Guide To Studying In The USA As An International Student

Are you an international student who is planning to study in the USA? The United States of America is the host of a large number of students from around the world. With hopes and dreams in their eyes, the students plan their study in USA. The country offers a blend of world class quality education, exposure to multiple cultures, and unique subjects. The abundance of chances in the states attracts even multiple students from India. They further reach out to experts from platforms like Gradding.com to plan their studies abroad, like in the USA and more. If you are also planning to study in the USA, then here are all the details you will need to plan your studies.

An Overview of Studying in the USA

There are more than 3000 colleges in the United States that offer courses to students from around the globe. However, the most popular courses opted to study in USA included Master’s degrees in Science, Master’s degrees in Business Administration, Bachelor’s degrees in Technology, and many more. Let’s know about it more.

Working while Studying

As an international student, you can also work while studying to support yourself. The legal wage for part time work is $20 hours/ week. This can give you experience working while studying. Further, this experience helps students when they apply for jobs after completing their degree as it equips them with transferable skills. It provides them with soft skills like communication, management and more. It also develops their habit of managing studies, work, home, and their social lives together. Moreover, the most popular jobs college students take up during their studies are freelancers, social media managers, waiters, etc. 

Living Expenses

Your living expenses in the United States as an international student will vary depending on your lifestyle. Many factors contribute to the living expenses, such as:

· Housing: your area, your choice of apartment, your choice of sharing your apartment, etc.

· College state

· Travelling: how much you travel, your mode of travel, etc.

· Healthcare

· Everyday items like groceries

· Fun activities: How much do you spend on movies, dining, etc?

· Study material costs: your books, notebooks, pens, etc.

· Mixed expenses

On average, living expense counts up to ₹ 10.5 lakhs per annum for a student in the United States of America.

Visa Requirements for the United States

One of the most necessary details when applying to colleges in the USA is knowing about the visa. As an international student, you can apply for three types of student visas, which are as follows:

· F-1 Student visa

· J Exchange visa (J-1)

· M Student visa (M1)

F-1 Student Visa

If you want to study at an accredited US college or English language institute, you can apply for an F-1 Student visa. This visa allows you to stay in the US for your studies and any practical training. However, with an F-1 visa, you can work part-time on campus and join training programs like Optional Practical Training (OPT). To keep your visa, you need to stay enrolled full-time and make good academic progress.  

M Student Visa

You can apply under the M Student visa if you are going for training or vocational studies in the United States of America.

Hence, when applying for a student visa after getting accepted into a college, you need to know which visa to apply under. The visa cost for Indian students to the USA is around ₹ 15,430. Further, you can consult education consultants in Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, etc., to learn more about it. 

Entry Requirements in the USA

The entry requirements for students to apply to the UG and PG programs differ among colleges. However, there is a basic guideline that the whole country’s college follows and makes variations according to them and the courses.

Hence, the following are the basic entry requirements for students to study in the United States of America:

· An academic transcript

· A standardized test score on the SAT or ACT

· A standardized test score of GMAT or GRE, as required by the course, if any

· An English command proving test from IELTS, TOEFL, iTEP, PTE, etc.

· An essay

· A statement of purpose

· Letters of recommendation, as mentioned by the college

· A copy of the original passport

· Proof of finances

These are the documents that are asked for by almost every college at the time of application. Further requirements depend upon the course you are applying for, like:

· For entry to design, you may require a portfolio

· For entry to a course, the score on English command tests or standardized tests may vary.

Conclusion

Many students dream of studying in the USA. But turning that dream into reality requires them to plan their time and studies properly. They also require good grades and extracurricular activities to get entry to top US colleges.

For proper planning to study in the United States, you would require proper guidance. Hence, if you are planning to study in the States, you can consult education consultants in Chennai. You can also visit Gradding.com and seek help from experts. They can better guide you in your admission process.