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Table of Contents
Table of Contents................................................................................................................ 2
Introduction......................................................................................................................... 4
Why study in the USA? ...................................................................................................... 5
Planning and the Key to Success ........................................................................................ 7
Introduction..................................................................................................................... 7
Advantage of early planning........................................................................................... 7
Language Tests - TOEFL ............................................................................................... 8
SAT I & II - Tests ........................................................................................................... 9
The ACT test................................................................................................................... 9
The GMAT test............................................................................................................... 9
Picking the right university............................................................................................... 10
Introduction................................................................................................................... 10
Geographic Location..................................................................................................... 10
What a Different Climate Can Offer............................................................................. 11
Picking the right major...................................................................................................... 12
Introduction................................................................................................................... 12
Advantages of the American Educational System........................................................ 13
Value of Education ....................................................................................................... 13
Types of Higher Education Institution.......................................................................... 14
Specialty and Professional Schools .............................................................................. 15
Undergraduate and Graduate Studies................................................................................ 16
Undergraduate Studies.................................................................................................. 16
General Education......................................................................................................... 16
Graduate Studies ........................................................................................................... 17
Full or Part Time Student.............................................................................................. 17
Grading ............................................................................................................................. 18
Grade Point Average - Importance of Grades .............................................................. 20
Tuition and Living Expenses ............................................................................................ 21
Introduction................................................................................................................... 21
The Tuition Bill ............................................................................................................ 21
Cost of Housing ............................................................................................................ 21
Books & Material.......................................................................................................... 22
Travel ............................................................................................................................ 22
Insurance....................................................................................................................... 22
Other Expenses ............................................................................................................. 22
Financing your Studies ..................................................................................................... 23
Introduction................................................................................................................... 23
Financial Aid from your home country ........................................................................ 23
Loaning Money............................................................................................................. 23
Grants............................................................................................................................ 24
Scholarships .................................................................................................................. 24
Private funds ................................................................................................................. 25
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Working while Studying............................................................................................... 25
Financing Strategies.......................................................................................................... 26
Introduction................................................................................................................... 26
A Real World Example..................................................................................................... 30
Final Step – Sending in your application.......................................................................... 33
Waiting for Acceptance ................................................................................................ 34
How to get more information?.......................................................................................... 35
The Web........................................................................................................................ 35
International Student Counselor ................................................................................... 36
Professors...................................................................................................................... 36
Other Students............................................................................................................... 36
Application Check List ..................................................................................................... 37
University Research Check List........................................................................................ 38
US Average Climate Zones and Weather ......................................................................... 39
Reputation and Quality of Universities............................................................................. 40
United States Population Density ..................................................................................... 42
General Education Requirements ..................................................................................... 43
Major Course Work Requirements ................................................................................... 44
Abbreviated Budget Example ........................................................................................... 45
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Introduction
You are standing on the threshold to the adventure of your lifetime. Taking the big step
over to the United States is a life changing experience. Studies in the United States are
much more than just getting an education. You will become
fluent in another language, experience things you could only
dream of, and make lifelong friends from all over the world.
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Why study in the USA?
Studying in the Untied States has a number of exciting possibilities not found elsewhere.
In many other parts of the world, getting into a popular education program is often very
difficult with many students applying but only a few being accepted. This might force
you to accept your second or third choice or specializing in a field that is of less interest
to you. Education in the United States has several advantages:
Apart from the educational benefits, you will learn English fluently. For many students,
English will become as natural as your mother tongue. After you graduate with a degree
from a university in the United States you will have the option of working for up to one
year. This is usually the best chance for anyone that would like to live and work in the
United States after college. With a little luck, your one-year work permit can be turned
into other types of longer-term visas allowing you to continue your stay in the United
States. For more information about work permits, visit our Work in the USA section.
Salaries in the United States are often considerably higher and income taxes lower than
many over parts of Europe. Earning anywhere from $50,000 to $90,000 US Dollars
(USD) per year in starting salary is not uncommon. If you want to be successful, the
United States is undoubtedly the land of opportunity! The table below shows average
salaries for different professions in various parts of the United States.
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Years of
Level Experience Location Profession Salary
Newly Graduated 0-3 San Jose, California Accountant 1 $47,000
Newly Graduated 0-3 Seattle, Washington Financial Analyst $52,000
Newly Graduated 0-3 New York, New York Architect $40,000
Mid Career 3-5 San Francisco, California Education - Academic Instructor $88,000
Mid Career 2-4 Miami, Florida Application Engineer II $60,000
Mid Career 2-5 Dallas, Texas Attorney II $120,000
Experienced 5 and up Detroit, Michigan Web Art Director $100,000
Experienced 15 and up Santa Barbara, California PR Executive $160,000
The top 15 and up Los Angeles, California Chief Executive Officer $620,000
On top of your salary, the employer often offers you many other benefits including
bonuses, retirement contributions, and money for college.
Pension
Time off
Healthcare
Disability
401k/403b
Social
Security
Bonuses
Base salary
The chart above shows how your salary is only one part of your compensation. To get a
better idea of how much you could make in your field, take a look at www.Salary.com.
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Planning and the Key to Success
Introduction
For an international student it takes a long time to apply to an American university. You
will need to prepare paper work, research all your options, and finally make your
decision. Planning is the key to your success. Many students have said, “If I only knew, I
would have done it differently”. Making the right choices from the start will save you a
lot of headaches in the future not to mention money and time.
In this section, we will introduce important planning steps and discuss what you should
keep in mind throughout the entire process.
