March 28, 2024

Study in the United States: Considerations for International Students

Study in the United States

Deciding to leave your home country and go to university in the United States is a major choice in your life. Fortunately, millions of students from around the world have already successfully navigated the hazards and uncertainties of international study, and you have their experiences to learn from. In fact, 764,000 students participated in international study programs during the 2011–2012 school year alone!

If you’re thinking about studying in the United States, there’s a lot to consider. To help you out, HCC Medical Insurance Services has published the free e-book “Passport to American Education: A Simple Guide to International Student Financial Aid.” Download it today to get your educational adventure started.

What international students study

The United States boasts thousands of colleges and universities that will welcome international students, and you can study virtually every discipline. In the last decade, international students have gravitated to degrees in business, finance, computer science and technology, but degrees in social sciences, fine arts, music or anything else await the motivated international student.

Where international students study

A big part of choosing where to study is matching up your interests or career plans with a school’s offerings. For example, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is well known for engineering and technology studies, but you’ll find many other schools that can give you an equally good degree in those disciplines. Similarly, MIT can give you a wonderful education in disciplines not related to engineering or technology.

The costs of studying in the United States

Colleges and universities offer scholarships and financial aid to international students just as they do domestic students. As you might imagine, the colleges that offer the most financial aid to foreign students are also some of the most expensive colleges around. Yale University, Skidmore College, Harvard University and Amherst College top the list for average amount awarded to international undergraduates. Even if you’re offered tens of thousands of dollars in financial aid, the tuition can still be expensive.

As soon as you decide you want to study in the United States, you should start the search for financial aid and scholarships. EducationUSA is a great place to find answers to your questions about studying in the United States and will help you find financial strategies for covering all the expenses.

But remember that college tuition is only part of the expense of studying in the United States. You should figure into the total cost the price of schoolbooks and supplies, transportation, food and housing. When you’re looking at colleges, consider the cost of living in the surrounding area. Renting an apartment in a major metropolis can make your tuition payments look like small change! And don’t forget international student medical insurance; the United States has some of the best doctors and the most up-to-date treatments, but they don’t come cheap.

Colleges offering the highest average financial aid.

Why study in the United States?

All the work and money that go into studying in the United States might seem like a big hassle, but truly the benefits of studying abroad outweigh any difficulties of getting there. Apart from a superb college education, international students also grow in maturity out of necessity; being on one’s own in a foreign country demands it. Students who study abroad also experience new cultures and people, learning about their own cultures in the process.

Finally, international study makes the world smaller, expanding one’s community of friends across the globe. News from the other side of the planet no longer affects faceless strangers, but the communities of trusted friends.

About the Guest Blogger: Cassandra Lynne is an admin for Good Morning Bloggers, a free service that connects blog owners with writers and vice versa. Aside from blogging, Cassandra is a travel enthusiast, art fanatic and animal adorer.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *