Study in USA – A Complete Guide

• Educational credentials: This is typically your secondary/high school diploma and transcripts, as well as any final national exams required in your country. Transcripts are certified copies of your educational record, courses, and grades. An original transcript or certified copy sent by your secondary/high school is generally required for each institution you apply to for admission, along with translations into English.
• Standardized test scores: Scores may be required to assess your academic ability and English proficiency level.
• Recommendation letters: The head or principal of your school, your school counselor, your personal tutor, teachers, coaches, or supervisors from professional experiences may write recommendation letters. Your recommenders must be able to write about your work and be able to assess your potential to do well pursuing a higher education degree. Be sure to choose someone who knows you well.
• Essay/personal statement: This is your chance to write about your interests, long-term goals, and strengths – one of the most important aspects of your application.

• Every university has a different criteria for admission in MSc in USA. But the common and basic requirements are:

  1. Academic qualifications – Most educational institutions require qualifications comparable to a US bachelor’s degree.
  2. Recommendation Letter – Reference letters may be needed, and can be from college lecturers, academic professors, or work employers, depending on the university.
  3. Language test – Students whose first language isn’t English, shall be asked to appear for an English proficiency exam, generally IELTS or TOEFL.
  4. Additional tests – GMAT /GRE test scores can be an entry level requirement for a few institutions for specific programs.

An international student needs to be enrolled in a US school before they can apply for a student visa. However, your school needs to be accredited by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) of the Government of the United States.

• Accreditation is critical to ensure that your diploma or degree is recognised by other colleges and universities, professional associations, government institutions and ministries and employers all over the world.
• You will be required to apply to each individual institution or university as the United States does not have a centralised university application system like many other countries.
• This means you will need to fulfil the admission requirements of each institution, which will include providing proof of funds.
• Only institutions approved by SEVP can accept and enrol international students. Once you have been accepted by an institution, you will be enrolled in the SEVIS system and issued a Form I-20 or a Form DS-2020.
• Students who are eligible for an F1 or M1 international student visa are issued a Form I-20, and international students eligible for a J1 student visa are issued a DS-2020

Once you have made your SEVIS-fee payment, you are required to fill the online application DS-160 form. It is advised that you fill this online application form at least 3-4 months before the commencement of your course.

While filling the online DS-160 form, you need to ensure that you have all proper documentation for the details you are filling in your application.

You will be required to provide the following personal details while filling our online application DS-160 form.

• Your Full Name
• Date of Birth
• Details of your Passport.
• Details of your previous visits to the United States, if any.
• Details about your travel plans and travel companions, if any.
• Your point of contact in the United States.
• Details about your family, including their names, occupations and other personal information.
• Your education details.
• Details about your previous work experience, if any.
• Your SEVIS ID
• Address of the school/program/college/university you intend to enrol as mentioned in your I-20 or DS-2020 form.

Kindly ensure that you fill all the details correctly without any mistakes.

Also, ensure you have valid documentary proof for all details you have filled and mentioned in your application form as any discrepancy can lead to rejection of your student visa application.

The last step towards earning your US student visa is attending your interview. You should be able to answer questions asked during the interview.

Most questions are designed to check whether:

• Your primary purpose of going to the United States is to study.
• You have the required skills to complete and pass your course.
• You can pay your expenses in the United States.
• You intend to return back to the home country post completion of your studies.
• You do not pose a security risk to the United States.

You should ensure that you carry valid documentation which will help to validate and support your answer. The chances of student visa rejection drastically fall when you can satisfy your interviewer with your answers and relevant documentary evidence.