Once you get into the application process you might feel overwhelmed by the new
terminology, all the information that you need to collect, and requirements that you need
to fulfill. The key to your success is planning and time.
It can take up a year to go through the entire process from start to finish.
Take a look at the Application Quick List below to get a feel for common deadlines.
June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July
Year 1 Year 2
Start Planning Take Tests Translate Grades Submit Applications Book Your Flight
Example: TOEFL, Example: High school Send out several applications Book as early as
SAT, ACT and unv. grades possible to save $$
Perform Research
University Responses
The main reason for the long time is the wait between the different deadlines. If you are
an international student, all universities in the United States require passing an English
test. These are standard tests taken by all international students and are only offered a few
times every year at specific locations around the world. If you do not plan ahead and sign
up, it might delay your application for a whole year! Some tasks must be performed on or
before a certain date whiles other deadlines are more flexible. Other tasks can be
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performed just before the actual submittal of the application. For instance, the translation
of high school transcripts and gathering of financial data is important but does not need to
be completed until shortly before you send in your paper work.
As a part of this package, we have put together an Application Check List of major
deadlines and tasks you need to complete. Use it as a guide and check off finished items
as you progress in your application process.
If you have a couple of American universities in mind, check their international student
page to see what TOEFL scores are acceptable. Some universities also require you to take
other English tests once you have arrived. If you pass that test you will be able to take
regular classes. If your score is a bit lower, you will have to take additional English
classes often alongside your regular classes. Since many international students have not
experienced American style English lessons, homework, papers, and speeches, any
English classes you might have to take could help you a great deal.
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SAT I & II - Tests
Universities often ask students to submit test results from other types of tests. This
applies to US as well as international students. The SAT I and the SAT II (Scholastic
Assessment Tests) are both designed to measure your ability to reason and solve
problems. The SAT I tests verbal and mathematical abilities while the SAT II tests
broader knowledge on a variety of different subjects. Just like the TOEFL, the SAT I and
II are offered only a few times per year in larger cities around the world. Check the
application requirements for the university to see if these tests are required, and plan to
take them before you apply. You can always find them on the university websites under
Student Applications or something similar. As an international student you should also
take a look at International Student Requirements to see what is specifically required for
foreign students.
SAT I & II scores can also be significantly improved by getting familiar with the types of
format, questions, and time restrains given during the test. There are a number of Internet
resources, books, and services that can provide valuable training. Go to
www.collegeboard.com for more information. You can also visit www.Amazon.com if
you would like to purchase TOEFL or SAT books and other training material. SAT tests
are usually required for athletes. Please refer to our special athlete section for more
information: http://www.studentguideusa.com/Sports.php. You can also visit Yahoo’s
SAT section for free training material at:
education.yahoo.com/college/essentials/practice_tests/sat/.
Even though it is not as common as SAT, some universities require another test called the
ACT. Just like the SAT, the ACT will test whether you are ready for college in the
following subjects: English, mathematics, reading, and science. Practice tests and test
schedules are available at www.act.org. Visit Yahoo’s ACT section for free training
material: education.yahoo.com/college/essentials/practice_tests/act/.
To get an MBA in a graduate business school, you are required to take the GMAT test.
The GMAT measures basic verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills that
you’ve acquired during school or during work. To register for the GMAT, go to
www.mba.com. Visit wikipedia’s GMAT site for more information on the test:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduate_Management_Admission_Test .
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Picking the right university
Introduction
When trying to choose a university that is right for you, ask yourself what is most
important to you? Is it the education program and the reputation of the university? Is it to
experience a different country and city? Is it to make new friends and embark on an
adventure? For many students, it is probably a combination of all of the above and more.
For instance, two universities with similar programs but located on opposite side of the
United States are likely to differ in culture, climate, and things to do outside the
classroom. These are all non-educational factors but will greatly
affect how you will enjoy your stay in America. The trick for
choosing the right university is to consider all of these factors. We
will discuss them below. West, Middle,
or East USA
Geographic Location
We recommend West or East
Picking the location could be equally important to selecting the coast due to more cultural
university and the major that you are interested in. It will determine diversity and more resources.
the lifestyle that you will be able to live outside the classroom and
the opportunities for doing other things you like.
Consider the following factors when you select your university:
Looking for that perfect university? Click here to try Student Guide USA’s free
university search tools. Here you can search for universities by name, location, and cost.
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Figure 2: United States Map
Climate in the USA varies greatly between West, East, North, and South. It is like
comparing the northern part of Europe with the southern tip of Spain. What you can do
outside of the classroom often depends on which area you pick, allowing you to continue
with the interests that you might have. For example,
sports, or exploring new activities that weren’t possible
back home. For instance, if you plan to play golf year
round, then Colorado probably shouldn’t be your first
pick; but if you are into skiing, it is one of the top spots.
In Hawaii you can try out surfing, diving, and many
other water sports. Hawaii does not, however, offer you
many of the resources of New York City.
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Picking the right major
Introduction
There are hundreds of different educational programs in the United States. Specializing
within a field is also referred to as choosing a major. When choosing a major, consider
what is most important to you.
You can use Student Guide USA’s free degree and university search tool to find
universities offering what you are looking for. Click here to jump over to Student Guide
USA’s website and search for university degrees.
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Advantages of the American Educational System
It is important to choose a field that interests you. Perhaps it even relates to something
you already like to do outside work or school. The key to success in any field, both
academically and later on in your professional life, is to enjoy what you do.
