Study in the U.S.
The United States is renowned for the excellence of its colleges and
universities. Also known as “institutions of higher education,"
American colleges and universities accept hundreds of thousands of
foreign students each year. As a student, you can find a wide variety
of academic programs offered at U.S. institutions of higher education.
Students interested in studying in the United States must be admitted
to a U.S. school or university before starting the visa process.
Getting a Student Visa
The process for getting a student visa became more complicated after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Visa applications are evaluated very carefully and take more time now than in the past. Find out more about student visas here.
Types of Colleges and Universities
The United States offers many different types of higher education institutions. Below is a list of the wide variety of options available to you when you study in the United States.
State universities
State universities are subsidized by U.S. state governments in order to provide low-cost education to residents of that state. UCLA, the University of Texas and the University of Michigan are popular examples of state universities. State universities, sometimes known as public universities, tend to have larger enrollments than private institutions. You can expect 20,000 or more students at a typical state university. State university tuition costs are almost always lower than those of private universities. Keep in mind, however, that low-cost tuition at a state university is only available for those who are residents of that particular state—out-of-town residents and international students must pay higher tuition costs to go to the same school.
Private universities
Private institutions are funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees, research grants, and gifts from their alumni. Tuition fees tend to be higher at private universities than at state universities, but there is no distinction made between state and non-state residents. Colleges with a religious affiliation and single-sex colleges are private. In general, private universities have enrollments of fewer than 20,000 students, and private colleges may have 2,000 or fewer students on their campuses.
Community colleges
Community colleges provide two-year associate degree programs, usually called the associate of arts (A.A.) or associate of science (A.S.) degrees, as well as excellent technical and vocational programs. As the name suggests, community colleges are community-based institutions with close links to secondary schools, community groups, and employers, and many U.S. students live close to campus with their families. Community colleges can be public or private institutions and are sometimes called junior colleges or two-year colleges. A growing number of international students are choosing to study at community colleges. Tuition costs are often lower at two-year than at four-year institutions, and many have agreements to allow students on transfer programs to move easily into the third year of a bachelor's degree at the local state university.
Technical and vocational colleges
These institutions specialize in preparing students for entry into, or promotion within, the world of work. They offer certificate and other short-term programs that train students in the theory behind a specific vocation or technology, as well as in how to work with the technology. Programs usually last two years or less. There are several thousand technical and vocational colleges across the United States, and they may be private or public institutions.
Bachelor's and Associate Degree Programs
The bachelor's degree typically takes four years to complete, though some students take slightly less time to finish, and others may take longer. The associate degree usually takes two years to complete. Associate degree programs may be "terminal" programs, which lead into specific careers upon graduation, or "transfer" programs, which correspond to the first two years of a bachelor's degree and tend to be more liberal arts based. Under the latter option one could then transfer into the third year of a four-year bachelor's degree program. Associate degree programs are offered at two-year colleges known as junior or community colleges. Four-year colleges and universities offer bachelor's degree programs, with a small number also offering associate degree programs.
Graduate Degree Programs
Graduate education in the United States will almost certainly be different from the system offered in your country. This section gives you an introduction to the graduate degrees available in the United States, the different types of institutions that exist, and some key terms and ideas you will come across if you want to study at a U.S. university.
There are two major types of graduate degrees - the master's degree and the doctoral degree. This section explains the difference between the two and the requirements for each.
The two graduate degrees offered in the United States are the master's degree and the doctoral degree; both involve a combination of research and coursework. Graduate education differs from undergraduate education in that it offers a greater depth of training, with increased specialization and intensity of instruction. Study and learning are more self-directed at the graduate level than at the undergraduate level.
Graduate courses assume that students are well-prepared in the basic elements of their field of study. Depending on the subject, courses may be quite formal, consisting primarily of lecture presentations by faculty members, or they may be relatively informal, placing emphasis on discussion and exchange of ideas among faculty and students. Seminars involve smaller groups of students than lecture courses, and students may be required to make presentations as well as participate in discussions. Class participation, research papers, and examinations are all important.
Degree requirements are stated in terms of "credits" (sometimes called "units" or "hours"), and each course usually earns three or four credits, generally reflecting the number of hours spent in the classroom and the amount of other work involved. A student will usually accumulate up to 48 credits per academic year if the university operates on a traditional two-semester system.
Master's degrees
The master's degree is designed to provide additional education or training in the student's specialized branch of knowledge, well beyond the level of baccalaureate study. Master's degrees are offered in many different fields, and there are two main types of programs: academic and professional.
Academic Master's
The master of arts (M.A.) and master of science (M.S.) degrees are usually awarded in the traditional arts, sciences, and humanities disciplines. The M.S. is also awarded in technical fields such as engineering and agriculture. Original research, research methodology, and field investigation are emphasized. These programs usually require the completion of between 30 and 60 credit hours and could reasonably be completed in one or two academic years of full-time study. They may lead directly to the doctoral level. (See Important Difference below).
Many Master's programs offer a thesis and a non-thesis option. The degree is the same in both cases, but the academic requirements are slightly different. Students in non-thesis programs usually take more coursework in place of researching and writing a thesis, and they take a written comprehensive examination after all coursework is completed. Students in degree programs that include a thesis component generally take a comprehensive examination that is an oral exam covering both coursework and their thesis.
Professional Master's
These degree programs are designed to lead the student from the first degree to a particular profession. Professional master's degrees are most often "terminal" master's programs, meaning that they do not lead to doctoral programs. Such master's degrees are often designated by specific descriptive titles, such as master of business administration (M.B.A.), master of social work (M.S.W.), master of education (M.Ed.), or master of fine arts (M.F.A.). Other subjects of professional master's programs include journalism, international relations, architecture, urban planning, public administration (M.P.A.), and public policy (M.P.P.).
