If you have plans to go to US for either undergraduate or postgraduate studies, the first thing you need is an action plan. Here is an application timeline to give you an idea about what to do in which month.

1. New York
Dallas
Los
Angeles
Capital
Washington, D.C.
United States of America
Average Air - Travel Time
20 hours 16 hours
(with one stopover) (Non-stop)

2. National Currency Currency Conversion
RateUnited States Dollar
$1 = Rs. 61-64 (INR)
Total US
Population
Total Student
Population
Numbers of Indian
Student
Total Indian
Population
313.9
million
(2012)
20.3
million student
in (2012)
2.84
million
(2012)
103, 260
(2010)
Top Ranking University Cities with most Indian Population
Princeton University
Harvard University
Yale University
Columbia University
Stanford University
University of Chicago
Duke University
Massachusetts Institute
of Technology
University of Pennsylvania
California Intitute of Technology
New York
Illinois
California
Texas
New Jersey
Summertime Average Temperature
Wintertime Average Temperature
25 C to 40 C
-5 C to 5 C
Weather
Time
difference
from IST
Pacific Standard Time
Mountain Standard Time
Center Standard Time
East Standard Time
-12.30 hours
-11.30 hours
-10.30 hours
-09.30 hours
(From IST)
(From IST)
(From IST)
(From IST)
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3. About United States of America
Many international students, scholars and visitors are surprised to learn that the United States has no national education
system. The Federal government can influence education only by the funding it offers, but this is limited. Unlike CBSE
board examinations in India, there is no national high school graduation examination. There are, however, state graduation
examinations, and students must pass these.
Education System
Safety in US
At the higher education level, students have a wide range of options when they choose a college or university. Although
thereare agencies that attempt to American colleges and universities, the concept of “fit” is also important. The GPA* of
admitted students are important, but majors offered, location, number of students enrolled, and campus culture are all
factors influencing prospective student’s decision. Some colleges and universities are publicly funded, while others are
privately supported.
*GPA means grade point average. It is the average of all grades received.
Popular student destinations:
The top universities in US are (in no particular order):
• Princeton University
• Harvard University
• Yale University
• Columbia University
• Stanford University
The area of New England on the east coast of the US is the centre of all renowned academic institutes. Most of the best
colleges in the country are situated in cities like Boston, New York, Cambridge, Old Saybrook, and New Haven. About
96,750 Indian students were studying in the US during the academic year 2012-13. Business Management, Computer
Science, Finance and Accounting, Economics, Communications/Media are the popular courses Indian students pursue in
the US.
SECURE
As a student, you will be as safe in the UK as you are at home. When you get to your college there will be loads
of other students who will give you all the information you need about the place.You will find that the country
is multicultural and you will soon have friends from all over the world.
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4. Weather
Southwest - The Southwest has a hot desert climate and covers cities like Phoenix, Las Vegas. The average
temperature in summers would be around 40°C to 25°C; in winters it would be around 18°C to 4°C.
Southeast - The southeast has a warm to hot, humid climate and covers cities like Houston, New Orleans,
Atlanta, and Charleston. The average temperature in summers is around 35°C to 25°C; in winters it is around
10°C to 0°C.
Midwest - The Midwest, Northern Plains ,Great Lakes, and New England regions have a humid climate and
cover cities like Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio. The average temperature in summers is around 28°C to 15°C;
in winters it is around 0°C to -9°C.
Atlantic Coast - The central plains and East Coast area has a temperate humid climate and covers cities like St. Louis, Cincinnati,
and NYC. The average temperature in summers is around 30°C to 18°C; in winters it is around 4°C to -3°C.
Pacific Northwest - The Pacific Northwest has an oceanic climate and covers cities like Seattle and Portland. The average tempera-
ture in summers is around 30°C to 18°C; in winters it is around 4°C to -3°C.
Lifestyle tips
The United States is a dynamic country, covering the breadth of a continent. Many cultural currents exist and coexist within American life.
To mingle with the local crowd, you need to keep in mind that the lifestyle of Americans is a lot different than Indians. You need to include
more activities in your life if you really want to get to know and meet new people.
Know about professional sports - One way to break ice with the locals is to talk about professional sports like NFL or NBA
or any other local sports. Sports play an important role in mingling with locals.
Outdoor activities – Americans love spending their time outdoors and prefer taking part in outdoor sports and games. Their lifestyles
are more active and they prefer spending time meeting new people and trying out new and different set of skills.