Value of Education
As an international student, the value of your education will depend on several factors:
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Your most important decision is the type of degree that you want to pursue. We will
discuss this in more detail shortly but let’s start by looking at the importance of picking a
university that will fit you.
In the USA there are thousands of universities of all sizes, offering hundreds of different
specializations and degrees. It is sometimes difficult to get a clear picture of the quality of
the education that is offered. In the United States, universities are not regulated and the
government does not scrutinize educational programs in the same way as in Europe and
other parts of the world. Instead, most universities seek to be accredited. An accredited
university has to uphold a higher standard of quality. For instance, the Western
Association of Schools monitors several hundred junior and regular colleges in California
and Hawaii
As a student, there are several reasons why you want to know if a university is accredited
before you apply:
1) As for any other product you might have bought in the past, you probably want to
know what you will get for your money. Accreditation will ensure that the level
of quality is of a certain level.
2) Many government backed financial aid agencies only accept accredited
universities.
3) If you are returning home to continue your studies and planning to transfer
credits, your home school may only accept units if your US school was
accredited.
In the United States there are a number of different types of higher educational
institutions. Depending on the length and type of the degrees they offer, they fall into one
of the categories below:
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you are pursuing a four-year degree such as a bachelor’s degree, a community college
could offer several advantages.
- Less expensive
- Offers many GE classes
- Easy admittance
Unlike a junior or community college, a university can offer more advanced degrees such
as undergraduate bachelor degrees, master degrees, and sometimes even PhDs.
We have created an easy search tool that allows you to search for universities by name,
tuition cost, and location. You can also keep track of your favorite universities and create
budgets. Click here to try Student Guide USA’s free university search tools.
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Undergraduate and Graduate Studies
Undergraduate Studies
When starting your first year of university you will be classified as a freshman. Freshman
is the first level out of four that you will have as an undergraduate student. As you move
from freshman to sophomore to junior to senior, you will still remain an undergraduate. If
you are a fulltime student, it usually takes four to five years to complete a bachelor’s
degree. The time required depends on how many classes you
take every semester.
General Education
..
In Europe and many other parts of the world,
students specialize in their chosen field already in
the first year. In the U.S., with the exception of More useful stuff...
professional schools, students do not specialize
Courses that are a part of your major field might
until the second or third year. Regardless of require that you complete certain GE classes
major, certain classes are mandatory for all before you are allowed to sign up. These classes
undergraduate students. These classes are referred are often referred to as prerequisites. Once you
to as general education (GE) subjects. As a have completed the prerequisites, you are allowed
freshman and sophomore, a majority of your to take some major classes. You do not need to
take only GE classes during your first two years.
classes will be GE. As the name applies, these For instance, your second semester might include
courses include math, biology, American history, physical education (GE subject), statistics (GE
and geography. Please see our general education subject), philosophy (GE subject), accounting
appendix for an example of GE classes being (major subject), and finance (major subject). The
offered at one U.S. university. trick is to plan ahead and get familiar with which
classes are prerequisites for each course that you
would like to take. Some prerequisites are
In many parts of the world, university students common for several subjects and it is therefore a
often follow a standardized plan with courses good idea to try to take them first.
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already lined out for each field of study. Students in the United States have much greater
flexibility in creating their own schedule. For instance, a sophomore business student
might take biology, accounting, mathematics, statistics, and physical education during the
same semester. Another sophomore student might have a completely different class
schedule. This is of course very different from other university systems where student
usually with other students at the same level.
One of the benefits of the first two years of general education is that it will give you some
time to decide which field to specialize in. One good idea is take one or two classes in the
major that you are interested in. By doing this, you will have a better idea if whether or
not you will enjoy your major. If you find out that the major is not for you, it is easy to
change your concentration to another major without losing time and money.
Graduate Studies
Once you have completed your undergraduate studies and have earned a bachelors
degree, you can go on to become a graduate student. A graduate degree such as a Masters
of Business Administration (MBA) can usually be completed in two years.
The table below shows the levels and classifications for undergraduate and graduate
students.
Academic Student Student Level Possible Degree Swedish Equivalent Danish Equivalent
Year Classification
Year 1 Freshman Undergraduate
Year 2 Sophomore Undergraduate Associate Degree
Year 3 Junior Undergraduate fil. Kand or Civilekonom Danish Bachelor's degree
Year 4 Senior Undergraduate Bachelor’s Degree
Year 5 N/A Graduate Kandidat Examen
Year 6 N/A Graduate Master’s Degree
Course credits, or units as they are sometimes called, are a measurement of how many
hours per week a class is meeting during a semester. A class that meets for three hour a
weeks is worth three credits. Some classes meet one hour three times per week, other
classes meet only once but for three hours at one time.
Depending on how many credits per semester a student is taking, he or she is either a full-
time or part-time student. Twelve credits per semester or more is usually considered to be
full-time while everything less is part-time. As a foreign student, you are required by the
US immigration authorities to be a fulltime student. Also, if you are planning to receive
financial aid from your home country or if you are a part of a scholarship program you
will often be required to be a fulltime student.
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Grading
In Europe and many countries around the world, a pass/fail system is used for university
studies. That is not the case in the United States where grades play an important role.
During the semester, a student’s performance is measured in several ways: essays,
quizzes, group work, presentation, attendance, participation, mid-terms, and finals.
Grades in the United States are assigned using letters from A to F where A is the highest
and F is the lowest.
