Easy Steps to US Study

Below are the five easy steps to study in the United States.

Researching your topic

It is recommended to start researching your field of study a year and a half before your projected enrollment. If you are a student originally from a country whose native language isn't English then be prepared for taking English as a Second Language (ESL) program first. Almost all of the universities in the states will ask you for the standardized test score. For undergraduate admission, required standardized test usually include Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and American College Testing (ACT). Whereas, for graduate admissions, required tests usually include Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) for liberal arts, science, math, Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) for business schools or study for MBA (Master’s in Business Administration) programs, Law School Admission Testing Program (LSAT) for law schools, Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) for medical schools, Dental Admission Testing Program (DAT) for dental schools, Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) and Optometry Admission Testing Program (OAT).

Some schools may also require additional admissions tests that could not be listed above. Please refer to universities website for details.

Most of the universities for graduate program will require a minimum grade point average of 3.0 from your previous studies. Be realistic about your academic record and get your all previous studies translated and evaluated beforehand. Apply to universities whose requirements match your academic background and interests.

Financing your studies

Financing simple means working on a big picture budget. While planning a budget, you should plan in such a way that you should prove that you have sufficient funds to cover your tuition, room and board, transportation, healthcare and living expenses. Also, once the above checklist are done, you need to consider all the additional expenses such as moving in the states, visa fee, clothing and so on.

But not to worry, financial aid is available to international students who are planning to study in the USA. Many US universities have the international admissions office, contact them for assistance.

Completing your application

This application is the general application requirement for the universities. There are many mandate things involved such as collecting recommendations (recommendation letters should be from people who know you well; for example, principal, teacher or job supervisor. They should be able to discuss your potential to do well in university), writing statement of purpose (this is a personal essay, one of the most important parts of your application), making portfolio (this is sample of your work, if applicable) and routing the results of  the  standardized test score (refer to the section 'research your topic for details). Therefore, it is recommended to keep all the documents ready before applying as these documents take weeks to arrive. Also, start collecting original transcripts, well in advance, from all the previous university or colleges attended whether the credit was earned or not.

Applying for your student visa

The most commonly accepted student visa is F1. But remember you must first be accepted by a US university before you can apply for a student visa. If accepted, the university will provide you with an admission letter and a certificate of eligibility (Form I-20) for nonimmigrant student. Then you have to take these documents to a US consular of your country and you have to convince the consular that why you want to study in the states, and what your future plans are.

For more information on student visa, visit www.travel.state.gov.

Prepare for your departure

Buy forex, keep handy your passport, admission letter and certificate of eligibility (Form I-20) with you all times during your travel. Before landing in US, you will be required to complete the Arrival-Departure Record (Form I-94) and US Customs and Border Protection will take your biometric, photograph, and will ask you a few questions regarding your purpose of visit. Then finally, you are in the United States of America. Good luck!