Music Concerts, Night Life – Every weekend people go for social events like music concerts and performances or may be just
going to a bar to watch a game.Weekends are for socialising and relaxing, so it is possible that your friends or classmates might invite you
to a club. All you need to have is an open mind to meet new people and socialise.
Indians living in US: There were nearly 1.9 million Indian immigrants living in the United States in 2011. They represent the third-
largest immigrant group by country of origin, after Mexico and China. US government records claim that immigrants from India are better
educated, more likely to have strong English language skills, arrive on employment - based visas, and are less likely to live below the
poverty line than the overall immigrant population. Almost one-third of all Indian immigrants resided in just two states: California and New
Jersey. More than one-quarter of all Indian immigrants live in three major metropolitan areas: New York, Chicago, and San Jose.
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5. Requirements: These vary between study programs and levels. For each course, Indian students will need to meet
a minimum English language requirement. Along with that a minimum academic record of 65% and above for humanities
stream in class XIIth, and 70 - 80% and above for Science / Commerce stream in class XII will also be required. Foundat-
ions and Diploma programs are available for students who have secured below 60%. The student should have completed
18 years of age before joining a degree program.
Admission process
It is important to note that these numbers are just for reference purpose, the actual numbers may differ from university to unive-
rsity.
The following documents also need to be submitted -
• Attested copies of mark sheets of Standard X, XII, and the Bachelors degree (if applicable)
• At least, two academic reference letters from professors who have taught you most recently
• If you have work experience then two letters of recommendation from the employer/manager who
knows you well and can comment on your professional abilities
• Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• Resume
• Photocopies of score reports of GMAT / IELTS / TOEFL
• Portfolio (in case of Students applying for art and design courses & architecture programs)
• Others (certificates / achievements at the state and national level and extracurricular activities)
• Proof of funds
• Medical Tests
Timeline: Most American colleges accept online applications.
You will have to visit each college's website to apply. In most cases,
you will have to make an account on the college website to provide
your basic information, submit the scanned version of your docum-
ents and pay application fees. You will be informed about the appl-
ication process and stages through this account.
--------------------------------------------------
Please refer to the website of the colleges of your choice to know
the process of applying as it may differ from institute to institute.
Application fee: All colleges require that you pay an application fee
while applying.The fee amount will differ depending upon the college
and course being applied to, so check with individual colleges about
their application fee.
Steps: The common steps to applying for admission are as
follows:
• Search for colleges and courses
• Contact schools and visit websites for information
• Narrow down your list of schools
• Take the entrance exams like SAT, GMAT, GRE, TOEFL,
IELTS
• Write SOPs and ask for LORs
• Apply to the colleges which fit your interests
• Appear for video interviews of the colleges that shortlisted
you
• If accepted, apply for student visa
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6. Admission process
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SOP: A Statement of Purpose (SOP) is your introduction to the college and admission officers. It is always written in first person
and describes the reason for applying to a particular college. It needs to highlight why you are a perfect fit for the college and why
the college should accept you. The style of writing could differ from formal to casual, but it is important to remember that it should
reflect your personality as well.
Essay: Essays are also required to be submitted by a prospective student. Essays are an important part of the university admissions
process. Students may be required to write one or two essays, along with a few optional essays. Common topics include career aspirat-
ions, strengths and weaknesses, skills, experiences, and reasons for considering a particular school.
LOR: A letter of recommendation (LOR) is a reference letter written by a third party describing the qualities, characteristics,and capabilities
of the prospective student to recommend him to the college in terms of that individual’s ability to perform a particular task or function. The
third party could be a professor, direct manager etc.
Intake seasons: The session starts mainly in September and January but some institutions have intakes in May, July and October as well.
The Major intake season for the top courses inthe US is September, while the minor intake season is January, which is meant for a fairly small
number of courses.
You should start your admission process around six months before the application deadline. Typically, most universities have three deadlines,
from October to January. It is up to the convenience of the students, which deadline to aim for. You should be done with your language and apti-
tude tests three months before the deadline. The last three months should be dedicated to filling out the application form properly.
It is essential to ensure that the ‘complete application procedure’ along with appearing for interviews and visa application procedure should be
complete by June or July for the September intake.
The main intake season for top colleges and courses is the fall season i.e. September. It depends on what course you are looking to pursue,
because many courses don’t have the January intakes.
If you are looking to get admission into vocational courses, then some courses may have admissions open in January and perhaps even May or
July.