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Some universities and some professors have variations of this grading system. Students
can receive pluses (+) or minuses (-) together with the letter grade. The grade point value
will also change. The table below shows an example of a grading system with pluses and
minuses. The .x indicates fractions of points that you can receive. The purpose of this
type of grading system is to add more variation and flexibility in the grading.
The average of all grades received is usually referred to as Grade Point Average or GPA
for short. GPA is the weighted average of points earned for all course work taken at a
university. Take a look at the example below for how it is calculated:
Units per
Subject Grade Points class
Biology 101 B 3 3
Business 101 A 4 3
Chemistry 101 B 3 3
Chemistry Lab C 2 1
Sum 12 10
In the example above, your GPA would be 3.2 and not 2.5 which would have been the
simple average. The reason is because the C received in the Chemistry Lab only counts
for one credit in the example. It will therefore not have the same weight as the other three
units courses taken.
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Grade Point Average - Importance of Grades
1) When specializing in a field, your major often requires you to maintain a certain
GPA average. If you drop below the average, you could be forced to retake
classes or even change major.
2) If you are transferring credits from one university to another, a minimum GPA or
grade per class required.
3) When applying for graduate school, GPA is one of the most important criteria that
will be evaluated and will determine if you will be accepted or not.
4) If you are receiving financial aid or academic scholarships, there is a minimum
requirement for continued support.
5) If you have an athletic scholarship or if you are a part of a university athletic
team, there are strict guidelines of minimum GPA required to remain on the team
and maintain financial support.
6) Students with higher GPAs are eligible to receive certain rewards and
recognitions from the university and outside organizations. Upon graduation,
students with high GPA will have recognitions printed on their diplomas.
7) When looking for employment in the United States, GPA and academic
recognitions are reviewed by hiring companies.
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Tuition and Living Expenses
Introduction
Tuition is the fee that students pay for enrolling in university courses. The cost varies
significantly depending on the university, number of credits, and type of degree you are
seeking. For a fulltime student, the tuition ranges from about $4,000 US Dollars up to
$40,000 per year. The average cost will likely be somewhere between $10,000 and
$15,000 annually for most universities. Review Picking the Right University for tips on
how to evaluate universities. Also refer to the Reputation and Quality of Universities for
a discussion of what more expensive institutions have to offer.
Cost of Housing
Housing is usually the second largest expense that students will have. Depending on
whether you live on or off campus, this expense can vary a great deal. On campus
housing costs between $4,000 and $14,000 but a meal
plan is usually included. The average cost will likely
be closer to $4,000 than $14,000. As a new
international student we recommend that you stay in
the dormitories the first semester. It will give you a Dormitories vs.
chance to get more familiar with the university, its Apartments
surroundings, and make some new friends. We recommend living in
the dorms the first semester
If you prefer an apartment, it is recommended that to make friends and get
you arrive some time before your first semester starts. familiar with your
This will give you time to look around and compare surroundings.
different choices. Keep in mind that if you didn’t sign
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up for the dormitory and you cannot locate an apartment in your price range, it could be
difficult to get space in the dorms. You should try to get a feel for how much apartments
cost, what units are available, and how close they are to the university. Try
www.apartments.com to locate an apartment and www.mapquest.com to determine the
distance to the university. You can also find ads for people looking for room-mates
posted on university bulletin boards. Craigslist (www.craigslist.com) is another popular
site where you could be lucky finding someone to live with.
Travel
Depending on where in the USA you will live, air fares will vary greatly. Many
international students like to go back during the holidays. Unfortunately, this is also the
high season for air travel which makes fares more expensive. Buy your ticket well in
advance to save money. Count on spending between $1,000 to $3,000 per year for travel.
Insurance
Most universities require their students to purchase insurance. It is very important that
you have at least medical coverage but it is also recommended that you get a more
comprehensive package that might protect you against other accidents. Emergency
medical services are extremely expensive and could end up costing you thousands of
dollars without insurance. It is always better to be safe than sorry. You should figure
about $500 to $800 per year for this type of coverage. Check with a few larger insurance
companies in your country to see if they offer insurance for students going to the United
States. The university often also recommends insurance that you can purchase.
Other Expenses
You will of course have other types of expenses including clothing, entertainment, eating
out, and anything else you might need money for. Try to estimate your miscellaneous
expenses before you leave to make sure that they will fit your budget.
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Financing your Studies
Introduction
When you start adding up all your expenses including tuition, housing, and everything
else, the cost could seem very expensive. This is especially
true for many international students who are used to public
universities with low or even no tuition. For all the great
experiences and the many benefits of studying in the United
States, the cost of education is the biggest hurdle to
overcome. So, how do you finance these studies? Most of us
are not millionaires (at least not yet). In this section, we will
show you several methods for financing your studies.
Loaning Money
Depending on your country, the maximum amount, interest rates, requirements, and the
length of the loan are very different. Since student loans are often very favorable with
flexible payback, you should do your research to see if these types of loans are right for
you. Even though you can loan more than you perhaps need to cover all your expenses,
you often do not want to loan the maximum amount. Remember, that everything that you
borrow you will have to pay back one day.
It is important to create a budget to get a feel for how much you will need for your stay.
Consider the following categories sorted from highest probable cost to lowest:
- Tuition
- Room & board
- Travel
- Insurance
- Books and school material
- Entertainment
- All other costs
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Once you have a better idea of what you are likely to spend, you can decide how many
loans you want to apply for. To create your own budget, take a look at our abbreviated
budget form in the appendix section.
