Study abroad in the USA with a scholarship for International Students

It is a fact that the US holds the record for hosting the most international students by a long shot. With its rich melting-pot approach to culture, quality education, and unique curriculum, you can easily see why as well. Known as the land of abundant opportunity, the USA remains a solid choice as recognized by the QS World Ranking with a whopping 33 of the Top 100 Universities hailing from the USA. Furthermore, in Times’ Top 10 Higher Education Ranking, seven American Universities made the cut. In this article, we will further explore America’s higher education structure and curriculum, take a look at some universities Univibes work with, as well as arm you with all the knowledge you need in regards to scholarships and grants as an international student.

Two-year Undergraduate Programs

The USA boasts over 1,000 two-year undergraduate colleges, majorly comprised of junior and community colleges. If you wish to take the route of a two-year college career, you will earn an associate degree – a credential indicating your degree of knowledge when it comes to a broad base of general education, as well as specialization in your specific choice of major.

Over the course of the two years, the program will be split into three parts

• Mandatory General Education Courses
• Mandatory Specialized Education Courses – According to your major of choice
• Elective units – According to your personal interests, or what you feel would best support your major

In order to qualify for an Associate degree, you will need to aggregate a total of 60 semester credit hours over the course of the program. Furthermore, there are different types of associate degrees. These include:

• A.A. Degrees – Associate of Arts
• A.S. Degrees – Associate of Science
• A.A.S. Degrees – Associate of Applied Science

These degrees are designed to prepare students to then transfer into a 4-year undergraduate program. A.A.S. Degrees however, are unique in that they empower graduates with the ability to join the workforce immediately! This is referred to as an occupational/vocational degree that grants working opportunity to associate graduates seeking mid-level jobs in a science and tech-related industry.

Four-year Undergraduate Programs

Commonly referred to as a college degree, a four-year program in the USA will earn you a Bachelor’s degree. The four years of this program respectively are split between phases: you will first start as a freshman, then a sophomore, junior and then graduate as a senior.

The required credit hours to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in the USA is 120-128 hours, and 60 of these can be transferred from completing an Associate degree beforehand – see above.

The curriculum for most American Bachelor programs mandates general educational courses that include English, humanities, mathematics, as well as social, natural and physical sciences. Once the student has met these core curriculum requirements, their major status goes from undeclared, to whatever major they seek a future career in. The last two years of the degree are then spent taking more courses directly related to that major.

Following this, students may then opt to further their field of knowledge with a Master’s degree – also known as a graduate degree.

Graduate Degree

Graduate school, referred to as “grad school”, empowers students with advanced degrees typically within professional fields such as medicine, engineering and law. Each year, approximately 200,000 international students are awarded a Master’s degree, making it a very popular choice should your academic and career goals benefit from a wider scope of knowledge and specialization.

A master’s degree in the USA:

• Provides professional knowledge and training in a specialized branch
• Involves the writing of a thesis, though some universities give you the choice
• Requires 1-3 years of study beyond a Bachelor’s degree

The structure of a Master’s degree requires that you complete six to eight specialized units over the course of 2-3 years, though a lot of schools give you the option to graduate in just a year. Some programs also offer internships that empower their students not only with knowledge and experience, but a chance to kickstart their professional career.

As of 2021, only approximately 3% of Americans opt to earn a Master’s degree. For this reason, as an international student it is of great benefit.

Alternatively, there is an option of a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma which can aldo award you with F-1 student visa.

Benefits of Graduate Certificate and Diploma programs in the USA

• These programs are designed to deepen knowledge acquired at Bachelor studies or to expand it on new and related study disciplines
• They last and cost less than Master studies
• These programs are oriented on professional and practical skills which can help you get a job easier
• With these qualifications you can advance in your career or retrain and start a new one
• With (F) student visa you have an opportunity to work part-time jobs (up to 20 hours a week) on campus during semesters and full-time during breaks
• During studies or after you graduate you can extend your (F) student visa by applying for Practical Training (OPT or CPT) relevant to your study field. These are usually paid internships which last up to a year and could bring you valuable work experience. Graduates of STEM programs (science, technology, engineering and math) could apply for STEM OPT practice that lasts 2 years.
• If you meet certain conditions, after this you can submit an application for (H1-B) temporary work visa

Doctoral Degree

Beyond a Master’s degree, the highest and most prestigious degree that can be awarded in the USA is a Ph.D., awarded through a doctoral program. On average, a student can spend 5-6 years pursuing a Ph.D. following possession of a Master’s degree, and occasionally a Bachelor’s degree.