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Language exams: International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Test of English as Foreign
Language (TOEFL) and Pearson Test of English (PTE) are all standardized language tests, which are required to
be taken for the purpose of getting admission to colleges. These both follow different formats, structure and result
bands. These tests are all different in various ways but many colleges ask for any one of the results. So it's up to the
student to decide which exam to appear for.
Repetition of exams: IELTS can be taken unlimited number of times. TOEFL can be retaken as many times as wished,
but cannot be taken more than once in a 12-day period. Same with PTE, it can be taken as many times as wished. You must wait
to receive your scores before you can book your next test.
Fee: The fee for these exams is Rs. 9,300 for IELTS, Rs. 10,000 for TOEFL and Rs. 9,350 for PTE.
Time to apply: Ideally, if you are aiming at the September intake you should appear for these exams by November, so that you
can apply before the 1st deadline.The universities you will be applying to will mention which exam results they will accept.But if they
give a choice to go for either of these, then the choice depends on you. The time required to prepare for IELTS / TOEFL / PTE would
depend on the existing English language proficiency. You may require 2 to 4 months of prep before the exam date.
EXAM
General exams
GMAT - GMAT is used to measure the abilities of the potential MBA aspirant to undertake higher education in the field of business
or management. It measures mathematical, english, reasoning skills of the student.
GRE - GRE is another test required to be taken by students applying to graduate schools to pursue MA or MS. Increasingly many
business schools are also accepting GRE scores for the purpose of granting admission for MBA.
Repetition and Fee: You can give GMAT any number of times, subject to 5 time a year and a gap of 30 days between two tests.
You can take these tests with a gap of 30 days from the first time. The cost of GMAT is Rs. 16,000 and GRE is Rs. 12,000.
Ideally, if you are aiming at the September intake you should appear for these exams by November, so that you can apply before the
1st deadline. The preparatory duration generally ranges from 4 to 6 months.
Average Scores: The average GMAT score accepted across universities is 520. Average GRE score is 145 for Verbal, 160 for
Quantitative and 4.0 for Writing.
It is important to note that these numbers are just for reference purpose, the actual numbers may differ from university to university.
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8. Cost of Living
The cost of living depends heavily on what part of US will you be living in along with how much you will socialise. Some of the basic elements for
living as an international student in US are:
Accommodation rent ( on campus or off campus )
Groceries and food
Utilities like power, water, gas, internet
Phone bills
Text and reference books
Airfare for traveling back to India.
Other elements which may differ from person to person would be:
Dinning out
Travel and Vacation
Car rent and Car insurance
Cable TV connection
School expenses:
The tuition fee varies according to different universities, courses and th e city. The tuition expenses in US might be up to $10,000 - $30,000
per year for an under graduate course. And if you are thinking of applying for post graduate course, the cost would be $15,000-$55,000 per year
approximately. It’s important to note that the cost of a program in a US school does not necessarily affect its quality. It can vary from as low as
$5,000 per year for state universities to as much as $50,000 per year for some private universities.
Living expenses:
On an average, a student spends approximately $10,000–$12,000 per year. But the expenses also depend on the place where a student stays.
If a student stays in a metropolitan city like New York, San Francisco, Chicago etc. the expenses could go up to $15,000 in comparison to a stu-
dent studying in the suburbs where the expenses would be around $8,000-$10,000 per year.
Health insurance:
Insurance Policy is mandatory for international students, as students have to stay abroad for a long period of time. Insurance costs are generally
around $500-$1,000 for each year. Before getting an insurance make sure that it covers medical expenses, personal accident, dental treatment,
study interruption, passport loss etc. Insurance is basically cashless so a student does not need to pay money at the time of hospitalization.
Scholarships:
Merit and need based fee waivers are awarded to international students. Candidate with strong academics, good performance on standardised
exams and extracurricular achievements would be eligible for scholarship awards and financial assistance. To benefit from these opportunities,
one has to make sure to send al the required documents by particular deadlines. In addition to this, the presentation of the application is also
important because one is judged by the image one projects.
Documents required:
The documents usually needed for a scholarship application are as follows, although the requirements may differ:
Academic records and photocopies
A recent CV
A letter of intent, which acts as a cover page
Certificate of Language Proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS scores)
Letters of Reference (LOR)
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Student eligibility criteria:
The first thing is to be aware of whether you are eligible to apply for the loan or not. The general eligibility criteria that are followed by all the
banks are:
You should be an Indian national
You must have a strong academic record
You must be seeking admission to a professional, technical or other course of studies. Most banks maintain that the selected course should be
job oriented
You must have secured admission to foreign University Institutions
You must be above the age of 18 years or else your parents can avail the loan
Eligibility of course:
You may not get a loan on every course. Here are the kinds of courses that qualify for an education loan.