Grants
Do not pass up grants. Grants are free money that you do not need Sports &
to pay back. If your country offers you grants, find out what you Education
will need to do in order to get them. A common requirement is that
Many athletes in the US are
you have to complete a certain number of classes per semester and awarded full or partial
maintain good grades. This should not be too difficult for you! scholarships that pay for
their tuition, housing, and
even pocket money at
times. You don’t have to be
Scholarships a professional to qualify but
it does involve promoting
A scholarship is similar to a grant since it does not need to be paid yourself to the coach and
back. There are thousands of scholarships available for students negotiating a scholarship.
Given the many details you
around the world. Their value could be anything from a few need and should be aware
hundred dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. of when looking for an
There are essentially two types of scholarships: academic and athletic scholarship, we
athletic. When applying for academic scholarships, past education, have developed a special
grades, volunteer work, music talents, community service, product that discusses this
process in detail. We highly
associations with various organizations, medical history, gender, recommend that you refer
age, race, and religion could all be factors considered by the to this source if you are
organization awarding the scholarship. Depending of the thinking of playing a sport
philosophy and goal of the organization, scholarships will be at university level and
awarded to students meeting certain criteria. getting your education paid
for.
There is intense competition for many scholarships and it is often
even more difficult if you are an international student. However,
many people do get scholarships. It may be worthwhile looking into since some lesser
known scholarships are less publicized. It could be worth thousands of dollars. There are
American, European, Asian, Australian, and South American scholarships available.
American scholarships or financial aid are often more difficult to get for international
students since they are often limited to citizens only.
If you are good enough in a sport you might be accepted onto a university team. Students
can be awarded athletic scholarships in a number of different sports including soccer,
golf, swimming, American football, baseball, and many more. For more information,
see our sport guides below or visit: www.studentguideusa.com/Sports.php
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Private funds
Even if you would be lucky enough to earn an academic or athletic scholarship, you will
probably need to use some of your saved money. If you are receiving financial aid it will
often cover only the bare minimum. If you are accepted into a more expensive university,
the funds received from your home country’s financial aid probably do not cover all
costs. An academic scholarship often only covers part of your expenses. A partial athletic
scholarship requires the student to pay the remaining expenses from other sources. A full
scholarship covers tuition, housing, and board but not additional expenses such as
clothing, entertainment, and travel.
As a foreigner and an international student you are generally not allowed to work in the
United States while attending college. This makes earning extra money on the side more
difficult. However, there are some exceptions to the rule including on-campus jobs and
economic hardship related permits.
Add a lead-in text with links to the green card section and “beach jobs” section of the
website.
You can apply to on-campus jobs once you have arrived to the university. These types of
jobs usually pay between $8 to $15 per hour and include anything from working in the
bookstore, being a teacher’s aid or cafeteria assistant, and many more.
You can also apply for economic hardship status that will allow you to find a job off
campus but limits how many hours you are allowed to work. Students have to fulfill
certain requirements and the application will be evaluated by the appropriate US
government labor agency. This process is more difficult than getting on-campus jobs but
could open more opportunities with higher pay. Consult the international student office at
the U.S. university for more information and assistance.
To gain practical real world experience, many students work in a company for six months
to a year. This is referred to as an internship and is available to international students. An
internship is often nonpaying but if you are lucky, you might get some money out of it.
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Financing Strategies
Introduction
It is probably safe to say that most international students do not have $100,000 in cash to
spend on an education in the United States. But it is actually a possibility to get a quality
education in the United States without having taking on a lot of debt. We will introduce
you to three different strategies. Select the one that best fits your profile. You can also
pick ideas from each section to create your own approach.
Community colleges are almost always much cheaper than universities. Even though
community colleges do not offer four-year degrees, they do offer GE classes. The real
value gained from attending a university is in the last two years when you specialize and
choose a major. This means that even though you start at a community college, you can
transfer your credits to a university. These credits will become a part of your university
degree and do not affect you negatively. Some universities have restrictions on which
transfer credits they will accept. Check with your university to make sure which courses
are transferable before you sign-up for community college classes.
The table below compares community college and university tuition. As you can see, you
can save quite a bit of money if you plan right and take time to research your options.
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Cost per Undergraduate
Institution Credit Annual Tuition Location Type
University of San Diego $810 $23,410 San Diego, California University
Crossmont College $118 $2,832 San Diego, California Community College
If you buy all new books for all your classes, you will likely pay several hundred dollars
per semester. Even though multiple books could be listed as being required or
recommended for a class, it is possible that some books are rarely used. Some instructors
believe attending class lectures is more important and rarely use any books. Try to find
out which books are absolutely necessary. You can do that by talking to the instructor,
your classmates, and students who have taken the class in previous semesters.
If you are not able to find a used copy of a book that is required, consider comparing the
cost of buying books at the campus bookstore with other sources. Online bookstores such
as Amazon.com could sometimes save you quite a bit.
Buying used books is often a great idea and could save you hundreds of dollars.
Remember two things: 1) Used books sell fast. Make sure to check campus bulletin
boards and ads as early before the beginning of the semester as possible. 2) Some
professors upgrade to newer book editions frequently. Check the course material to make
sure that the edition of the book is the same. If it is not, ask the professor if the old edition
can still be used.
There are usually many university campus jobs offered to students where you can make
some extra money. As an international student, you are not authorized to work outside
campus, but on campus, jobs are allowed. Campus jobs include working in the campus
bookstore, cafeteria, administration offices, and many more. These types of jobs usually
pay between $6-$10 USD per hour and you are usually limited to 20 hours max per week.
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2) Ask managers or supervisors in i.e. the bookstore, cafeteria, or administrative
office.