In summary, a doctoral degree:

• Prepares students for college faculty and scholar positions. Can be academic, professional or administrative.
• Requires students to pass an examination relating to their field
• Requires students to complete a dissertation of their original research
• Requires 5-8 years of study beyond a Bachelor’s
• May require a Master’s degree

Universities in the USA

To study in the USA, you’re going to need a Student Visa. An M-type Student Visa from the USA will allow you to study, intern and participate in multiple exchange programs all over the country.

Student Visas for new international students can be issued up to 120 days in advance of the starting date of your course, however you may not enter the USA on your student visa more than 30 days before the start date. The first step, however is to be accepted into a university before starting the visa process and submitting an application.

How to enter a University in the USA?

There are several start dates throughout the academic year. Usually, Fall semesters start in August/September; Spring semesters start in January, and Summer semesters start in May. While starting applications for any university in the USA, you’re going to need the following documents:

• Academic qualifications – You will need transcripts of your student records, e.g., attested copies of high school grades or University records and academic reference letters.
• English proficiency – You will need to provide proof of English proficiency in the form of photocopied score reports. This can be accomplished through GMAT, GRE, IELTS or TOEFL.
• Supporting documents – You will also need a Statement of Purpose (SOP), essays if required by the university and proof of finances.

Proof of these documents will then be compiled into an application form that will then be uploaded to the university of your choice. Once your application is submitted and reviewed, and you accept a letter of admission, you will be advised on how to pay the first term’s deposit as well as show proof of finances to cover study and living costs for a full year. Further, you will receive an I-20 Form, proving you are eligible for a student visa.

Cost of studying

Studying in the USA is a big investment, because of this, financial planning is very important. In addition to tuition costs – see below for Fulbright scholarship details – you must have funds to cover your living.

When you receive your I-20 Form – see above – this is a Certificate of Eligibility. In order to obtain this form, the ASU must have proof (usually a bank statement) that confirms you have funding to cover your living costs for at least 1 year – this includes tuition fees, housing expenses and living expenses.

The estimated living cost for an international USA student is between $10,000 and $18,000 per year, averaging out at $1,000 to $1,500 per month. Depending on where you live and choose to study, these are lower ranges and higher ranges. An average annual breakdown evaluated from all the American universities we work with:

1. Books and study materials: $900-$2,000
2. Transportation: $300-$700
3. University accommodation: $5,000-$7,500. Off-campus living can round up to anything from $300-$1,000 per month depending on location
4. Utility bills: $1,000-$2,000
5. Food and meals: $2,000. If you plan on eating out more, prices may double to $4,000
6. Clothes: $500-$900. If you plan to school in a cold country, the price may creep up to $1,200
7. Personal: $2000

Considerations should be made as to how these prices would vary to you as an individual. Think about if you need any particularly large purchases (Laptop, furniture, etc.), medical expenses not covered by insurance, or even any trips you’re planning on taking.

Benefits of studying in the USA?

• Benefits of Studying in the USA
• American universities are amongst the top universities in the world according to Quacquarelli Symonds, and the US diploma is accredited and recognized all over the world. In addition to these points, the USA is a great place to study as:
• There is a huge demand and world of opportunity for specialists in Science and Technology
• You can enter American universities without exams or complete proficiency of English through the Pathways program
• After graduation, you can apply for a visa to look for work and stay in the United States
• There is a large number of partial-to-full cost scholarships
• Immersion in the environment is encouraged and easy, quickly upgrading your world knowledge and English proficiency to C1-C2 easily

Read on for details of our Top 5 scholarship programs:

Chevening

Chevening is the UK government’s scholarship program for international scholarships, specializing in one-year Master’s courses. Chevening candidates come from a diverse range of countries, cultures and backgrounds, but most valued of all is ability to demonstrate passion, vision, and skills. There are many benefits to choosing this program:

• Payment of tuition fees
• Economy travel to and from your country of residence by an approved route for you only
• An arrival allowance
• The cost of an entry clearance (visa) application for you only
• A departure allowance
• A contribution of up to £75 for TB testing, where this is required
• A travel top up allowance
• A monthly personal living allowance (stipend) to cover accommodation and living expenses. The monthly stipend will depend on whether you are studying inside or outside London. These rates are subject to annual review.

All Chevening applicants must submit their education transcripts, references and one unconditional UK university offer.

Applications for 2023/2024 Chevening Scholarships open 2 August 2022. If you’re considering applying, get in touch with Univibes before then to secure your spot!

