How to Apply to Study in the U.S.

: An Unofficial Guide Only

Rey Ty

I. General Note
a. This document serves as an unofficial guide only. Errors and
omissions are mine. The most accurate pieces of information come
from the original sources: Philippine American Educational Foundation
(PAEF) and each U.S. university, *not* this unofficial guide. Hence, read
this guide *at your own risk* as there are possible mistakes here.
b. This guide is only good for graduate studies, such as Master’s degree
or Doctorate (*not* undergraduate studies). You are completely on
your own, if you go for undergraduate studies as there are rare
opportunities for undergraduate studies for non-U.S. students. For
undergraduate studies in the U.S., try applying for YES program (which
is a 6-month to one-year exchange program only).
c. Admission to U.S. universities is very competitive, whether you
apply directly to U.S. universities or through PAEF.
d. You have to take Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL),
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and other tests specific to each
discipline (such as Business, Law, Medicine, etc.).
e. Note that if you wish to study abroad, you need more than one year
lead time for your application process.
f. You can apply in two ways:
i. Through PAEF
ii. Directly to each and every U.S. university for which you wish to
be considered for admission.
g. If you apply through PAEF, you just submit one set of true copies of
documents, PAEF takes care of sending out your papers to universities.
II. PAEF
a. PAEF is located at the Thomas Jefferson Cultural Center (TJCC) in
Makati. TJCC is part of the cultural office of the Embassy of the United
States in the Philippines. You can search for their contact information
from the Internet. Check which PAEF scholarship/grant you are
applying for, download the forms, fill out, and submit *before* the
deadline date. Make sure your papers are complete. One missing
document will make your application ineligible for competition.
b. If you are not from Manila, you have a “geographic” advantage, as
PAEF seeks to distribute scholarships/grants across different
geographic areas of the Philippines.
c. If PAEF selects you (from a pool of competitors), then PAEF takes care
of all your paper work.
d. PAEF pays for your testing fees (TOEFL, GRE, etc.). You can take these
tests as many times as you wish. There are testing centers in different
parts of the Philippines. I took my TOEFL and GRE exams at the
University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.
Rey Ty, Unofficial Guide to Applying for Graduate Studies in the U.S. Errors &
omissions are possible. 1
 e. Once a university offers you admission, PAEF will let you know.
f. PAEF will take care of your visa processing and fees.
g. PAEF will pay for application fees. Each application fee runs anywhere
from $40 to $100 or more.
h. PAEF will pay for your roundtrip airfare.
i. PAEF will give you monthly stipend, moving-in allowance, book
allowance, tuition and student fees, and fees for conference
attendance.
j. However, you still have to look for a place to live in the U.S. (with the
money you will receive)
k. Mandatorily, you will have to go back to the Philippines for two years to
serve our country.
III. U.S. Universities
a. In general, note that each faculty member, each department, and each
university are different.
b. Apply directly to U.S. universities of your choice. Go online to look for
their contact information. Download application forms, fill out, and
submit before deadline dates.
c. Each university is ranked yearly for its quality of teaching, research,
and publication. Each department of each university is likewise ranked
yearly. Different universities become top universities in different
years.
d. You have to take care of your visa application and fees.
e. You have to pay for each application fee.
f. You have to pay for your roundtrip airfare.
g. You yourself have to pay for all tests: GRE, TOEFL, etc.
h. You have to prove you can afford to live in the U.S. while studying:
i. Plan A: Show the U.S. Consulate that you have money in the
bank.
ii. Plan B: You get a graduate assistantship (GA) from the
university. There are many kinds of GA: research assistantship,
teaching assistantship, staff assistantship. Usually, if you are in
the hard-scientific field, your academic supervisor in the U.S. will
offer you an assistantship. In the non-hard-scientific field, (such
as education), you have to seek assistantship elsewhere (such
as work in the library, cafeteria, or general offices). You can
prove that you can afford to live in the U.S. if you can show a
contract from your U.S. university employer. Again, you need
one-year lead time to make all preparations, including seeking a
university-based job.
i. You might want to find out which faculty members share your interest
in teaching, research, or publication. Email them. If they are interested
in you, they will support your application from the U.S. side and offer
you an assistantship (for hard-science fields, especially).
j. You have to find your own housing in the U.S.
Rey Ty, Unofficial Guide to Applying for Graduate Studies in the U.S. Errors &
omissions are possible. 2
 k. There is no two-year home-country rule, if you are not sponsored by
PAEF.
Best wishes for your educational success!

Rey Ty, Unofficial Guide to Applying for Graduate Studies in the U.S. Errors &
omissions are possible. 3