You will find this section a useful guide about USA. It give you brief information about Social Custom, Religion, USA Map, Cultural Life etc.
Customs and Immigration In USA
When you arrive in the US, you will have to go through Customs and Immigration. They will ask you questions about your reason for visiting the US. Your answer should be “Student”. Keep your answers simple and direct. If they want to know the name of the school, tell them the name of the school, without any extra information. If they want more information, they will ask additional questions. For more information see the US Customs Service web site, which includes the brochure Customs Guidelines for Visitors to the United States. Immigration laws can also be found at the US State Department web site.
You may also be asked whether you are bringing in any food. Do not bring any food with you. Food you received on the plane should be left on the plane. It is forbidden to bring perishable foodstuffs, such as fruit, vegetables, and meat, or plants into the US. Also forbidden are articles made from certain protected species of animals.
If you bring in more than US$10,000 in US or foreign currency you must declare the amount to customs upon entering or leaving the country.
If you use medications that contain narcotics or which are administered by syringe, carry a signed prescription from your physician with the medicine.
This section takes you through the universities enrolment procedures process step by step. It starts with application procedure right till assistance available and bank loans. It also gives a helpful guide for studying in USA, Credential Evaluation services etc.
Academic Entrance Examination
All schools require the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). See the English as a Second Language section for more information about TOEFL.
Schools may also require tests of general academic preparation, such as the SAT or ACT, and field-specific tests such as the Achievement Tests.
All of these tests are standardized, multiple choice tests, written in English. If you do not have a high level of English proficiency, you will not do well on these tests, no matter how strong your academic background.
About one month after the examination, your scores will be sent to the institutions you mentioned on the application form. It will take an additional 2 to 4 weeks for you to receive your copy of the score report, so it is best to not wait to see the scores before sending them to the schools to which you have applied.
For more information about the SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, TOEFL, and other standardized exams, please see below.
ACT
ACT produces and administers the ACT Assessment test. For more information write to American College Test, 500 ACT Drive, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, Iowa 52243-0168 USA.
Educational Testing Services (ETS)
ETS produces and administers several standardized assessments of educational preparation, including the SAT, Achievement Tests, GMAT, GRE, and TOEFL exams. These sites include tutorials and practice questions.
For more information about the TOEFL, visit www.toefl.org, call 1-609-771-7100, fax 1-609-771-7100, write to ETS – TOEFL iBT Registration Office, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151, or send email to toefl@ets.org.
Scholarships For International Students In USA
You will certainly encounter several scholarship matching services that, for a fee, will offer to search a database of scholarships for awards that match your profile. Unfortunately, the vast majority of awards in these databases are only for US citizens and permanent residents. Do not waste your money on such services.
A word of caution: If a scholarship has an application fee, do not apply. If you have to pay money to get money, it is probably a scam. For more information about scholarship scams, the unclaimed aid myth, and related topics, see the Scholarship Scams section of the finaid site.
You will find this section a useful guide to living in the USA throughout your stay in USA. It explains everything from the basics, such the USA climate, monetary and banking system, to the intricacies of clothing, Travel and Transport etc. It also includes tips on how to stay safe, secure, and healthy.
We provide average costs as a guide. It helps you in Financial Planning and source of Financial Aid etc.
Calculating College Cost For Studies In USA
When calculating the annual cost of a US education at a particular college or university, add at least $6,000 Approx. to the published cost of tuition, fees, and room and board. The College Board publishes college costs, required admissions tests, and other useful information in The International Student Handbook of US Colleges.
When preparing a budget, you will need to account for the following costs:
- ✦ Application fees about $75 to $100 per school.
- ✦ Academic entrance examinations will cost you around $150 to $200 per examination, and most students take at least 2 tests. Assume that you will be spending at least $500 on tests
- ✦ Tuition and fees will cost between $30,000 and $50,000 approx. per academic year (9 months), depending on the type and quality of institution
- ✦ Books and study materials will cost $ 2000 to $ 4,000 approx. per academic year
- ✦ Travel costs to the US vary, but will be between $500 and $2,000 Approx. Travel costs within the US will be between $300 and $700 Approx.
- ✦ Room and Board will cost between $10,000 and $17,500 Approx. annually. Allow an extra $1,000 to $2,000 for vacation periods when the dormitory might be closed
- ✦ If you will be living off campus, the cost of renting an apartment will be between $300 and $600 a month, but could be much higher contingent on the location of the school. Meals should cost about $2,500 a year, assuming that you do not eat in restaurants too many times
- ✦ Clothing will cost $500 or more annually
- ✦ Health insurance will cost $300 to $500 Approx. a year per person, $2,000 to $3,500 Approx. per family
- ✦ Personal expenses will cost around $2,000 Approx. per year
- ✦ If you wish to buy a car, assume that it will cost you around $4,000 a year.