3) Talk to other students.
4) Check out the bulletin boards
Most campus dormitories and student housing have students taking care of everyday
tasks. A Resident Advisor (RA) helps students, organizes events, makes sure rules are
followed, and much more. RAs usually work a few hours every day. Instead of receiving
money as payment, universities offer free rent and housing which could save you
thousand of dollars every semester.
Applying for scholarships is often quite time consuming. As a part of the application
process, scholarships many times require that you do some research and write an essay
about a particular topic. Even though it might take some time to go through the
application process, it could provide you with free money for college.
The Internet has created a new type of jobs that you literally can do from anywhere in the
world. All you need is a laptop computer and an Internet connection. For instance, you
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could make money filling out surveys, start selling on eBay, or make money with Google
Adwords & Adsense
Visit our Beach Jobs website and find online jobs that you can start already today.
Your Profile: You want a quality education at a good university. You are willing to take
some financial aid in form of grants and loans but at the same time limit your debt as far
as possible.
The first step is to figure out how much money that you will have available without
taking loans. Take a look at strategy one to see if any of the money saving ideas can be
used by you. You probably do not want to be as aggressive as the person in strategy one
but a mix of various alternatives could lower the loan portion that you need to apply for.
The second step is to look at the different loans that you can apply for. We have already
talked about how loaning money in your home country could be a good idea. These loans
often offer low interest rates, long payback periods, and flexible plans. You could also
consider bank loans to cover a smaller amount that could be more expensive and more
difficult to get. Even though it could be difficult to get, some universities offer financial
aid for international students. This would often be in the form of a loan. Check with the
universities that you are interested in to see what they have to offer.
The final step is to put it all together. Create a budget! You can use the simplified budget
example in the appendix of this guide. Add together your personal funds, grants,
scholarships, and how much you are planning to loan. Think about how much you will
owe when you have graduated, what your monthly payment will be, and how long it will
take you to pay back the entire loan.
In the table below is an outline of what you can expect to pay in various fees and
expenses per year for attending California State University.
Fees &
Category
Expenses
Fees $2,550
Out-of-state fees $8,460
Books/Supplies $1,195
Meals/Housing $7,470
Transportation $736
Misc./Personal $1,852
Total Cost $22,263
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Your Profile: You have been accepted into a prestigious university and educational
program. You are willing to pay the high premium price of education by using personal
funds and full financial aid.
In the table below is an outline of what you can expect to pay in various fees and
expenses for attending University of California at Berkley.
For most international students, to pay more than $40,000 per year to attend a university
is a lot of money and probably impossible for most. Even though you can afford it, is it
worth it? Attending a famous and prestigious university could be very rewarding and
open doors for your future career. We talk more about this topic in the appendix under
Reputation and Quality of Universities.
It is likely that government backed student aid will not go far to fund your study at this
level. You will need to find other ways to finance your studies. This will include your
own savings, grants, bank loans, scholarships, athletic scholarships (see Sports &
Education), and family funds. You could also try to work as much as you could (see
Strategy One).
.
Pay Days
per Hours per Working Total Exchange US
hour per day week weeks salary Rate Dollars
SEK SEK 8 /
60 x 8 x 5 x 15 = $4,500
= 36,000 / $1 USD
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Johan has therefore $4,500 of personal funds for each year. This means that fewer loans
are needed. Johan has decided to accept 100% of financial grants offered by the Swedish
government agency CSN and will apply for the regular loan but not the additional loan
that is also available to him. It makes sense to take 100% grants since you do not have to
pay that back. The fewer loans you apply for, the lower the monthly payments will be
once you are done.
To be able to compare, Johan calculates how much he can get from CSN financial aid in
USD. The table below shows the result.
Financial Aid
(USD) Semester Annual
Grant $1,853 $3,706
Loan $7,344 $14,688
Additional Loan $4,266 $8,531
Total Available $13,463 $26,925
Table 2: CSN Financial Aid in USD
Most universities do not only tell you how much the tuition will cost but also how much
you can expect to pay for many of your other living expenses. San Jose State lists the
following expenses:
Category Cost
Tuition per year $11,010
Books per year $1,195
Housing per year $7,470
All other personal
expenses $1,852
Insurance per year
$1,000
Using information collected from CSN as well as San Jose State University, Johan
creates a budget:
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Scholarships per year None USD TOTAL FUNDS $22,897 USD
Johan’s Expenses:
Tuition per year $11,010 USD
Books per year $1,195 USD
Johan makes a few modifications to the expenses estimated by San Jose State. He knows
that if he buys used books and finds out which books are absolutely necessary, he can
save quite a bit. He therefore lowers the university book expense estimate from $1,195
USD to $700. The estimated cost of all other personal expenses is also lowered to $1,600
from $1,852.
After adding up all expenses, he subtracts that from the total funds he has available.
As you can see, the available funds are $117. That means that the budget is balanced and
Johan can afford to the university.
Johan’s Expenses:
Tuition per year $11,010 USD
Books per year $700 USD
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Now, it the it is important for Johan to follow all instructions given by the university for
what will be required to apply. Among other things, Johan will need to take the TOEFL
test before applying. Since that is only offered a few times per year, he will have to sign
up as soon as possible. The translation of his high school grades must be done before
application. The financial proof required by the university can be obtained from CSN
after applying for financial aid. He can also include bank statements showing how much
money he has available. These are only some of the tasks Johan has to complete before
applying. The application period for the fall semester is usually between January and
March. Johan needs to have all requirements completed by that time. Planning is
therefore very important.
