Studying in USA as an International Student

After arriving to the US as an international student, your requirements do not end. Moreover, the US government has more requirements for international students such as attendance, academic success, and integrity. Don’t let these requirements to discourage you because every institution has international student advisors who are ready to help you out along the way.

Many international students fail to have a certain attendance rate which is highly critical issue that can even lead to termination of your visa. In order to prevent from escalating the issue, contact your advisor to put you back on track and start attending your classes. Being transparent on your situation to your international student advisors will always be beneficial.

Academic success is another important determinant for your well-being on studying in USA. If you are willing to sacrifice being away from your family & friends to study in the US, you should show determination for academic success. If you fail your classes, you will receive an academic warning or probation. This means that you will have to study hard and avoid academic suspension.

Academic integrity simply means that you need to follow certain values and implement those values into practice. Usually, most international students will comply with academic integrity as the values of being respectful, honest, and fair are universal. However, students might have hard time avoiding plagiarism which causes the most trouble. Success rate of studying in USA will be defined by how you use the information you find and implement into your own words.

Admission requirements for international students will mostly depend on the institution you are looking to apply to. There are certain requirements that apply for almost every institution including high school transcript, English level, and academic level. Although some schools might ask for certain requirements to set the bar higher, these are considered as the standardized minimum requirements.

For studying in USA, high school transcript is requested as a proof to see that you have completed your high school studies. However, sometimes it might play more crucial role during your admission process. Because some institutions take your high school GPA into consideration leading to providing an international student scholarship.

For more information check out: International Student Scholarships offered in USA

No doubt that the English level is the most important element of your success. Many institutions require TOEFL or IELTS score during your application to determine your English level. However, it is not your only chance to be admitted. There are also many schools provide in-house testing to determine your English level and provide English classes if you need any.

The academic level for admission is mostly related to math. However, usually international students do not experience issues passing through these tests as most countries teach more advanced math in their high school curriculum.

The short answer is Yes. However, there are only limited quantity of students are able to receive full scholarships as international students. You must provide outstanding academic success in order to be part of full scholarships as these scholarships are provided from third party organizations.

As an international student, you will not be admitted to in-state tuition meaning you will have high tuition. Most likely, tuition will be the highest cost through your time studying in USA. In addition, you will not be able to work with F1 visa, so you need to carefully plan your budget. However, your expenses are not limited to your tuition.

Your costs will include many things such as books, rent, transportation, and entertainment. Unfortunately, books are not included in tuition. However, you can rent books which is very common among international students. Rent cost depends on your preference as there are various options for international students including on-campus & off-campus stays or living with a family. Transportation might be a small portion of your monthly expenses, but it still adds up.

Finally, entertainment costs solely depend on you. Yet, it is highly crucial for you to explore the American culture and establish friendships that will last for a lifetime. Advancing you career is important, but studying in USA is more important for building personal interactions. So, you should benefit from the most diversified education system.

SEE ALSO: Top 10 Cheapest USA Destinations for International Students to Travel

In general, studying in USA is much more simplified than the rest of the world due to the American system’s more focus on the financial side of the education. Unless you are applying for Ivy league universities, getting into a university is an easy process. All you need to do is going to the website of the university you are looking to apply and find international student admission section. In this section, you will have all the required information.

On the other hand, you might be looking for universities that do not ask for certain academic level history or any tests for admission. If you would like to have in-depth research regarding the US universities, you should check out USNews which provides outstanding information. According to the USNews, here is the top 10 list of easiest universities to get into for international students.

University	State	Acceptance Rate
Colorado State University	Colorado	100%
University of Toledo	Ohio	98%
Kent State University	Ohio	96%
University of Texas at Arlington	Texas	91%
University of Colorado Boulder	Colorado	88%
Pace University	New York	84%
Iowa State University of Science and Technology	Iowa	83%
University of Massachusetts	Massachusetts	82%
Indiana University - Bloomington	Indiana	82%
University of Texas at Dallas	Texas	81%

In consideration of the education levels across the US, mostly public universities will be the best choice for international students. Studying in USA as international student means that you are willing to make a difference and public universities provide outstanding opportunities. Moreover, having a degree from an American public university will allow you to stand out among other candidates when you apply for jobs.

The most important thing you need to determine while looking for public schools is where the school is located. Depending on the location of the university, the living costs might become very expensive in certain states like New York or California.

Throughout your time studying in USA, internship will be one of the most important takeaways from various aspects such as learning corporate culture, understanding US business fundamentals, and changing your F1 visa. Unfortunately, most students get an internship chance only for one semester. However, there are more options for determined international students.

To learn more: Work with F1 Visa

Like everything else in the world, becoming an international student in the US also has its pros and cons. At this point, you should make your own pros and cons list to determine if studying in USA worth it or not. Because the conclusion will rely on the outcomes you expect from your studies.

Pros of studying in USA primarily include broadening your vision, learning different cultures, and observing American corporate world. Broadening your vision is much easier once you step in the US due to American culture pioneering many things throughout the history. Whether it is related to fashion or technology, Americans always have different perspectives to look at things.

The American education system is highly diversified which will open the doors for you to discover many different cultures. This discovery will provide you great assistance for understanding the world in the future. No matter the size of a business, the US companies have a certain corporate culture. Breathing this culture will allow you to analyze and implement certain principles when you are back home.

Cons of studying in USA mainly are being homesick, high costs, and losing connection to your roots. Many international students suffer from being homesick due to culture shock they experience when they arrive in the US. Sometimes, they miss their family and friends, or they just can’t get used to the food in the states. The second con is the high costs of the US education system.

Most international students are coming from countries where their currency is not as strong as dollar. High expenses are multiplied when you add the currency change. Finally, getting used to the American culture and building friendships in the US might cause you to question your own culture. Even further, you might lose that question to your own culture and feel separated.