- ✦ If you will be traveling during the summer, assume a cost of $50 to $75 Approx. a day for touring. If you will be continuing your education during the summer, add half the figure you calculated for the full year.
- ✦ Assume that your costs will increase by about 5% per year due to inflation. Do not forget to include an allowance of about 10% to account for changes in exchange rates.
Organization which provides Financial Aid For Studies In USA
This section lists a few organizations that may be able to provide some information about financial aid for international students.
NAFSA (Association of International Educators): Association of International Educators (previously known as the National Association of Foreign Student Affairs) is the national professional association for international educators. NAFSA promotes international educational exchange between the United States and the rest of the world. In addition to providing information about financial aid for international students, NAFSA’s web site provides information about the organization, electronic news for international educators, and back issues of their quarterly magazine (International Educator). NAFSA also handles the INTER-L mailing list.
For more information write to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, 1307 New York Avenue, NW, Eighth Floor, Washington, DC 20005-4701. To order NAFSA publications write to NAFSA Publications, PO Box 1020, Sewickley, PA 15143.
CIEE (Council for International Educational Exchange): provides assistance with study abroad programs and internships, international student identification cards, student travel services, and English as a second language instruction and testing. For more information, write to Council for International Educational Exchange (CIEE), 205 E 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017 or contact SG Overseas Consultant.
IIE (Institute of International Education): It is the largest non-profit organization in the US devoted to international exchange. The IIE administers the US Fulbright program and manages more than 250 international education programs. Although the IIE assists the US Information Agency in the administration of the graduate Fulbright Fellowships for study in the United States, international students cannot apply directly to IIE for USIA Fulbright Fellowships. All international students should apply through the Fulbright Commission or US Information Service in their home country. Their site also includes a searchable version of their scholarship books. (The full text is only available to IIE members.)
For more information, write to Institute for International Education, 809 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017-3580 contact SG Overseas Consultant.
CIES (Council for the International Exchange of Scholars): It is administratively affiliated with the Institute of International Education and provides assistance with the administration of the Fulbright Program. CIES also administers the NATO Advanced Research Fellowships and Institutional Grants Program. For more information, write to Council for International Exchange of Scholars, 3007 Tilden Street, NW, Suite 5L, Washington DC 20008-3009.
Rotary Foundation: of Rotary International gives grants to university students and teachers to act as “goodwill ambassadors” around the world. The Rotary Foundation also sponsors international exchanges of business and professional people, and provides grants to improve the quality of life around the world. An example of this is their Ambassadorial Scholarship Program. For more information about their programs, write to Rotary Foundation, 1560 Sherman Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201.
AAUW Education Foundation: It provides graduate fellowships to women with the equivalent of a Bachelors degree who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States. International Fellowships support graduate students writing Ph.D. dissertations and postdoctoral scholars conducting research in the United States. Upon completion of studies, fellowship recipients must return to their native country to pursue a professional career; preference will be given to applicants who can verify that they have a definite job awaiting them. Applications become available from August 1 through November 15. The deadline is December 2 (Airmail). For more information write to AAUW Educational Foundation, Department 60, 2201 N. Dodge St, Iowa City, IA 52243-4030, write to American Association of University Women, 1111 Sixteenth Street N.W., Washington, DC 20036-4873.
This section provides information about Exam Requirements
You will need to have a valid passport and a visa in order to enter the USA. Since it can take several months to obtain a passport and all the documentation, start the process as early as you can. This section provides information regarding Passport and Visa, Changing Visa status etc.
USA Passport
Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the end of your intended stay in the US.
Before leaving for the US, keep a photocopy of the page containing your photograph and passport number. If your passport is lost or stolen, this will make it easier to replace the passport. Keep the photocopy in a safe place, but do not carry it with your passport.
If your passport is lost or stolen, inform your embassy and the police immediately.
USA Financial Resource
To get a F-1 visa approved, you will need to show that you have sufficient funds to pay for the first year of study and that you have resources available to cover the rest of your educational program. For an M-1 or J-1 visa, you will need to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds to pay for all tuition and living costs for your complete stay in the US.
The information you provide on the I-20 form (F-1) or DS-2019 form (J-1) will be scrutinized very carefully by both the foreign student advisor at the school and the INS. If you do not have the resources necessary for study in the US, you will not get a visa.
You should know where your money is coming from before you board a plane. Several schools require proof that you have enough money for the entire course of study even for an F-1 visa, because too many international students have to return home after only a year of study.
