USA has always been a dream destination for international students. India is no exception. Students with different backgrounds, at different points in their academic ladder, wish to study in American colleges. Besides the privileged international degree, America is also home to some of the best colleges for various disciplines.

Find below some important information for students who wish to study in USA. Information includes the basics of the American study system in, costs involved, eligibility, documents required, costs involved, visa and insurance info, etc.

Duration
Bachelor's Degree: 4 years of college
Master's Degree: 2 years of college
Doctorate Degree

Eligibility Requirements
On the basis of level of education, there are certain eligibility requirements that the applicants must meet to be considered as a valid applicant.

Undergraduate Programs/Bachelor's Degree

For admission to undergraduate programs in USA, candidate must have completed high school or equivalent. High school passing certificates/diplomas would be required during the application process.

Also there are certain standard tests deigned specifically for pursuing higher education English speaking nations of the world, for example, TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test). Scores of these tests are usually valid for a year or more. Along with high-school certificates, test score would also be an important document in the application.

Master's Degree

For those seeking admission to master's programs must have a bachelor's degree. Other than bachelor's, major-specific test score is an important document for a master's application. Some of the popular major-specific exams are GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) and GRE (Graduate Record Examination).

Besides the basic requirements mentioned above, academic and extracurricular certificates, experience and recommendation letters also form an important part of the application*.

*List of documents varies from college to college; therefore for complete list of documents for a particular college or any university, get in touch with your counselor.

Doctorate Programs

Doctorate programs require a master's degree or a bachelor's degree with substantial professional experience, other than the essential score cards, recommendations and experience certificates.

Tuition Fee in American Colleges

Bachelor's Degree
Public College - $ 8000-15000
Private College - $ 10000-20000

Master's Degree
Public College - $ 10000-20000
Private College - $ 15000-25000

Average tuition fee for a Ph.D program can cost anywhere between $18000-30000.

Mentioned above in the chart are indicative figures of tuition fee in colleges in United States of America. The variations indicate the range that can see difference in the fee due to various factors like the subject being pursued, location of the college or the application strength. However, these huge amounts can be arranged with the help of scholarships, loans and other kinds of educational financial aids.

Living Expenses & Other Costs

Living expenses and other unseen expenses, often total up as much as the tuition fee itself. Some of the other expenses that one must remember to include are:

Test Fee: There are some mandatory tests like IELTS, TOEFL, GMAT, GRE & SAT that charge a considerable fee. For each, check out test details individually.

Accommodation Options: Some of the popular accommodation options in United States are campus hostels - single rooms/ double room / dorms, staying in apartments or staying with a host family. Costs vary as per the choice of kind of accommodation as well as the city. Discuss with your counselors at length.

Visa Application: While VISA application procedure will be taken care of by the counselor, it is important to take note of pre requisites of a successful application.

• Acceptance of application from govt. approved US school (SEVIS I-20)
• Bona fide Student
• Full time course studies
• English Proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS)
• Proofs of Adequate Funding

Health Insurance: Health insurance is a must for international students as costs for medical treatments are quite high in US. Find out more about different companies offering international students health insurance and their policies for making the right choice.