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Disclaimer: The guidance we have provided you through this article is true as on 19-March-2021. Changes with respect to rules, regulations, and law surrounding studying in the USA may happen anytime and to keep yourself updated on this matter, it is better you visit the official or the USA government website: https://www.usa.gov/.
The largest international student population is in the US, with more than one million students choosing the country for pursuing their higher education and enhancing their life experiences. This number was just 35,000 in the 1950s! Since then, overseas education in the US has come a long way. The number of international students visiting the US is expected to increase further in the coming years as the universities here have the distinction of providing high-class education facilities and career opportunities to students. Also, the USA is diverse in climate and geography, making it an ideal destination for foreign students to gain exposure and enjoy international experiences at the same time.
Being a huge country, international students can experience a variety of climates, depending on where they wish to pursue their studies. However, the country, in general, enjoys a continental climate, with summers being hot and winters being cold. The US climate also varies depending on the distance from the sea and latitude. The West Coast is exceptions to this trend as the climates is generally Mediterranean in the southern part and damp and cool in the northern part. The climate is muggy and hot in summer and mild in winter on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. However, in Florida, the climate is generally tropical. A large portion of the country can experience cold waves in winter as the cold air masses that come from Canada do not find any obstacles on their way to the US. Similarly, the summer waves, especially in inland areas can be quite intense.
The university systems of the United States are among the finest in the world. There are outstanding educational programs in almost every discipline a student can think of. At the undergraduate level, brilliant programs exist in professional as well as traditional fields. For students enrolled in graduate programs, they get an excellent opportunity to work alongside some of the brightest minds in their chosen area of study. Studying in the USA gives foreign students plenty of educational opportunities and be involved with exclusive research. Also, students pursuing US degrees are recognized globally for their quality and excellence.
Princeton University
Harvard University
Columbia University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Yale University
Stanford University
University of Chicago
University of Pennsylvania
California Institute of Technology
Johns Hopkins University
Northwestern University
Duke University
Dartmouth College
Brown University
Vanderbilt University
Rice University
Washington University in St. Louis
Cornell University
University of Notre Dame
University of California – Los Angles
Emory University
University of California – Berkeley
Georgetown University
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
University of South California
Carnegie Mellon University
University of Virginia
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
Wake Forest University
New York University
Tufts University
University of California – Santa Barbara
University of Florida
University of Rochester
Boston College
Georgia Institute of Technology
University of California – Irvine
University of California – San Diego
University of California – Davis
William & Mary
Tulane University
Boston University
Brandeis University
Case Western Reserve University
University of Texas at Austin
University of Wisconsin – Madison
University of Georgia
University of Illinois – Urbana – Champaign
Lehigh University
Northeastern University
Pepperdine University
University of Miami
Ohio State University – Columbus
Purdue University – West Lafayette
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Santa Clara University
Villanova University
Florida State University
Syracuse University
University of Maryland – College Park
University of Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh Campus
University of Washington
Pennsylvania State University – University Park
Rutgers University – New Brunswick
University of Connecticut
Fordham University
George Washington University
Loyola Marymount University
Southern Methodist University
Texas A&M University
University of Massachusetts – Amherst
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Clemson University
Virginia Tech
American University
Baylor University
Indiana University – Bloomington
Yeshiva University
Brigham Young University – Provo
Gonzaga University
Howard University
Michigan State University
North Carolina State University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Texas Christian University
University of Denver
Binghamton University – SUNY
Colorado School of Mines
Elon University
Marquette University
Stony Brook University –SUNY
University at Buffalo –SUNY
University of California – Riverside
University of Iowa
University of San Diego
Auburn University
University of Arizona
University of California – Merced
University of California – Santa Cruz
University of Delaware
University of Utah
Arizona State University – Tempe
Clark University
Miami University – Oxford
Saint Louis University
Temple University
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Oregon
University of San Francisco
University of South Florida
Creighton University
Loyola University Chicago
Rochester Institute of Technology
University of Illinois – Chicago
University of Tennessee
Iowa State University
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Rutgers University – Newark
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
University of South Carolina
University of Vermont
Chapman University
Clarkson University
DePaul University
Drake University
Gallaudet University
Illinois Institute of Technology
Seattle University
University of Kansas
University of Missouri
Drexel University
The New School
Seton Hall University
Simmons University
University of Dayton
University of Kentucky
University of Nebraska – Lincoln
University of Oklahoma
University of St. Thomas (MN)
University of the Pacific
The Catholic University of America
Duquesne University
George Mason University
Samford University
San Diego State University
University of Alabama
University of Cincinnati
University of New Hampshire
University of Texas at Dallas
University of Tulsa
Colorado State University
Louisiana State University – Baton Rouge
Michigan Technological University
Oregon State University
Quinnipiac University
Rutgers University – Camden
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Belmont University
Hofstra University
Mercer University
University at Albany – SUNY
University of Arkansas
University of Central Florida
University of Maryland – Baltimore County
University of Mississippi
Valparaiso University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Adelphi University
Kansas State University
St. John’s University (NY)
University of Hawaii – Manoa
University of Idaho
University of Rhode Island
CUNY – City College
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Montclair State University
Ohio University
St. John Fisher College
Thomas Jefferson University
University of Houston
University of Louisville
University of Massachusetts – Lowell
University of St. Joseph
Washington State University
Biola University
Chatham University
Florida International University
Oklahoma State University
Pacific University
Rowan University
University of Detroit Mercy
University of New Mexico
University of North Carolina – Wilmington
Bethel University (MN)
California State University – Fresno
Indiana University – Purdue University – Indianapolis
Loyola University New Orleans
Maryville University of St. Louis
Robert Morris University
In the United States, there exists a flexible system of minors and majors in the education system. This education arrangement presents a chance for students to expand their horizons and figure out where their true talents and strengths lie. For MBA and Postgraduate students, the outstanding courses in the US provide the flexibility of staying in the country for up to three years after the completion of the course. The work opportunity for undergraduate students remains in different fields, like engineering, science, maths, and technology.
