|
Study Abroad (USA) Germany Japan Romania Taiwan BACK HOME |
STUDY ABROAD (USA) USA attracts students from all fields. With countries like Australia and Canada too beckoning students through large advertisements published in Indian newspapers and holding career seminars held in various cities, people have found viable alternatives in their quest for a foreign degree. The first step if you want to go abroad is to get full information about courses and universities. This is an easy task, as a number of agents of foreign universities in India provide all the information you need. Be selective in choosing universities, since one has to pay a fee with every application. Also, ensure that the university you are going to is accredited by the Council of Post-Secondary Accreditation (COPA). This will be helpful if you wish to change your school in mid-term. A ranking of the universities is also available based on the number of students applying to those admitted. A higher figure would show which universities are sought after. To study in America, first you must determine the subject you want to study. A university may have a very good engineering programme, but a poor business programme. So, if you are interested to study business, you may not want to go to that university. Also, a university may have had a good reputation 20 years ago, but today it may not be as good. Two books are important reference material: The College Handbook Foreign Student Supplement and The College Handbook. Both are published by: College Board Publications, Box 886, New York 10101-0886, USA. How to Apply The process of applying to foreign universities must start at least one year in advance. Application forms are to be filled, tests taken and admission ensured. Then, visas must be ensured without which the entire process would come to naught. Select the country you wish to apply because there may be different procedures to follow for different countries. For the USA, the first step would be to get a list of universities and writing to them for information and application forms. Some useful directories for this purpose are : Directory of Graduate Programs and Petersons Guide to Graduate Programs. These directories are available in the offices of the United States Educational Foundation of India (USEFI). You must write to the institutes along with a Pre-Application From, which should contain the following information: Course Applying for: Name: Address: Date of Birth: Citizenship: Academic Record: Work Experience: Tests Taken: (TOEFL/GMAT) Financial Requirements. After receiving your Pre-Application form, the universities will send you their detailed application forms. It is advisable to select 6-7 universities, fill in their forms very carefully and send them. Simultaneously, take the TOEFL and other tests. Your scores will be sent to the universities directly as well as to you so that you can assess your chances. If the requirements match, you will receive admission offers which you can then evaluate. Apply next for a visa and this is a crucial stage because the rejection rates are very high. The whole process will take 12 to 18 months so it is advisable to start early. Cost
It must be remembered that applying to a foreign university is an expensive proposition. Taking tests would cost you around Rs 6,000. The GRE/GMAT scores are sent free to four universities and two other universities at an expense of $ 13. Write a good Statement of Purpose describing your career goals, academic record and why you wish to study abroad. The average application fee per university is between $ 20 to $ 80. The total fee in an American university is about US $15,000 to $17,000 per year. Some students look for scholarships to be able to meet their study cost, at least partially. Working on a part-time basis is another option. While getting a scholarship is becoming increasingly difficult, some teaching assistantships are often available. A student can study and teach at the same time and also meet his expenses. However, while applying for a visa, one must be able to show sizeable assets in ones name so that one can meet the cost on ones own, should any help not materialise. In most cases, the student must be prepared to spend over Rs 5 lakh for an overseas degree. A student may also have to return after finishing the studies. In US and Australia, a scholar visa is valid only as long as the course. After that, the student usually has to return to his country. So an offer of admission may not necessarily mean that a person can settle permanently in a foreign land. Most universities will require that you submit bank statements and other documents to prove that you or your parents have enough money to pay for your education and living expenses. Some universities require that you make a bank deposit directly to their account or pay the tuition fee in advance. Financial Aid and Visas
There are some universities that offer financial aid to students from countries other than USA. Very few offer complete financial aid. Some universities have employment opportunities on campus for international students. Students who get F-1 student visa may not work off-campus during the first year of college. After the first year, they may apply for permission to work off-campus, at a part-time job to help pay for their expenses. Permission is granted by the international student office at the university and the US Immigration Department. Once you are accepted, the university or language centre will issue you an I-20 form. This allows you to apply for a student visa at the American embassy or consulate in India. It does not guarantee that you will receive a visa. The consulate determines if the reason you are applying for the visa is genuine and that you will return to your country once you have finished your education in the US. Many students are disappointed when the embassy refuses the visa and they cannot realise their dream of going to America. If this happens to you, contact the school that issued your I-20 form and try to re-apply for a student visa, either immediately or at a later date when you have addressed the concerns of the US consulate officer. TOEFL and other tests
Students wanting to go abroad will be required to take the TOEFL, GRE, GMAT and the SAT-I tests, depending on their objectives. The TOEFL is a Test of English as a Foreign language and has to be taken by all Indian students who want to go abroad. The test is conducted four times in a year, but one should not delay taking it beyond October. The purpose is to test the English proficiency of people who are non-native speakers of the language. Many American universities require foreign students to take the TOEFL to ensure their English is sufficient. The test has three parts: Listening Comprehension, Structure and Written Expression, Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension. Most schools require a 500 or higher test score. Graduate programmes require 550-600 or higher. If you have average test scores and can pay the fees, it is not difficult to be admitted. The better universities, like MIT, Princeton and Harvard are, however, very competitive. Some universities may also admit students without a TOEFL test. The Test of Spoken English (TSE), is administered with the TOEFL in October and March. It checks the proficiency of a student in spoken English. A score of 45-55 out of 60 is considered good. The test is required for those who plan to teach or do a Ph.D. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for admission to post-graduate programmes in technical areas. It is also conducted four times a year. There are six sections in the test, consisting of Maths, Verbal, Analytical and Logical Resoning. A minimum score of 1500 out of 2400 is required for most American universities. Details of the GRE can be obtained from the USEFI offices in India. If you are aiming for a management degree in the US, the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is essential. It consists of Maths, Comprehension, Sentence Correction, Data Sufficiency and Reasoning. Since 1994, GMAT has two 30-minute essays as well. It also has an experimental section which is used for research purposes and may not be counted at all, but this is not known and it is not advisable to leave any section. Each section has to be done in the allotted time and you cannot go back and forth in the paper. The GMAT is also conducted four times a year. A score of 600 to 650 out of 800 is considered good by most universities. The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the Achievement Test (ACT), is required for undergraduate studies by US universities. It tests Comprehension, Maths and Verbal Ability. Masters and doctorate programmes require the GRE while a study in law may require the Law Scholastic Aptitude Test (LSAT). Educational qualifications obtained in India may cause a problem, as the CBSE or the AISCE exams are not accepted universally. In UK and Canada, the GCE A level examinations are accepted, while in Australia one may have to do a one-year preparatory course. A universally accepted qualification is the International Baccalaureate Examination. This is a two-year programme which is recognised internationally. Most tests are conducted by Educational Testing Services (ETS) and scores are sent directly to the universities that you have opted for. Some useful addresses
|