Professional master's degrees are oriented more toward direct application of knowledge than toward original research. They are more structured than academic degree programs, and often require that every student take a similar or identical program of study that lasts from one to three years, depending on the institution and the field of study.
Professional degree programs usually require completion of between 36 and 48 units (one to two years of full-time study), and usually do not offer a thesis option. They do not always require that the bachelor's degree be in a specific field, but they may recommend a certain amount of prior study or coursework in the subject area.
Important Difference: One main difference between master's programs is whether or not they are designed for students who intend to continue toward a doctoral degree. Those that specifically do not lead into doctoral programs are known as terminal master's programs. Most professional master's degrees fall under this category. Credits earned in terminal master's programs may or may not be transferable or applicable in case you decide to continue toward a doctoral degree later on.
Some institutions restrict admission to certain departments solely to potential doctoral candidates, although they may award a terminal master's degree to students who complete a certain level of coursework but do not go on to their doctoral work. Other departments require a master's degree as part of the requirements for admission to their doctoral program.
Since policies vary from institution to institution and within various departments of each institution, it is best to check directly with individual graduate departments to determine the structure and admissions policies for their master's and doctoral candidates.
Doctoral degrees
The doctoral degree is designed to train research scholars and, in many cases, future college and university faculty members. Receipt of a doctoral degree certifies that the student has demonstrated capacity as a trained research scholar in a specific discipline.
At the doctoral level, the Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy) is the most common degree awarded in academic disciplines. Other doctoral degrees are awarded primarily in professional fields, such as education (Ed.D. or doctor of education) and business administration (D.B.A. or doctor of business administration). Doctoral programs involve advanced coursework, seminars, and the writing of a dissertation that describes the student's own original research, completed under the supervision of a faculty adviser.
A comprehensive examination is given, usually after three to five years of study and completion of all coursework, and when the student and adviser agree that the student is ready. This exam is designed to test the student's ability to use knowledge gained through courses and independent study in a creative and original way. Students must demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of their chosen field of study. Successful completion of this examination marks the end of the student's coursework and the beginning of concentration on research.
The Ph.D. degree is awarded to those students who complete an original piece of significant research, write a dissertation describing that research, and successfully defend their work before a panel of faculty members who specialize in the discipline. This may take an additional two to three years. To earn a doctoral degree, therefore, may take anywhere from five to eight years beyond the bachelor's degree, depending on the field of study.
In the United States, you will find a variety of nontraditional doctoral programs; these programs might have very different types of requirements from the traditional programs. Prospective students should be sure of what is required to enter any program they are considering, and what is required to obtain the degree. This information is usually available from university catalogs and websites or directly from individual departments.
Applying to College
Once you have narrowed down your list to 10 to 20 accredited institutions that offer your field of study and any relevant specializations, you will need to compare the objective data among these institutions. Do not rely solely on rankings or ratings of institutions to do this; there is more to choosing the right department than choosing the most well-known or selective university. For any particular discipline there will be at least five or six schools that have excellent reputations. Keep in mind that a department's reputation relies heavily on the reputation of its faculty. Sometimes it is more important to study under a particular person than it is to study at a university with a prestigious name. Remember too that assistantships and fellowships are often based on the right "match" between student and faculty research interests. Good advance research can help you find the schools whose departments and faculty meet your academic and professional goals, and it may enhance your chances for obtaining financial assistance.
Make a comparison chart listing the differences among universities with respect to:
-
research programs and facilities, including libraries and computer facilities;
- size of department (students and faculty) and size of institution;
- qualifications of the faculty;
- accreditation of the institution and, if applicable, the department or program;
- course and thesis requirements;
- length of time required to complete the degree;
- academic admission requirements, including required test scores, degrees, and undergraduate grade average required;
- cost of tuition, fees, books, etc.;
- availability of financial assistance (see Financial Aid for further information);
- location, housing options, campus setting, climate, and cost of living;
- international student services and other needed services available on campus.
Eliminate those institutions that you cannot afford and that do not offer financial aid for which you qualify, that do not meet your individual needs, or that have admissions requirements that do not match your qualifications. Narrow your choices to those that meet your personal and professional needs, that you can afford to attend, and for which you are qualified for admission. Develop a final short list of four to seven institutions to which you plan to apply.
Web site and e-mail
The United States leads the world in using the Internet. Almost every U.S. university and college has a Web site that offers a wealth of information about degree programs, application procedures, academic departments, facilities on campus, and other topics. In many cases you will also find a copy of the college catalog, which you can study on-line or download to read later. Don't forget that many sites also give e-mail addresses for current students, including international students, who are often more than happy to answer your questions about applying to the school and about life on campus. Once you have narrowed down the colleges and universities you are interested in, you may wish to e-mail professors and admissions personnel to have specific questions answered before you finally decide where to apply.
College fairs and visits
If you cannot visit the United States, colleges may come to visit you. Your nearest U.S. educational information or advising center can tell you about any upcoming U.S. college fairs or other types of visits where you can have the opportunity to talk to admissions officers face-to-face. Many of these take place in the spring or fall of the year before you intend to start your studies, so it is important to start your research early.
Visiting campuses
If you are able to take a vacation to the United States before you go to college, this could be a great opportunity to visit the campuses you are considering. Many schools organize college tours that are led by current students; check with the undergraduate admissions office for further information. Visit the academic and housing facilities, the student union, and the library to get a good sense of the campus. Americans are famous for being friendly, so talk to the students to find out what college life is really like. Some private organizations offer tours of U.S. colleges to help prospective students see firsthand if these schools are right for them. Ask your information or advising center if they have further information about such organizations.
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