Before you can apply for a student visa, you must be accepted by a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified school.
Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. You must have a student visa to study in the United States. Your course of study and the type of school you plan to attend determine whether you need an F visa or an M visa.
The first step is to apply to a SEVP-approved school in the United States. After the SEVP-approved school accepts your enrolment, you will be registered for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and must pay the SEVIS I-901 fee. The SEVP-approved school will issue you a Form I-20. After you receive Form I-20 and register in SEVIS, you may apply at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate for a student (F or M) visa. You must present Form I-20 to the consular officer when you attend your visa interview.
If your spouse and/or children intend to live with you in the United States while you study, they must also enrol in SEVIS, obtain individual Form I-20s from the SEVP-approved school, and apply for a visa (but they do not pay the SEVIS fee).
Visit the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) website to learn more about SEVIS and the SEVIS I-901 Fee.
Visit the Department of State EducationUSA website (https://educationusa.state.gov/) to learn about educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate study, and an overview of the application process. You can also visit the DHS Study in the States school search page to search for SEVP-certified schools.
1. Online Non-immigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 – You must:
a) complete the online visa application, and
b) print the application form confirmation page to bring to your interview.
2. Photo –You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160.
You should schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be more difficult to qualify for a visa outside of the country where you live.
Wait times for interview appointments vary by location, season, and visa category, so you should apply for your visa early.
New Students – Student (F and M) visas for new students can be issued up to 120 days in advance of the start date for a course of study. However, you will not be allowed to enter the United States on your student visa for more than 30 days before the start date.
Continuing Students – Student (F and M) visas for continuing students may be issued at any time, as long as the student is currently enrolled at a SEVP-approved school or institution and in SEVIS. Continuing students may enter the United States at any time before classes start.
A visa does not guarantee entry into the United States. A visa only allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry (generally an airport) and request permission to enter the United States. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials at the port-of-entry have authority to permit or deny admission to the United States.
After you present your passport, visa, and Form I-20 at the port-of-entry, a CBP official will make this decision. Once you are allowed to enter the United States, the CBP official will provide an admission stamp or paper Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record.
All OPT must be directly related to your major area of study. If you are an F-1 student, you may be eligible to participate in OPT in two different ways:
Pre-completion OPT: You may apply to participate in pre-completion OPT after you have been lawfully enrolled on a full-time basis for one full academic year at a college, university, conservatory, or seminary that has been certified by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to enrol F-1 students. You do not need to have had F-1 status for the one full academic year; you can satisfy the “one full academic year” requirement even if you had another non-immigrant status during that time. If you are authorized to participate in pre-completion OPT, you may work part-time (20 hours or less per week) while school is in session. You may work full time when school is not in session.
Post-completion OPT: You may apply to participate in post-completion OPT after completing your studies. If you are authorized for post-completion OPT, you may work part-time (20 hours or less per week) or full time. If you participated in pre-completion OPT, USCIS will deduct that amount of time from your post-completion OPT authorization period. For example, if you participated in 10 months of pre-completion OPT; you would be eligible for only up to 2 months of post-completion OPT.
If you have earned a degree in certain science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, you may apply for a 24-month extension of your post-completion OPT employment authorization if you:
Are an F-1 student who received a STEM degree included on the STEM Designated Degree Program List (PDF);
Are employed by an employer who is enrolled in and is using E-Verify; and
Received an initial grant of post-completion OPT employment authorization based on your STEM degree.