit agency.
Each applicant’s case is different, but generally consular officers encourage you to wait until your circumstances have change or you have additional evidence that was not presented during your first interview before reapplying. The academic institution you choose to attend (and the I-20 you present) should be the one that is best suited to your academic interests and financial resources.
An eCoE is the certificate issued by the DIAC for the students to confirm the acceptance of their admission in the university. This certificate is required for the processing of the visas application or for the extension. Before the issuance of eCoE students have to undergo a Pre-Visa Assessment (PVA) based on the nationality and principal course of study.
To get eligible for student visa, students have to enroll in an Australian university/institution and receive an eCoE. The eCoE form includes the crucial information such as the course starting date, ending date and other codes used by the DIAC that students have to be aware of. Typically eCoE will be issued after the university receives the student’s tuition fee. A copy of your eCoE must be submitted to your local DIAC office before a student visa can be issued.
Academic Document Checklist
- Visa application form
- Photocopy of passport
- Identification card copies
- Four filled self-adhesive name and address labels
- Passport sized photo(not older than six months)
- Formal educational documents(photocopy)
- IELTS certificate
- Criminal record check results
Financial Document Checklist
- Proof of funds from a suitable source
- Proof of cash deposits
Medical Document Checklist
- Medical reports and x-ray examinations
- Proof that the student has an Overseas Student Health Cover for the total duration of the visa.