If you have decided to pursue graduate study in the USA then you need to set aside time for careful planning. Look at our guide to help international students go through the necessary steps before graduate study in the USA.

13-15 Months Before Beginning Your Graduate Study in the USA

University and College Choice

We recommend that you apply to three to six universities in the USA. Applying to one or two can be risky if you are rejected or no funding is available. However, applying to too many universities or colleges will increase your workload. Some international students prefer to apply to only the most competitive universities, while others apply to a mix of competitive schools and those with larger intakes for a greater chance of gaining a place on a graduate program.

Identify the Graduate Courses in your Subject Area:

Use web-based search sites
Use general and subject-specific directories available at EAS centres and some university careers services
Talk to your tutors and lecturers and enquire about their US contacts
Read journals and books to identify key scholars and institutions in your field
Contact university departments to discuss courses and funding

Some helpful websites:

General Graduate Programs Search: www.gradschools.com
Graduate Teacher Education Programs: www.alleducationschools.com
Graduate Science and Engineering Programs: www.gradscieng.com
General Graduate Programs Search: www.gradprofiles.com

Admission to Graduate Programs in the USA

Be realistic about your chances of admission. Most departments can tell you the percentage of successful applicants. Look at any minimum test score criteria and discuss any concerns you have about your academic background with the department.

Costs

Each american university or college sets its own tuition fees. Tuition for one academic year (nine months) at state universities ranges from around $4,000?$13,000, and for private universities from around $8,000-$35,000. Living costs vary tremendously. They can range between $7,000 and $20,000 per academic year. However, do not necessarily eliminate costly courses as they may offer financial aid to offset these costs.

Financial Aid

Funding for international students on a graduate program in the USA comes from different sources. Many students' prrimary funding comes from the universities and colleges themselves, others depend on personal/family funding and a smaller percentage are funded by other sources.

University financial aid may be available through:

Scholarships or fellowships – can cover tuition and fees, living costs
Teaching/research assistantships – can cover the above costs, and you are required to work within the department for up to 20 hours per week
Loans – may require a US citizen to co-sign the loan

You need to confirm with universities that funding is available to international students. Some american universities and colleges will only give funding after the first term or year of study.

Note that financial aid deadlines can be earlier than the university application deadlines.

Non-university awards may be available from bi-national exchange programmes, foundations, corporations, government, or individuals (see Appendix for a sample of awards). Awards may be categorised by eligibility criteria like nationality, subject area, gender, degree level, intended university of state. Such awards are competitive and may cover partial costs. Deadlines tend to be earlier than university application deadlines.

Accomodation

In choosing where you will be living for whilst studying your graduate program, some factors to consider are:

Location in the USA: climate varies enormously, as do urban and rural settings
University Size: enrolment size can vary from 200 - 50,000 students, with some universities resembling small cities
Number of International Students: would you like to be part of a large international community?

Institutional Personality

Some american universities and colleges have a religious or ethnic affiliation or are single-sex only. Some schools are known as 'commuter schools' with a lot of part-time students who may not live in the local area.

12 Months Before Beginning Your Graduate Study in the USA

Fill in Your Funding Application Packs

The most common source of funding for graduate study is the department in which you plan to study. If you have not already done so, contact them and ask what financial aid options are available for international students. Then research non-university funding. Most financial aid applications will consist of the following:

Application Forms
Email or write to the funding bodies for information and application forms. Forms and information may also be on-line.
References
Y ou usually will need to provide 2 or 3 references from people that know you and your work well. You may be able to combine academic and personal references. Follow the instructions on the application forms.
Statement of Purpose
You usually need to write a personal statement explaining why you are applying for the award and why the funding body should accept you. EAS staff can review your statement (seven business days notice required) as long as the statement is not for the Fulbright Awards.
Standardised Tests
Some funding applications will also require standardised test scores.