While the US remains one of the most popular destinations for international students, it is also among the most expensive 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. For more details on scholarships, please click the scholarship section.

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.

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. Please visit the safety guideline before you travel to the US: Click here

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

The USA is better known as a ‘land of opportunities’ for all. Why not? It is the biggest economy by far margin in the world. The US economy does not require any introduction and has been growing by leaps and bounds over the years. The industrial growth in the USA is an epitome of success. There are several industries, but we have listed out a few of them. They are aerospace, agriculture, automotive, business and professional services, construction, defense equipment, education, transportation equipment, food products, finance and services, lumber, mining, consumer goods, electronics, food processing, motor vehicles, chemicals, steel and many others with the whopping GDP of US$ 19.36 trillion in 2017. The economy works on free market principles and is open for foreign direct investment.

By numbers: GDP contributors as on December 2017

Earn while you study

F-1 students may not work off-campus during first academic year, but may accept on-campus employment subject to certain conditions and restrictions. After the first academic year, F-1 students may engage in three types of off-campus employment:

• Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
• Optional Practical Training (OPT) (pre-completion or post-completion)
• Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Optional Practical Training Extension (OPT)

M-1 students may engage in practical training only after they have completed their studies.
For both F-1 and M-1 students, any off-campus employment must be related to their area of study and must be authorized prior to starting any work by the Designated School Official (the person authorize to maintain the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and USCIS.
More information on work rights for international students in the US is available here.