All universities have different acceptance rates of applicants. Low acceptance rates are
often associated with prestigious universities such as Harvard, Stanford, and MIT. Higher
acceptance rates do not equal lower quality education. For instance, location, university
size, and type of degrees offered also affect the final cost. Universities with higher
acceptance rates could be used as backup universities if one is not accepted into the
primary choices.
1) Application fee
A non-refundable fee charged for processing the application. The fee is usually
around $50 but could be as high as several hundred dollars for some universities.
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Most universities also require that all transcripts be mailed directly from your high school
or institution attended. If this is the case, ask the school officials to mail out the translated
grades to the universities you are applying to.
3) Test Results
International students are required to submit proof of English proficiency in the
form of a TOEFL test result. Test results needs to be sent directly from the
organization administrating the test. The result is mailed out no earlier than five
weeks after you have taken the test. When you take the TOEFL test, you can list
up to four institutions that will receive a copy. You should therefore decide which
top four universities you are interested in even before taking the TOEFL test.
Any other tests required such as SAT, SAT II, ACT or need to be submitted in the
same manner.
4) Recommendation Letters
Recommendation letters are often an important part of being accepted. High
school and university professors who can describe your academic and other
qualities are good sources. Just like many other documents submitted, these have
to be sent directly from the person recommending the student, i.e. directly from
the high school on their letterhead. Make sure that all documents are submitted
before the deadline of your application or the university might not accept them.
5) Financial Proof
Students are required to submit proof of how they will be financing their studies.
Examples include: bank statements showing personal funds, proof of
governmental loans/grants, and scholarships rewarded.
6) Essays
Essays are sometimes required or strongly suggested in order to be accepted into a
university. Make sure that you follow all guidelines to the point and submit the
essay together with your application. University application screeners often do not
read the entire essay. It is therefore important to capture the reader in the very first
part of your essay. Take a look at www.essayedge.com for more information
about how to make your essay stand out.
Depending on the type of evaluation method of the university, it usually takes one to
three months before you will receive an answer. If the university uses rolling admissions,
students are notified as their applications are evaluated. Other universities notify all
students on one specific date.
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How to get more information?
The Web
Link Description
Testing
www.act.com ACT testing information
www.toefl.ets.org TOEFL Information
Essay Help
EssayEdge.com
Advice on how to write essays and homework help
Insurance
InternationalStudentInsurance.com Insurance for international students
eStudentInsurance.com International Student Insurance
Offers the premier International Health, Medical and Travel
InternationalCitizens.com
Insurance
Travel Insurance programs tailored to fit the needs of study
http://www.iStudentInsurance.com
abroad students at affordable rates.
Financial Aid
InternationalStudentLoan.com International student loans.
FinancialAidOfficer.com Loans and scholarships
IEFA.org Loans and scholarships
http://www.ISLHelp.org Loans and scholarships
Housing
http://www.roommates.com/ Find a roommate
Apartments.com List of apartments around the United States
Car Rentals
Avis
Hertz
Budget
Super Cheap Cars Cheap car rentals
Travel
Expedia Flights, car rentals, and hotels
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Priceline Flights, car rentals, and hotels
Hotwire Flights, car rentals, and hotels
All universities and most community colleges have international student advisors. They
are able to help you with the application process, give you advice on how you should
prepare for your trip, and what you can expect once you arrive. It is highly recommended
that you contact them prior to your trip. You can find their contact information on the
web site of the institution that you will be attending.
Professors
Class instructors or professors are usually helpful and can provide you academic
guidance.
Other Students
Talking to other students is a great way to get information. After all, they are trying to
accomplish many of the same things that you are. Once you have arrived at a university,
students are often more than willing to help you out. Contacts with student peers are
highly valuable. Try to create a network of friends, classmates, and other students.
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Application Check List
Finances
Yes / No /
Task NA Comments
Created Budget
Obtained bank statements
Government financial guarantee
Applied for academic scholarship
Applied for athletic scholarship
Grades
Yes / No /
Task NA Comments
Translated high school grades
Translated university grades
Tests
Yes / No /
Task NA Test Date Score Comment
TOEFL
SAT II
ACT
SAT I
GMAT
Other Tests
There are a lot of things you have to think about when you apply to American universities. The
application check list helps you remember to complete the most common tasks. Simply fill in the
information while you are moving through the process of applying
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University Research Check List
University Pick My 1st choice My 2nd choice My 3rd choice My 4th choice My 5th choice
Name of University
Location
Costs
Tuition
Housing
All other
Tests Required
TOEFL
SAT II
ACT
SAT I
GMAT
Other Tests
Admission Requirements
Essay
Additional Tests
Other Requirements
The university research check list should be used when you are searching for universities.
Simply write down the university, its location, cost, test required, and all other administration
requirements. Once you are done with you research, you can make a comparision between
the universities. The cost information that you gather should be used for your budget to make
sure that your choices are financially possible. For more information about the budget, see
the Abbreviated Budget Example.
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US Average Climate Zones and Weather
Page 39 of 45
Reputation and Quality of Universities
There are literally thousands of universities in the United States. It is often difficult to tell
which universities will offer the best opportunities. In this section, we are focusing on the
reputation of the university.
There are a number of prestigious universities in the United States. For example:
- Stanford University in Northern California
- MIT in Massachusetts
- Princeton University in New Jersey
- Yale University in Connecticut
- Harvard University in Massachusetts
- UC Berkeley in Northern California
Applying to these universities often takes a longer time because the requirements are
higher than many other schools. The acceptance rate is also low which means that only a
small percent of all applicants are finally accepted into the university. Compared to other
universities, these universities usually cost more than $40,000 per year in tuition alone.