For Graduation: Job oriented professional or Technical courses offered by reputed universities
For Post Graduation: MCA, MBA, MS and also diplomas
These courses could be from foreign universities or institutes approved by the state and central government.
Loan amount: If your total fee is Rs 10 lakh, the bank may offer to give a loan of 80% of the amount and you will have to put in the balance
20%. This is called the margin amount. The maximum loan amount for studies abroad is generally around Rs 20 lakh by the bank. If your tuition
fees amount is Rs 30 lakh, you’ll have to manage the rest of the funds by yourself. Some banks charge a processing fee, while others don’t. it
may be a fixed amount or a percentage of the total loan amount. So if the bank charges you 1% as processing fee, that will be an additional cost
you’ll have to cover.
Documentation required: You will have to provide the acceptance letter sent by the University reflecting that you have been selected for
the course and the schedule of fees. You will also need to show the mark sheet of the last qualifying examination to show your academic record.
All banks have different requirements for documentation, so you need to confirm with the bank first.
Repayment: Repayment starts only after the course period. If the student got employed within one year after completion of the course, the
repayment should start immediately after the expiry of one month from the date of employment.
If you do not secure a job within a year of completing the course, then repayment starts irrespective of whether or not you are employed. The
loan is generally to be repaid in 5-7 years after commencement of repayment. If the student is not able to complete the course within the sched-
uled time, extension of time for completion of course may be permitted for a maximum period of two years. Generally, you will get up to a maxi-
mum number of 10 years to repay the loan.
Loans

10. Visa Conditions: If you want to attend a
university or college in US you will need a
student visa called F1 visa.
Valid Passport - Your passport must be
valid for at least six months beyond
your period of stay in the US.
Non-immigrant Visa Application-
Form DS-160 confirmation page
Application fee payment receipt-
as you are required to pay before your
interview
Photo- The US consulate will upload your photo, and for the same
purpose you will have to fix an appointment with the consulate.You
will have to visit the Consulate centre. A digital photograph of yours
will be taken and along with that, all your fingerprints will be scann-
ed. You’ll have to carry an approval receipt given by the consulate
after successfully taking your photograph and finger scan.
Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F-1) - Student
Status - Your school will send you a SEVIS- generated Form I-20
once they have entered your information in the SEVIS database.
You and your school official must sign the Form I-20. All students,
their spouse and minor children if they intend to reside in the United
States with the student, must be registered with the Student and
Exchange Visitor System (SEVIS).
Note: Additional documentation may be required. During the pers-
onal interview additional documents may be requested by the inter-
viewer. These may be documents to prove evidence of academic or
financial status. These include
Transcripts, diplomas, degrees, or certificates from schools you attended
Scores from tests that your US school required, such as the TOEFL, SAT, GRE, or GMAT
Your intent to depart from the United States upon completion of the course of study
How you will pay all educational, living and travel costs
Process: There are several steps to apply for a visa
Complete the online Visa Application Form DS-1601.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
After completing the online visa application, you will be required to pay the non-refundable visa application fee.
You are required to pay it before your interview. It can be paid online or through a bank transaction as well.
Print the application form confirmation page and bring it for your interview.
Schedule a biometric appointment and Interview appointment.
For the Biometric appointment you will be required to appear in person to get your photograph clicked for the visa and get your fingerprints
scanned.
At the Personal interview, the interviewer will ask you questions about your choice of course, college, finances, and intent of coming back.
If s/he is convinced, they will keep your passport with them to get the visa stamped.
F-1 student visas can be issued up to 120 days before the starting date of your course of study. However, you will not be allowed to enter
the United States on F-1 status earlier than 30 days before your start date.
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11. VISA
Work permit: During the first year of studies, students cannot accept off - campus employment at
anytime. Under certain circumstances, the US Citizenship Immigration Services (USCIS) may grant permission to
accept off-campus employment after one year of study, but this is very rare. F - 1 students may accept on campus
employment in the university without seeking prior permission from USCIS.
Students cannot work more than 20 hours per week. During holidays, breaks and summer sessions, the student may work
up to 40 hours per week. The student can work for a commercial firm that provides services to the college, such as a books-
tore or cafeteria. Working for more than 20 hours will lead to problems involving reinstatement of student status to deportation.
