The United States has the largest population of international students in the world, with more than 1 million students choosing to study at institutions across the country. Quality education, unique curriculum, multicultural environment, and abundant opportunities are just some of the reasons why many Indian students want to study in the US.
Education in USA
If you are planning to Study in USA, you must know about how the education system stands. There is no unanimous Education Structure across United states of America. USA does not follow any national education system. Federal Government only interferes in the matters of the funds it offers. There is no Education Board for the country unlike many other countries. However, Every state has their own education system, and state graduation examinations.
One important grading factor across the country is GPA (Grade Point Average), and along with number of other factors, it is important when a college or University admission is considered.
For Graduation and Post-Graduation in USA, there are three type of institutions, Universities in USA, Community Colleges in USA, Liberal Arts College in USA. All 3 types of institution are discussed in detail below:
Universities in USA:
There are two types of Universities in USA :
Public and Private. Public Universities are funded by US State Governments, and are very affordable universities in USA when compared to Private Universities. While Private Universities are not owned by any government body, and they run on tuition fees.
Most of the Universities offer graduate, postgraduate and doctoral degree programs. Universities are larger than colleges and they offer more opportunities than colleges.
Community Colleges in USA:
These are vocational or certificate programs for students. Community Colleges are smaller than what universities are. Most of the programs on offer by this community college are two-years long. Community colleges can work as a bridge for students to reach to a higher level of academics in future.
Liberal Arts College in USA:
These are mostly undergraduate degree programs in USA, and is for the students of liberal arts and sciences. These are mostly four-year long courses. Liberal Arts college can be both Public or Private by the nature of funding.
The three main intakes in Canada are fall, spring, and summer intakes.
| Intake | Duration |
| Fall Term | From August to December |
| Spring Term | From January to April |
| Summer Term | From May to August |
- Fall: A popular intake among Indian students, The Fall intake starts in the month of September
Like most of the countries fall intake is the primary intake in USA. All the Universities offer a wide variety of courses during this intake. Moreover, more funding is provided for the Fall Intake in USA. Many Universities and colleges only have fall intake for the admission process.
Most of the students opt for this intake for above-mentioned reasons. If you are planning for admission in the fall semester, start your college and University shortlisting and research from April. Appear for IELTS / TOEFL or other required exams around June. After that you should start documentation such as SOP, LOR, Application Essays, and most important, visa process. It is the most chosen ms intakes in USA
- Spring: Starts in the January; it’s best if you miss the September intake
Spring Intake is more of a secondary intake for USA. The spring intake has a duration of January to May. Students who have missed the fall intake can apply for this one. However, spring intake does not have as many courses on offer as fall intakes from the Universities.
If you are planning to apply for the Spring Intake in USA, then you should be done with your shortlisting of universities and all the necessary research by August. Give required English Language and other competitive eligibility exams by September / October. After that, focus on your application process and visa requirement to departure.
- Summer: Available for limited programs and colleges, the Summer intake usually starts around May
Some of the universities as a whole accept the applicants for the Summer Semester in USA, only some of the departments for those universities in USA are open for courses in the summer intake. The Summer Intake starts in June for US Universities and lasts for only two to three months. The programs offer are mostly the language programs for non-English speaking students, or some of the specialized cultural programs.
Documents Required for US Visa
You will require these basic necessary documents when you apply for Visa:
- A valid passport
- A Non-Immigrant US Visa F1 Student Visa Application Form (DS 160)
- The Application fee payment receipt
- A passport photo
- A certificate of eligibility for Non Immigrant student status (Form I 20 for student visa)
- Academic records (Transcripts and Certificate / Degrees)
- Test scores of GRE, TOEFL, GMAT, IELTS, DUOLINGO etc.
- Proof of intent to depart from the United States after the course is over.
- Proof of financial stability
Financial statement
Along with other documents mentioned above, you are expected to show enough monetary fund proof showing you can cover all the academic, living and other expenses for one year in USA. For that, you will be asked for (Parent’s or Guardian’s where applicable):
- Tax returns of past three years
- Bank statements of past 3 years and / or fixed deposit proof of parent / guardian.
- Pay Slips and Employment Letters if applicable
- Statements from a CA
- Proof of any received scholarship.
Top Reasons To Study in USA
- Academic Excellence
- Flexible Education System
- Excellent support system for international students
- Cultural Diversity
- Lively and vibrant campus life
- Career Opportunities
- Research and Training Opportunities