If your education will be sponsored by a US citizen (e.g., a relative), the relative will need to fill out a Form I-134 (Affidavit of Support). This form requires them to pay your expenses if you cannot. A Form I-134 filed by someone who is not a relative does not count as much as a Form I-134 filed by a relative.
Maintain Visa Status After Arrival In USA
If a student on a F-1 visa is not able to complete their studies by the expiration date on the I-20 form, they must apply to the school’s Foreign Student Advisor for an extension 30 days before expiration. Extensions are normally granted for academic and medical reasons so long as there have been no violations of visa status.
It is possible to transfer schools after arrival on an F-1 visa. You will need to notify your current school of the transfer and obtain an I-20 form from the new school. You will complete the student certification section of the I-20 and must deliver it to the foreign student advisor at the new school within 15 days of beginning attendance at the new school.
If you are changing majors at your current school, you do not need to notify the INS. If you are changing degree programs (e.g., from a bachelors degree to a masters degree program), then, you will need to get a new I-20 and submit it to the foreign student advisor within 15 days of beginning the new program.
If your education will be sponsored by a US citizen (e.g., a relative), the relative will need to fill out a Form I-134 (Affidavit of Support). This form requires them to pay your expenses if you cannot. A Form I-134 filed by someone who is not a relative does not count as much as a Form I-134 filed by a relative.
Changing Visa Status After Arrival In USA
The B-2 visa (Tourist Visa) is not considered a student visa for full-time study. Studying in the US on a B-2 visa is reason for deportation. Switching from a B-2 visa to a F-1 or J-1 visa after arriving in the US is extremely difficult, and may be grounds for deportation or prosecution for visa fraud. If you intend to enter the US with a B-2 visa and possibly switch later to a F-1 or J-1 visa, be sure to get the visa with a “Prospective Student” stamp on it. You will probably need to supply a copy of a letter of admission before they will grant you a B-2 visa with a “Prospective Student” stamp on it. As a general rule, if you intend to enter the US as a student, you should get a F-1 or J-1 visa. If you decide to change status after arriving in the US, you should wait at least 2 Months to avoid presumptions of visa fraud.
Do not count on being able to scrape up the funding after you arrive in the US. Getting a job is not an effective means of financing an education in the US. There are many restrictions on employment by foreign nationals, and some types of visas prohibit it totally. Most international students are limited to on-campus employment
Even if you are able to find work, you will not be able to get a job that pays well enough to cover all your expenses. The typical on-campus job will pay no more than $1,000 to $2,000 during the school year, and a similar amount during the summer vacation.
If you are studying on an F-1 visa, you may not accept off-campus employment during the first year of study. You may, however, take an on-campus job to fund the bills. You are limited to 20 hours a week while school is in session, provided that you do not displace a US resident. (The test for displacement is whether the position is normally filled by students.) Full time employment is allowed during vacations if you will be returning to school at the end of the vacation period. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) permission is not required to accept on-campus employment, but you must first apply for a Social Security Number and complete a Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility). You may also need to get authorization from the foreign student advisor.
Graduate students who are participating in a cooperative education program are sometimes permitted to work for an off-campus employer who has an educational connection or research contract with the school. The employment must be required for the degree.
After the first year of study, a student on an F-1 visa may ask the INS for permission to accept off-campus employment. Permission is often granted if the student is experiencing severe economic hardship through no fault of their own, such as major currency fluctuations, loss of financial aid, loss or lack of availability of on-campus employment, unusual increases in tuition or living expenses, unexpected financial changes in the student’s source of support, and unexpected medical expenses. The student must be in good academic standing and enrolled as a full-time student, and the foreign student advisor must certify the student’s Form I-538 (Certification by Designated School Official). The student must submit Form I-765 (Application for Temporary Employment Authorization) and filing fee, together with the certified Form I-538 and the student copy of Form I-20, to the INS for work authorization.The employment authorization will be valid for one year.
Students on M-1 visas may not accept any form of employment, except for a temporary internship for practical training purposes.
Working while on a B-2 (Tourist) visa is reason for immediate deportation.
Spouses and dependents of students admitted to the US on M-1, F-1, and J-1 visas may apply for M-2, F-2, and J-2 visas, respectively, in order to accompany the student during their stay in the US. Spouses and dependents of M-1 and F-1 students are not allowed to accept employment or engage in business while in the US. Spouses and dependents of students admitted on a J-1 visa may seek permission to work as a J-2 visitor. Individuals on a M-2, F-2, or J-2 visa will study on a full time or part time basis, but may not receive financial aid.
After you graduate, you might wish to work temporarily in the US. To do so, you will need to obtain H-1B status. Your degree must be in the area of expertise required for the position. You must have an offer of employment from a US employer. The employer must file paperwork to petition for H-1B status for you.
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