Off-campus employment like hotels, motels, gas stations, liquor stores etc is illegal. If caught, that could possibly lead to deportation
or problems during future immigration related work authorisation.
Visa for spouse: The spouse or children of the student gets F2 visa, which is a dependent visa.
A spouse on F-2 status may not enroll for a full course of study, but can take classes that are vocational or recreational in nature like
pursuing a hobby or interest, such as cooking or tennis. A child on F2 status is allowed to attend elementary, middle,or high school as
a full-time student. They may not enroll in a full-time course of study at a college or university.
The spouse and children of students cannot accept employment at any time.
A signed copy of your completed visa application form
A valid passport
1 passport sized colour photograph which meets the photo guidelines
Evidence of your confirmed place at the University
Any previous passports to show your previous travel history
If you send a document that is not in English, it must be accompanied by a full translation that can be verified
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12. Things to check after submitting
application
Pre-departure list:
Book airline tickets
Buy travel and health insurance
Arrange accommodation in US
Arrange transportation to/from the airport to home in US
Arrange your banking – consider buying traveler’s cheques
Check baggage and customs limitations
Clear all paperwork with your home educational institution
Get your documents in order and make photocopies to store in your baggage and keep at home, including:
Passport
Airline tickets
Travel insurance certificate
Letter of Acceptance by the educational institution;
Key addresses and phone numbers
A bank statement showing proof of funds
Prescriptions for any medication you are carrying
Traveler’s cheques—if applicable
Medical and immunisation records
Academic history and university transcripts
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2.
3.
4.
5.
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8.
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13. Once you land
Shopping in the US: Large shopping malls and super
markets in the US like Wal-Mart and Target are one-stop shops
for all of your daily needs. Be vigilant to ensure that all of your
shopping is properly billed and that you keep the bills with you.
Learning basic cooking: Cooking for yourself will save
you money. Indian food is expensive in the US. It will also satis-
fy your urge to eat ‘your food’ during moments of homesickness.
Indian spices are not commonly available in smaller cities, but
you may find shops on campus where you can get ingredients
used in most Indian food.
Travel: Each large city in the US has and provides different
methods of public transportation, such as buses, taxis or trains.
However, the public transportation services are poor. The freq-
uency of stops is less and places are not well connected. You
might have to rely on a private car for transportation in most
cases. Even with the rising cost of petrol, private cars are the
most economical and convenient mode of transportation beca-
use you get a lot of flexibility and freedom with your car.You can
travel wherever and -whenever you want,and don't have to dep-
end on the schedule of public transport. However, before you
buy your own car, you will have to use public transportation
or ask friends for rides.
Stay on Student Visa: When you enter the US, you may rem-
ain in the US as long as you are enrolled in the school to complete
your academic program. After the program ends you will have 60
days to leave the US you can look for employment opportunities
during this time or you can depart from the country to come back to
India.
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14. Post Study options
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OPT (Optional Practical Training) :- If students want to
stay back in the US to gain practical knowledge in their subject,
they have the option to do so through OPT.it is a temporary emp-
loyment permission allowing students the opportunity to gain pra-
ctical experience in their field of study for 12-month period.
Pre-completion OPT
Post-completion OPT
.
.
If the students want to do work related to their field of study, they
can do so through pre-completion OPT. Students currently purs-
uing studies acquire work authorisation through this permit and
the work may be part - time during classes and full-time during
vacations.
Students who have completed their education, and want to work
more than 20 hours per week require post-completion OPT. This
OPT is granted for full-time employment. While on OPT, students
cannot pursue a new course of study, unless you are a PhD stud-
ent.
Co-Op education program
In a Cooperative program, period of study alternates with work. The
Student Co-Op Program is a formally structured program where the
intent is to recruit students, while still in school, to fill permanent
positions upon graduation.Co-Op programs are generally undertak-
en at colleges and universities. The salary will most probably be
given on hourly basis and depending on your choice of course or
major, you can make around $10-$16 per hour.
Placements
Indian students are used to the concept of campus placements and
on-campus recruitment for getting jobs. There is no concept of plac-
ements in America. Most US universities have a cell called a Career
Services Center, which helps you get jobs and help you prepare for
interviews. The on-campus recruitment is always driven by student
interest. Companies that recruit through the university do not offer a
job directly.What they offer is an internship or co-op. Companies like
to see your work for a few months before they hire you full time.
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from you. Write to us at
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