Fulbright

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals and artists from abroad to study and conduct research in the United States. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program operates in more than 160 countries worldwide. Approximately 4,000 foreign students receive Fulbright scholarships each year.

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program provides the following award benefits to international students:

• Total or partial coverage of tuition fees
• Medical insurance
• Total or partial coverage of travel expenses
• A monthly stipend – depending on the state

Fulbright provides for all nationalities for the following:

• East Asia-Pacific
• Europe & Eurasia
• Middle East & North Africa
• South and Central Asia
• Sub-Saharan Africa
• Western Hemisphere

DAAD

International students can apply to DAAD for direct general admission in any subject area for a Master’s and Ph.D. degree. If you’re looking to study in Germany, the 2023-2024 DAAD Scholarship is a fully-funded scholarship for international students. The brevity of courses on offer include:

• Economic Sciences, Law
• Agricultural and Forest Sciences
• Art, Design
• Engineering and Natural Sciences
• Humanities and Social Sciences
• Language and Cultural Studies
• Mathematics, Natural Sciences
• Medicine, Health Sciences

DAAD cover between one-year and three-year Master’s and Ph.D. programs and provide the candidate with the following benefits:

• Depending on academic level, monthly payments of 861 euros for graduates or 1,200 euros for doctoral candidates.
• Travel allowance, unless these expenses are covered by the home country or another source of funding
• Payments towards health, accident and personal liability insurance cover.
• One-off study allowance.

• Many nationalities are welcome to benefit from the advantages of having a DAAD scholarship while pursuing higher education in Germany.

Requirements are as follows:

• Required Languages: English or German.
• For international programs, the language of instruction is English. You are usually required to submit an English language certificate e.g. TOEFL or IELTS.
• For other programs, the language of instruction is German. You are usually required to submit a German language certificate e.g. DSH or TestDaF.
• Eligible Countries: Click here for list of eligible developing countries.
• Candidates have a Bachelor degree (usually a four-year course) or Masters degree in an appropriate subject.
• Candidates have at least two years’ professional experience.
• Candidates can prove their motivation is development-related and be expected to take on social responsibility and initiate and support processes of change in their personal and professional environment after their training/scholarship.

Erasmus Mundus

The Erasmus Mundus Program provides EU-funded scholarships for international students.

Please note that the 2023-2025 application round for scholarships takes place between 1 October 2022 and 15 January 2023. There are many programs for each taste, the program search engine can be found here.

The Erasmus Mundus scholarship grants a number of benefits. The following criteria must be met:

• Scholarship students must have already obtained a first higher education degree or demonstrate a recognized equivalent level of learning according to national rules and legislation in place by the application deadline. That means that scholarship applicants must hold a higher education degree by 15 January 2022 to start the program in 2022.
• The list of countries whose nationals are eligible for a scholarship is presented here.

The student grant covers the participation costs, a monthly allowance for living costs and a contribution to travel and installation costs. Each grantee will receive EUR 1,000 each month for living costs during the 24 months duration of the program. The scholarship also includes a contribution to travel and installation and any other type of costs to be paid in two installments, as well as the Euro-culture participation costs of EUR 9.000 (EU students) / 18.000 (non-EU students) including health insurance coverage of 24 months.

CSC Scholarships Award

CSC Scholarships are fully-funded and awarded by the Chinese Scholarship Council to international students who want to pursue higher education in Chinese Universities! This scholarship intends to promote education, culture, trade and mutual understanding and experiences with countries all over the world. Requirements for this scholarship include:

• International Student (Not being a Chinese citizen)
• Not be in possession of another scholarship issued by the Chinese government or any of its delegations.
• Minimum Age Requirement:
• Undergraduate students must not be more than 25 years old,
• For master’s degree age limit is 35 years
• For Ph.D. degree, age limit is 40 years
• Minimum qualification:
• Higher Secondary School Certificate or equivalent for undergraduate students,
• Bachelor Degree for the masters degree
• Masters degree for the doctoral degree.

Chinese Government Scholarship provide the recipient with the following benefits:

• Type A CSC Scholarship covers registration fees, accommodation (in a university residence in a shared room with another person), basic medical insurance and a monthly allowance for personal expenses (between 2,500 and 3,500 Yuan per month, approximately 350 and 500 USD respectively).
• Type B CSC Scholarship covers the same as the Type A scholarship, except for the monthly allowance for personal expenses.
• Type C CSC Scholarship is another type of partial scholarship with little benefits.