FAQS
1. ADMISSIONS QUERIES
Best is a relative word. What might be best for one student might not be the best for another. Quoting our education Advisors “There is no best school in the USA, only the best school for a particular student”.
There is no official ranking of U.S. Universities. However, students can refer to unofficial rankings to get started. The best institution is one that matches your academic profile and meets your study, career and budgetary goals.
The more attention you give to selecting the right school for your interests and personality, the more likely you are to get accepted and receive financial assistance. College and universities look for students who will “fit in” on campus and truly want to be a part of the community.
Some of the factors to consider when you begin your school search are: quality, reputation, academic requirements, class demographics, living environment, location, field of study, geography / climate, urban / rural setting, enrolment size, number of international students, faculty profiles, research facilities, curriculum structure, and professional accreditation.
Tuition fees generally range from $10,000 to $50,000 per year. Living costs are variable from about less than USD 10,000 to USD 25,000 per year depending upon the city you live in, accommodation preferences, Lifestyle and ancillary expenses such as books, clothing, entertainment, travel cost, insurance etc.
It is recommended that you begin your application process at least 18 – 24 months in advance of the intake to allow for sufficient preparation time for admissions tests and completion of the necessary formalities.
For undergraduate students, the best time to start the process is as soon as they complete class 10.
For graduate students, the best time to start the process when they are in the final year of their undergraduate degree or at least 10 months prior to the intake start date.
2. ABOUT OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING ( OPT )
Practical training is the opportunity to apply knowledge gained in your degree program to off – campus work in your major field. OPT is authorized by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ( U.S.C.I.S. ). This authorization can take 2 to 3 months to obtain.
The maximum amount of time granted to work on F – 1 OPT status is 12 months per degree level plus a possible H – 1 B cap gap extension OR a 24 – month STEM Extension for those who qualify. You may use some or all of the available 12 months of practical training during your course of study or save the full twelve months to use after you graduate.
You may apply for post – graduation OPT up to90 days before your graduation date and the immigration service MUST RECEIVE your application NO LATER THAN 60 days beyond your graduation date or 60 days beyond the end date of your 1 – 20 ( whichever is earlier ).
The “STEM Extension” allows F – 1 students on OPT who have received a degree in the “STEM” fields ( science, technology, engineering, or mathematics ), to apply for a one time 24 – month extension of their regular 12 month OPT period. You cannot apply for 36 months up front. The 24 – month extension will allow students to have extended work authorization in case they do not get an H1 B visa in their first year after graduating.
3. SCHOLARSHIPS
Yes, there are lots of scholarships and other types of financial aid on offer ( upto 100% of tuition and sometimes partial to full living expenses are also covered ). One form of financial aid which is particularly distinctive to the US is associated with ” need-blind admission “.
This term means an institution has an official policy of not considering applicants’ financial resources when deciding whether to offer them a place. Several public universities offer in – state tuition to deserving / meritorious international students. Many other US universities also offer generous scholarships and other forms of funding. So even if you don’t see a need – blind admission or full – need policy indicated, don’t let the high tuition fees and other costs deter you from applying.
It’s no secret that the US is one of the most expensive nations in which to pursue higher education, but don’t let that put you off, as there are hundreds of opportunities to gain funding for your studies here.
There are a number of scholarships for outstanding international graduate students in the US. Some of the major and widely-known scholarships are :
Fulbright Program : This program provides opportunities to graduates and young professionals from their native country to study, conduct research or teach their native language in the US.
Hubert H Humphrey Fellowship : It is awarded to outstanding candidates who want to undertake postgraduate study in selected fields like Education, Human Resource Management, Public Health and Communication, among others. The scholarship covers the entire tuition fee and living expenses in the country.
Additionally, many schools offer merit – based scholarships, tuition waivers and graduate assistantships to their students.
4. TEST PREP
Colleges and universities will accept scores from either the SAT or ACT, and do not favor one test over the other. That said, college – bound students are increasingly taking both the SAT and ACT.Changes made to the SAT in 2016 have made it easier than ever to prep for both tests concurrently — and earn competitive scores on both! The ACT has a Science section which is not present on the SAT. The ACT is also a more speed – oriented test, with students getting an average of 50 seconds to answer each question across sections, compared to 70 seconds per question on the SAT. The best way to decide whether taking the SAT, ACT, or both tests is right for you is to take a timed full-length practice test of each type.