STUDY IN USA.

The following calendar and checklist will help you with your college admissions planning. It begins 24 months (2 years) before your planned enrollment date.

Academic Entrance Examinations

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.

Admissions Testing

Reagan Global can assist you with this.

Requesting Application Materials

Schools usually have different application materials for international students, so it is important that you identify yourself as an international student when you contact the admissions office.
So possible differences are:

• The need to include certified translations of your education credentials
• No eligibility for early action and early decision programs

Application requirements and deadlines are usually the same. However, you should allow extra time for applications to arrive, because the international postal system introduces delays. Expect it to take 4 to 6 weeks for you to get a response to inquiries. So allow plenty of time. Get information from web sites and by email and facsimile. You should begin the process at least a year and a half in advance of the application deadline, and no later than August of the year prior to the academic year in which you plan to enroll.
Send all inquiries by airmail and request an airmail reply. Even if you are able to correspond by facsimile and email, the actual application and accompanying documents will need to be sent by airmail.
Your initial inquiry should be addressed to the Director of Undergraduate Admissions for undergraduate applications, to the Department Chair or Dean of the Graduate School or Director of Graduate Admissions for graduate applications. Your initial inquiry should either include a preliminary application form obtained from the nearest educational advising center, or at least the following information:

• Your name, indicating which of your names is your personal or given name and which of your names is your family name. It is helpful if you underline the family name or write it in all capital letters. You should spell your name the way it appears on your passport. When corresponding with a school, it is important to always use the same spelling of your name. If you change the spelling of your name, some of your records might get lost. If some of your documents will contain a different spelling of your name, attach a note giving your name as it will be used on your application form
• Your date of birth, written with the month first, followed by the day then the year, using the Gregorian calendar system. Spell out the name of the month instead of using numbers, because date conventions differ from country to country. For example, 4/3/67 is April 3, 1967 in the United States, not March 4
• Your mailing address
• Your citizenship and the name of the country issuing your passport
• Your marital status and the number of dependents
• Your entire education, listed in chronological order, including all secondary schools, colleges, and universities you have attended. Include examination results, grades, and class rank if available
• Your intended program of study and the month and year in which you hope to begin studying in the United States
• A summary of the total funds you have available to meet your educational and living expenses during each year of study in the United States. Give as much detail as possible, such as the sources of these funds. Otherwise the admissions officers will refuse to issue the certificates you need to request a visa to study in the United States
• A list of your TOEFL scores and other admission tests. If you have not yet taken the tests, list the dates on which you are registered to take the tests. Also mention where you studied English and the total number of years of English language study

If you do not provide this information, the school will respond with a preliminary application that requests it. Otherwise, if you meet their preliminary criteria, they will send you a full formal application for admission with instructions.

Scholarship for International Student

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.

International Education Financial Aid

This site contains a free searchable database of 870 scholarships and awards for international students. Most are restricted to use at specific universities.

Financial Aid For International Student

US education is very expensive. Tuition, room and board at an undergraduate institution will cost from $15,000 to $40,000 a year, contingent on the school. A graduate education can be even more expensive.
There is very little financial aid for foreign nationals to study in the US, with the possible exception of citizens of Canada and Mexico. Most grants, scholarships, and loans from public and private sources are restricted to US citizens.
As a result, international students will find very little information about financial aid for international students. This site presents more information about financial aid for international students than any other publication. This information originally appeared as part of the FinAid site.
Below you will find a description of how to access what aid is available, and a discussion of some of the problems you may face as you pay for a US education.

Visa Interview

American Consulate has introduced a system of prior appointment for Visa Interview. On the given date, the applicant has to appear for a personal interview. The applicant should convince the visa officer that he / she has the necessary funds to cover the cost of education. The applicant should prove that he / she has strong ties with India and also that he / she is not an intending immigrant. While answering the questions, one should be brief and to the point.
One should not be surprised or angry if the officer is unable to review all the documents that are carried by the applicant. Since officers have very little time for each applicant, they may not be able to look at many or even any documents at times. Therefore one should be prepared to explain one’s situation orally and to answer all questions promptly, patiently and confidently.
The applicant will be informed whether he / she has been granted or refused a visa on the same day. The name of the University whose I-20 has been submitted to the consulate, will also be mentioned on the passport. Therefore it is advisable to make the final selection of the University very carefully. If, for some reason, your visa is rejected in the first attempt, you can reapply after 3 working days.

Document Checklist

The following is a list of some of the documents that you are supposed to carry along with you on the day of VISA interview:

• Passport having validity of atleast six months
• Visa Fee Receipt
• Interview Appointment Letter
• I-20 and Admission Letter from the University / College mentioning the total cost of education in USA (If You have received Admission letters / Rejection letters from more than one University, carry all of them)
• Evidence of Scholarship / Aid / Grant, if any
• Sponsorship Letter
• Educational Certificates, Degrees, Diplomas & Mark sheets
• Score Reports of TOEFL and GRE / GMAT / SAT
• Work Experience Certificate / Reference Letter from Employer, if Employed
• Bank Statements / Pass Books of the sponsors for the last Three Years
• Summary Statement of Assets and Total Income of Family Members
• Income Tax papers of the sponsor and his Family for the last 3 years
• Proof of all movable and immovable assets

Some of the Questions likely to be asked by the Visa Officer:

• What is the purpose of your trip?
• Which university are you planning to go to?
• Who is sponsoring you?
• Why do you want to do MS / MBA?
• Why do you wish to study in the US and not in India?
• Why did you select this University?
• Do you have any relatives in the US?
• Why is your GRE / GMAT / SAT / TOEFL score low?
• What are you plans after completing your studies?
• What is your father’s annual income?

Sufficient Financial Resources
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 IAP-66 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 can not. 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.

When calculating the annual cost of a US education at a particular college or university, add at least $6,000 Appox. 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 $50 to $75 per school
• Academic entrance examinations will cost you around $100 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 $5,000 and $30,000 Appox. per academic year (9 months), depending on the type and quality of institution
• Books and study materials will cost $500 to $1,000 Appox. per academic year
• Travel costs to the US vary, but will be between $500 and $2,000 Appox. Travel costs within the US will be between $300 and $700 Appox
• Room and Board will cost between $3,000 and $7,500 Appox. anually. 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 anually
• Health insurance will cost $300 to $500 Appox. a year per person, $2,000 to $3,500 Appox. per family
• Personal expenses will cost around $2,000 Appox. per year

If you bring other family members with you, assume that your annual expenses will increase about 15% or $5,000 Appox. for each additional family member.
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 Appox. 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.
Use the financial planning worksheet to estimate your costs for a year of study in the US. Be realistic when estimating costs for personal expenses.

Financial Planning Worksheet

Employment

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.

US Monetary System

The US Monetary System is a decimal system, with one dollar equal to one hundred cents. One dollar is written as $1 or $1.00. One cent is written as 1¢. One dollar and twenty-five cents would be written as $1.25. Dollar amounts are written with a comma every three digits, so one thousand dollars would be written as $1,000.00. Paper currency is used for amounts of $1 or more, and coins are used for amounts under $1. The most common coins and their dollar equivalencies are as follows:

Paper currency is most often circulated in the following denominations: $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100. Occasionally you will encounter a $2 bill. The denomination of all currency is clearly marked on the bottom of both sides of the bill, and on