Houston College of Education Information and Career Counselling

Study in USA

Generally accepted as the dream destination for international students, the USA is a global leader in almost every department. Thanks to its industry leading advanced education system it provides highly sought after degrees through an incomparable amount of educational institutions.

Study in USA

Generally accepted as the dream destination for international students, the USA is a global leader in almost every department. Thanks to its industry leading advanced education system it provides highly sought after degrees through an incomparable amount of educational institutions.

Why USA?

As a cosmopolitan nation, USA is known as the land of freedom and opportunities. Despite, the large number of tertiary education institutions the USA remains uncompromising when it comes to quality of education, providing the world with several industry leading individuals and institutions. In the 2021 QS World University Rankings no less than 17 American universities are in the top 50, 12 of them occupying the top 25 spots, five of them in the top 10 and for the record breaking seventh time in a year the indomitable Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has kept its position as the number one university, demonstrating the incredible mixture of quantity and quality among the American universities.


Owing to is vast landmass USA is a place where you can encounter a wide array of cultures, climate, lifestyle, landscape, along with the most open-minded and welcoming people in the world. Some of the most peaceful environment combined with a technologically advanced lifestyle, students can gain a surreal experience by studying in USA.

Education System and Courses Available

Focused on providing hands-on-work experience while studying, along with classes small in number of students, the education system of USA is known for being highly rewarding for the graduate’s career. There are 4,500 educational institutions and universities in the USA that provide a variety of tertiary-level education choices and flexibility in price range to meet the needs of the aspiring students which can be categorized in four groups

  • Public (funded by their respective state ) universities / colleges

  • Private universities / colleges

  • Community colleges

  • Institutes of Technology

 With over two million courses offered by the US institutes, international students can choose to study at various levels starting from Diploma to Doctoral in one of the popular courses like

  • Engineering
  • Medicine
  • Business Management
  • Pharmaceutical Studies
  • Petroleum engineering
  • Science and Mathematics

Note: Courses like Medicine, Dentistry, Law, and some design programs along with MBA degree are significantly costly.

Cost of Education in the USA

Apart from having the highest standard of education, the USA has some of the highest tuition fees making it very important to have a budget plan. The cost of studying in private colleges is known to be higher (average $35,000 or more per year for bachelor’s degree) than the public colleges (average $25,000 or more per year), but students have the option of studying for an Associate Degree from a public college for much cheaper fees starting from $3,500 per year or in community colleges costing between $6,000 to $20,000 per year.  

With careful financial consideration you can find quality tertiary and higher level education in the USA, estimated cost of some study options are listed below

  • English language : $700 to $2,000 a month
  • Undergraduate degree : $20,000 to $45,000 per year
  • Graduate degree : $20,000 to $50,000 per year
  • Doctoral degree : 28,000 to 55,000 per year

Cost Of Living in the USA

Thanks to the availability of educational institutions across all 50 states, students have option to live in some of the best cities in the world. Although it might be expensive to live and study in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston and Chicago, these are some of the most advanced cities in the world. Students can live comfortably in USA with a budget range of $10,000 to $25,000 per year (excluding tuition fees), with options like on-campus accommodation, apartment renting, shared off-campus dorms or living with a host family.

Monthly cost on average for some accommodation options are

  • Apartment (prices are significantly higher in major cities like New York, San Francisco and some others) : $1,000 to $3,300

  • On-campus (including meals) : $3,000 to $12,000 per year

  • Living with a host family : $725 (including three meals, seven days a week)

  • Off-campus dorms (room shared by 4) : $450

Even if you are living on-campus or with a host family there are a variety of facilities and bills that you have to pay while living in the USA. While it is not mandated by the US government, most education providers need proof of health cover and health insurance can be rather expensive. After budgeting for tuition and accommodation here are some monthly average price range of bills and expenses that you have to consider

  • Health insurance : $460 to $1,200
  • Electricity : $50 to $100
  • Internet : $40 to $60
  • Phone subscription : around $50
  • Weekly groceries : $20 to $70
  • Transport pass costs : $50 to $60

Language Proficiency

Being a multicultural country with a diverse population, people from many countries, speaking many languages live in the USA. However, English is the commonly spoken language. It is necessary for all international students to take any of the globally respected English tests like IELTS, TOFEL, PTE or others.

Requirements for USA Visa

The USA visa application process is a relatively smooth process with two categories. International students attending school, college, university, or other academic institutions including language program require a Category F USA student visa and students attending vocational and non-academic programs require a Category M USA visa.

  • Photographs in requested format and Passport (valid for at least six months after your study duration in the USA)

  • Proof of English proficiency

  • Acceptance from a SEVP approved school and I-20 document

  • SEVIS application fee payment

  • Non-immigrant visa application and confirmation of DS-160 form

  • Evidence of sufficient funds for the duration of your stay

  • Visa interview at the US embassy or consulate

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