Study in USA

Education System in USA consists of both publicly funded and private schools. There is no central education system in USA.

There are various types of schools, colleges and universities in the United States. A university is different from a college – a college is only for undergraduate education whereas a university usually comprises a college, a graduate school and maybe even a professional school. A university is also more involved in research related courses.

Broadly, American universities confer Bachelor, Master and Doctorate degrees. Some colleges also offer Associate degrees / Diplomas/ Certificates specializing in vocational/technical training.

Your interaction with other people—your social life—is an integral part of your stay in the United States. To make the most of it, get ready to introduce yourself in a positive way to fellow students, professors, and other people both on and off-campus.

Working while you study in Australia can help complement your study and living experience. If you have existing qualifications and/or professional work experience, you may be able to secure casual or part time work in your field. You will also need to get a tax file number to work in Australia. Part-Time job opportunities are available in supermarkets, departmental stores, Cafes, bars, hotels, sales & telemarketing, Administrative or clerical roles etc.

Most student visas allow you to work for up to 20 hours a week while your course is in session, and unrestricted hours during any scheduled course break, but before you undertake any paid work you need to make sure your visa allows you to work.

Paid or unpaid internships can be a great way to get exposure to the professional, financial and creative industries. Internships more or less can also be found as a part of you curriculum.

USA Visa application and admission procedure for universities include submitting your application to the institution, accepting a Letter of Offer and applying for student visa.

Applicants must remember to begin the admission process early, as the application deadlines are far in advance of the start of the semester. Students should also schedule the required standardized tests needed for admission on time, so that they have the results in hand to be sent to schools on time.

Once a student receives admission in the desired university, comes the most important stage -Visa. Once a student receives an offer letter / I20 from the university offering admission, he/she can accept the offer and then apply for the visa.

Obtaining a visa is the last but a crucial step to go abroad for further studies. Every student has to be extremely cautious while presenting the papers or while attending a visa interview.

The US Visa Process Includes:

• Applications
• Interview

There are 2 different types of student visas:

F-1 (Student Visa): The F-1 visa is for full-time students enrolled in an academic or language program. F-1 students may stay in the US for the full length of their academic program. F-1 students must maintain a full-time course load and complete their studies by the expiration date listed on the I-20 form.

M-1 (Vocational Student Visa): The M-1 visa is issued for students attending non-academic trade and vocational schools. The M-1 visa is valid for at most one year. Recipients of an M-1 visa may not change fields of study.

Visa Processing Time:

Apply at least 5 business days before your visa interview appointment.

Visa Application Documents:

• Passport should be valid for more than 6 months from the date of return.
• One photograph as per specification.
• Original signed form DS-156.
• Original Form DS-157 only if you are 15 to 55 years of age.
• Original form DS-158 only if you are applying for F, M or J visa.
• Valid fee receipt.

The tuition fee is different for different universities and varies widely with courses and popularity of the institution. It can vary from as low as $ 5000 per year to as much as $ 50,000 per year for some private universities.

There are a range of Scholarships available for students, which can provide help with funds for your study. Scholarships are provided by universities and private trust groups. Many scholarships are given to meritorious students in top institutions.

Some of the scholarships available

• Partnership for Learning Undergraduate Studies (PLUS) Program
• The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
• Dumbarton Oaks Trustees for Harvard University- Junior Fellowships
• Assistantships include Research assistantship & Teaching Assistantship
• Administrative Internships & Program-Related Internships

Financial Aid:

It is an academic gift that a student gets from the University or any other institute or trust. They are given by different organizations or sponsors after carefully considering various aspects like academic and other talents, need for scholarship, course opted for and so on.

Financial aid can be given for various purposes and types ranging right from a waiver in tuition fees of the University to helping the students for books, travel or living expenses. If a student gets some assistance, it reduces the financial burden on the student to that extent. Scholarships are the best way to get the education funded because student doesn’t have to repay it.

The Different Types Of Financial Aid Are:

• Tuition Waiver
• Scholarship / Fellowship