#1 Destination

The popularity of US schools remains unabated over the decades. Countless innovations and patented inventions are credited to students who have studied in the USA. In fact, no country has been able to match up this coveted achievement in the academic world.

Highest ranked Universities

Your dreams are possible with the US universities. The US has an established pedigree in providing quality education. The USA boasts an incredible six out of the world’s top 10 universities according to the 2016/2017 Times Higher Education World Rankings. In fact, 62 of the top 200 universities are based in the USA.

Best in Class Education

Need we more flowery words for describing the quality of the US education? I guess ‘Not’. US universities are research oriented and encourage critical thinking. They have produced many Nobel laureates and top researchers to date. Students graduated from the USA universities enjoy both the perceived and real value for employment preference owing to the exemplary global reputation of the American Education System.

Multicultural Campus

Since the US is known for its best education offerings, students from every part of the world have come and chosen the US schools for fulfilling their academic desires. Parties, fraternities, sororities, events in bars, and game days are usual attractions and a delight for all international students. Popularity of US schools remains unabated over the decades. Countless innovations and patented inventions are credited to students who have studied in the USA. In fact, no country has been able to match up this coveted achievement in the academic world.

Education System

Tertiary education falls into three broad categories

1. Associate degrees
2. Undergraduate (bachelor) degrees
3. Graduate studies (master degree to PhD award)

It is said that there are boundless possibilities if you are studying in any of the US school. Universities emphasize great significance on creativity, research, diversity, and innovations among others. You will experience a whole lot of new things such as diversity, students of all ages and from all parts of the world at the university campus. The study environment is always stimulating and encourages you to come up with new ideas by means of debating and interacting with classmates and well-educated professors. Depending upon the size and repute of a university, the classroom size varies and may accommodate from 20 to 50 students. Parties, fraternities, sororities, events in bars, and game days are usual attractions and a delight for all international students. You will be able to network with students from all parts of the world which will help you develop yourself further and create a positive rapport among students. A university life in the US generally means a lot of cool experiences.

Leading Universities

1. California Institute of Technology
2. Stanford University
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
4. Harvard University
5. Princeton University
6. University of Chicago
7. University of Pennsylvania
8. Yale University
9. Johns Hopkins University
10. Columbia University
11. University of California, Los Angeles
12. Duke University
13. University of California, Berkeley
14. Cornell University
15. Northwestern University
16. University of Michigan
17. Carnegie Mellon University
18. University of Washington
19. New York University
20. University of California, San Diego
21. Georgia Institute of Technology
22. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
23. University of Wisconsin – Madison
24. University of Texas at Austin
25. Brown University
26. Washington University in St Louis
27. University of California, Santa Barbara
28. University of California, Davis
29. University of Minnesota
30. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
31. Purdue University
32. University of Southern California
33. University of Maryland, College Park
34. Boston University
35. Ohio State University
36. Pennsylvania State University
37. Michigan State University
38. Rice University
39. Dartmouth College
40. Emory University
41. University of California, Irvine
42. University of Colorado Boulder
43. University of Pittsburgh
44. Vanderbilt University
45. University of Virginia
46. Indiana University
47. Georgetown University
48. Arizona State University
49. University of Florida
50. University of Notre Dame
51. University of Rochester

Cost of Studying

While the US remains one of the most popular destinations for international students, it is also among the most expensive of choices, too. The cost of studying in the US varies considerably based on the student’s choice of city, course and the level of degree at college or university. Tuition fees range between $5,000 and $50,000 upwards yearly. The maintenance cost which includes both food and living is roughly between $8,000 and $12,000 yearly. Expenses may not end here, and students may need to bear the extra cost on transportation, personal expenses, stationaries and other possible exigencies. Universities are broadly bifurcated into two categories: Public/state funded institutions and Private institutions. Generally, tuition fees at public funded universities are lower than those of private ones. The trend shows that international students are more often inclined toward public funded schools because of lower costs. Scholarships are a vital component when the decision to study abroad is taken for two reasons. Firstly, scholarships significantly help students and their parents to save a great amount of education expenses. Secondly, more than saving of money it is a great boost to the resume of students when they apply for jobs post their studies. Several students are recipient of various types of scholarships each year. Students earn those scholarships through their athletic talent, academic merit, community welfare participation or civic performances. There is a range of scholarships offered by the USA government, states as well as universities to international students. The major component of expense incurs in accommodation. The accommodation cost depends on personal preferences, and varies considerably the city you reside in. You will have a host of choices such as university/college provided on-campus accommodation (different types of plans are available), renting or sharing an apartment with other students/friends and homestays. Some universities do not allow international students registered for undergraduate degrees to live off campus for the first year. Such compulsion could increase extra burden on the expenses. The on-campus accommodation offers you the round-the-clock surveillance. Plus, most campuses offer a meal plan for students. You can choose the meal plan as per your budget and choice and save a substantial amount of time for your studies. On the flip side, living off campus helps you network with other interesting people and deal with external concerns which invariably infuse a brand-new experience of getting things done at the academic level. Most campuses have fees for utilizing on-campus medical facilities for check-ups, basic treatment and prescriptions for common illnesses (flu, headache, fever, minor injuries, etc.). In order to meet such contingencies, students buy medical insurance policy which costs around $1,000.

