How to get higher education in the USA

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Tricks that will allow you to study in America and not go broke.

On the one hand, studying in America is an international diploma and a real chance to settle overseas. On the other hand, difficulties in adaptation, relocation, language barrier and serious financial costs.

When I decided to get a master's degree in America, knowledge in this matter helped me: for several years I worked in an organization that sent schoolchildren to study abroad. This experience allowed us to save two-thirds of the cost of training and to make sure by personal example that a not quite standard approach really works.

Choosing a profession: who to be?

One of the most versatile specialties for studying abroad is IT. In addition to the fact that this profession is in demand in the States and is well paid, after graduation, you can find work anywhere in the world. A bachelor's degree usually takes four years, a master's degree six years. The same applies to majors in economics, finance or marketing.

Difficulties may arise with a medical or legal education, and even at the level of admission and obtaining a study visa. There are different legal systems in Russia and America. When you return to your home country after studying, you will be limited in your choice of work. Of course, you can get a job in an international corporation, but then it would be more logical to stay in the United States. The American side also understands this, so a student visa may be refused. In addition, study lasts 8-10 years, which is long and expensive.

Tuition fees: local or foreign?

If a student is a state resident, then on average he pays for college or university studies three times less than a student from another country or even another state. In English, this is called in-state and out-of-state tuition. As you can imagine, becoming a local is not easy. To do this, you must either be a US citizen or have another legal immigration status (for example, be a green card holder).

This is a well-known fact that leads to a sad conclusion: the cost of training for foreigners is very high. But there is a little trick that few people know about: you can become a local to the state without being one. Everything is absolutely legal and completely real. How can this be done? One of the working options is a program of international cooperation between regions and cities of Russia and the United States. They can be found by looking at sister cities.

For example, cities in the Russian Far East have such programs with cities in the United States (Alaska, Washington, and Oregon), as well as Japan and China. Therefore, students from Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Kamchatka and Chukotka can study at US universities and colleges at the price of an in-state tuition.

Under the terms of the program, residents of the Russian sister city pay for education exactly as much as a local resident pays for it.

Within the framework of the same international cooperation, there are also scholarships for students from cities and sister regions. Sometimes they offer permanent discounts, sometimes temporary ones. But in any case, this is a significant savings in school.

To receive preferential conditions, the student needs to prove that he really lives in this settlement and has the right to special conditions. In most cases, a passport with a residence permit or translation of scans of receipts for utilities with the student's surname and city data on the form is sufficient. Also, no one forbids moving to a sister city, renting an apartment, and then showing a rental agreement or making a temporary registration.

Since Americans are unfamiliar with the institution of registration, there is no single sample of documents. Different educational institutions can be satisfied with different documents. As a rule, this is a rather formal moment.

As a result, a couple of pieces of paper can significantly reduce the cost of training. Russian students have repeatedly entered American educational institutions under such programs. This method does not always work, but it is definitely worth trying.

Often, college or university employees themselves are not aware of such bonuses, so you have to explain it to them with documents in hand. Documents can be found on the websites of educational institutions or local municipalities. We have had several similar cases, and they all ended in favor of our students.

Where to go: college or university?

You have decided to pursue higher education in the United States. It would seem logical to submit documents to the university (in the USA they enter without exams, according to a competition of documents) and enter the first year of the faculty that interests you. Right? But no!

For example, if you write now to UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles), you will be told that the cost of education is approximately 35 thousand dollars per year for residents of California and more than 60 thousand dollars per year for residents of other states. And this is just for studying. Agree, a lot of money even for a local resident, and for a foreigner who, in addition to studying, still needs to establish a life from scratch, the amount generally looks huge. Multiply this number by 4-5 (this is how many years it will take to get higher education in the United States), and the amount will scare even the most purposeful person.

But there is one trick that will help you save money before enrolling. Subjects in the specialty begin at universities only from the third year, so it is wiser to first enroll in one of the local colleges (Community College), which have accreditation in relation to the university. In such a college, you can unlearn the first two years, and only then transfer to the university for the third, and sometimes immediately for the fourth or fifth year. This will save you a lot. A year of college education is sometimes 5–6 times cheaper than at a university.

Here are the most popular budget colleges in America:

• Seattle Central Community College, Washington. After studying at this college, you can enter almost any university in America. There are no English language requirements for foreigners.
• Community Colleges of Spokane, Washington. The college program is designed so that a student can start studying from one quarter of the year, not necessarily from September. The college has partnerships with many American universities.
• Hawaii Community College, Hawaii. In this college, you can improve your level of English with intensive language courses. After graduation, students enter both the University of Hawaii and other universities in the country.
• East Los Angeles College, California. There are about 30,000 students who, after graduating from college, have opened the doors of many California universities.

Where to learn English: at home or in the USA?

If the English is not very good, then there are two options: learn the language in your country or come to America and get knowledge there. Why is the second option good?

First, by networking in college or university and gaining hands-on experience. You can study the language on special courses, the duration of the training is a year and a half, the cost is about 6-8 thousand dollars per year.

Secondly, you can start learning several times a year. This gives a more flexible schedule for admission to language courses and for moving to the United States.

Thirdly, it is better to enroll in the language courses of the college or university where you plan to study further. This will not only allow you to get acquainted with the features of the future educational institution, but can give advantages in admission.

After admission

Imagine that you are already in the States, graduated from college and transferred to university. Are there any savings options at this stage? Of course. It all depends on the task you have set. For example, find a job on campus and earn extra money or apply for a scholarship that can reduce the cost of studies by 50-60%.

Almost all students work in the United States - both local and from other countries. Of course, the locals have more choice, no one limits them in their choice of work. But those who came on a study visa can work no more than 20 hours a week and only on campus. However, in some cases, educational institutions allow you to work outside of it, if this allows you to get a unique experience in the chosen profession.

Here is a list of scholarships offered by popular American universities:

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Over 90% of students receive scholarships ranging from $ 36,000 to $ 43,000 annually. This amount covers almost all of the tuition fees for the year.
• University of Illinois at Bloomington - scholarships reach $ 25,000 per academic year.
• Illinois State University - international students can receive a presidential scholarship of up to $ 11 thousand per year (44 thousand for four years of undergraduate studies).
• University of Wisconsin - Students can receive a scholarship in the amount of one third of the tuition fee.

I will note once again that I have experienced all these tips on myself and on our students. All this is quite real. You just need to approach the process carefully and in detail.

Outcomes

Proceed in stages:

• Gather information about possible discounts.
• Choose and enroll in a suitable language program.
• After completing your English courses, go to college.
• Transfer to university in two to three years.

Such a scheme will allow you to better adapt in a foreign country. At the same time, you will save a lot of money on your studies without saving on quality.