What do these universities offer that others do not? Depending on whom you ask, they
might tell you: quality of education, highly competent professors, focused peer students,
and reputation of the university. In the United Sates, having a well-known and respected
university on your resume can often give you an edge in the job market and in your
career. Companies are familiar with the quality of well-known universities and that could
make it easier to get an interview or land a job.
There are several organizations that rank universities and their programs each year. These
top lists are divided into fields of specialization. For instance:
There is no secret that many of these universities have produced highly successful
scientists, business people, and entrepreneurs.
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Example of successful people:
The admission is often a semi-secret process where the acceptance rate is as low as one
out of 20 applicants. With a several hundred-dollar application fee, you can assume that
the students applying believe they have a good chance of getting admitted. Thus, only the
best of the best are usually admitted. If you are lucky enough to get in, the student body is
highly dedicated to their studies. Many of them are likely to be the future leaders of large
companies or make an impact in many other areas of society.
Page 41 of 45
United States Population Density
Page 42 of 45
General Education Requirements
CORE ADVANCED
A. Skills Prerequisites
B. Science 9 Areas
(includes Mathematical Concepts)
Page 43 of 45
Major Course Work Requirements
BS - Business Administration, Concentration in Accounting
Of the 51 units required by the university, 15 may be satisfied by specified major and support requirements.
Consult major advisor for details.
American Institutions -6
Of the 6 units required by the university, all may be satisfied within general education requirements as specified in
the schedule of classes.
Physical Education 2
BUS 020, BUS 080, BUS 090, BUS 091L, ECON 001A, ECON 001B, MATH 070 and ENGL 001B
Business Fundamentals (Upper Division) 21
BUS 100W, BUS 122A, BUS 130, BUS 140, BUS 160, BUS 170 and BUS 190
Business Integration and Perspectives (Upper Division) 15
PHIL 186, BUS 187, BUS 188, BUS 189 and one non-business global perspectives course
Accounting Concentration 12
Complete twelve units from: BUS 120B, BUS 120C, BUS 122B, BUS 123C, BUS 124, BUS 125, BUS 126, BUS
128, BUS 129A, BUS 129B
Elective 1
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Abbreviated Budget Example
Your Expenses:
Start out with what you have: Personal Funds including what you have in the bank account, gifts you might
receive from your family before leaving or any other income you might have. Financial grants are i.e. CSN
Financial aid that is not required to be paid back. Financial Loans are loans received (i.e. from CSN) to finance
your studies, which are required to be paid back. Scholarships are any other type of grants received from
organizations or universities to pay for some of your costs.
Your Expenses: Tuition is the total university fees paid per year. Note that universities often list their fees by
semester. To get the full years tuition, simply multiply it by two. Estimate what books, housing, food, and
entertainment, and all other personal expenses will cost you per year. An estimated number is often given to you
by the university. Estimate insurance expenses -- the university will often give you the cost of using their
insurance. Many other insurance companies in the United States and Europe also offer insurance for international
students. Estimate travel per year. This number will depend on how many times you would like to go home.
Check with your local travel agency to get an estimated number for your budget.
Sum up your total funds and your total expenses. Calculate funds remaining by subtracting
total expenses from total funds. A negative number means that you do not have enough funds
per year while a positive number indicates that you have enough. Play around and improve
your budget until you are satisfied.
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List of Degree Programs in the United States
Education Education
Literature
Mathematics
Mathematics - General
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Metrology
Law Corrections
Court Reporting
Criminal Justice
Criminalistics and Criminal Science
Criminology
Forensic Technologies
Juvenile Corrections
Law Enforcement Administration
Law and Legal Studies
Legal
1Police Science
1Protective Services
1Security and Protective Services
Other Administration
Area, Ethnic, Cultural, & Gender Studies
Automotive
Aviation
Building, Property Maintenance
Carpentry
Cartography
Classics
Community Organization/Advocacy
Cosmology
Customer Service Support
Equestrian and Equine Studies
Ethics
Family Planning and Management
Family and Community Services
Fire and Safety
Funeral Services
Funeral Services and Mortuary Science
Gay and Lesbian Studies
General Studies
Gerontology
Greek, Ancient
Hazardous Materials Management
Heating, A.C., Refrigeration
History
Human Resources
Human Resources Development
Human Resources Management
Human Services
Humanities
Interdisciplinary Studies
Logistics and Materials Management
Machine Tool Technology
Masonry and Tile Setting
Military
Occupational Safety
Occupational Therapy Assistance
Opticianry
Other
Phlebotomy
Physiology
Pipefitting
Transportaton
Turf Management
Science Anthropology
Archaeology
Astronomy
Biochemistry
Biological and Physical Sciences
Chemistry
Geography
Geology
Horticulture Science
Horticulture, Ornamental
Laboratory and Clinical Sciences
Library Assistance
Library Science
Marine and Aquatic Biology
Neuroscience
Nuclear
Science Other
Social Sciences
Sociology
Statistics
Theology
Technology Communications
Computer Science
Cytotechnology
Desktop Publishing
Digital Communications and Multimedia
Information Processing/Data Entry
Information Sciences and Systems
Information Technology
Management Information Systems
Multimedia
Plastics
Robotics
System Administration
Technology Other
Telecommunications
Web/Multimedia/Internet