Health and Safety

International students are required to have adequate health insurance in the USA. Unlike other countries, the US does not have yet a universal healthcare system in place. There is a mixed system of privatized healthcare (where students and others pay for their own insurance) and public healthcare. Only for certain types of qualifying groups such as senior citizens, veterans, individuals with disabilities and citizens living under poverty line have an access to public healthcare. All international students must secure their insurance plans before they start their schools. In all cases, universities or colleges arrange the insurance plans for their students and the cost of the same is charged back to students. Safety is of utmost priority for any international student. Before the department or any relevant agency rushes for any help, it is significant that international students must learn and implement some safety hacks.

Scholarship Awards

It is not a new revelation that the US is one of the most expensive countries for an education destination, but do not let that pull you off. Because, there are ways to secure funding in various forms of scholarships, assistantships and grants. The only important factor to access to such funding, you need to be organized and on the lookout for various schemes offered by the government and university/college. When evaluating your options of studying, it is common to distinguish between the ‘sticker price’ (the published rates) and the amount actually you pay once all the financial aids and sources of funding are taken into consideration. For example, the top-notched universities with the highest sticker prices offer the most generous funding opportunities. At Caltech, almost 98% of graduate students and 99% of doctoral candidate receive full financial support, while 60% of undergraduate students receive the financial aid. Similarly at MIT, which is one of the highest ranked in the US and the world, more than 90% of undergraduate receive financial aid. Similar figures are seen by the leading US universities, with forms of support including grants, scholarships, assistantships and work-study schemes.

Here is the section of US scholarship awards for international students:

Government-funded US scholarships for international students

• Fulbright Foreign Student Program
• Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program

Non-governmental US scholarship awards for international students:

• Abbey Road Summer Scholarships
• Civil Society Leadership Awards
• The Next Gen Scholarship Fund
• Tortuga Backpacks Study Abroad Scholarship
• Asian Women in Business Scholarship Fund
• Chicago Booth School of Business
• Cornell University Tata Scholarship
• Fulbright-Nehru Research Fellowships
• S.N. Bose Scholars Student Exchange Program for Indian Students
• Stanford Reliance Dhirubhai Fellowships for Indian Students
• Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarships

For Asian students:

• East-West Center Scholarships and Fellowships
• Japan-United States Friendship Commission
• Wesleyan Freeman Asian Scholarship Program

For female students:

• AAUW International Fellowships
• MIT-Zaragoza Women in Logistics and SCM scholarship
• Bat and Ball Game Women’s Sports Scholarship

For graduate students:

• Rotary Peace Fellowships

For students from developing countries:

• Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Program
• MasterCard Foundation Scholarships

University-specific US scholarship awards for international students:

• American University Emerging Global Leader Scholarship
• Brandeis University Wien International Scholarship Program
• Clark University Global Scholars Program
• Emory University Needs-Based Scholarship Program
• Harvard University Scholarships
• Illinois State University International Awards
• Iowa State University International Merit Scholarships
• Michigan State University International Scholarships
• New York University Wagner International Scholarships
• University of Arkansas International Scholarships
• University of Iowa Scholarships for International First Year Students
• University of Minnesota International Excellence Scholarships
• University of Oregon International Scholarships
• University of Wisconsin Superior Non-resident Tuition Waiver Program