Geography and Weather

USA shares borders with Canada and Mexico, on the North as well as the South sides. The USA is the third largest country in the world has coasts bordering on the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and the Arctic Ocean as well as the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. You’ll find that the US has many different weather conditions depending on specific locations as well as the ongoing seasons there. Overall, continental US has a temperate weather. Time Zone: USA has 4 different time zones – Pacific Time, Mountain Time, Central Time & Eastern time (India is 9 Hours 30 Mins ahead of Washington D.C. )

Capital & City Centres

Washington, D. C. is the capital of the USA. Other major city centres that are popular landing spots for new immigrants include: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia.

Language

There isn’t an official language in the USA but English is definitely one that’s primarily used throughout the country. Spanish is the second most spoken language with Chinese and French also in the mix.

The Economy

USA enjoys the title of being the world’s largest economy that has maintained a stable growth rate and a moderate unemployment rate. With an abundance of natural resources aided by high tech infrastructure, it enjoys a very high household income. Being the largest financial market in the world, USA also is the largest consumer in the world. Currency: US Dollars ($)

Pastimes & Attractions

The USA has a vast variety of activities to indulge in. From sports to cultural activities it has it all. Home to Hollywood it produces some of the most popular cinematic ventures in the world. A thriving sporting culture of basketball, football, and ice-hockey among other sports makes it tempting for anyone interested in these games.

Why Study in USA

More than 4000 institutions offer undergraduate, masters and doctorate degrees in many different specializations. The USA education system has strong academic & social environment which fosters academic, professional and personal development of individuals.  

Study in USA for Indian Students

As you might already know, higher education in USA is highly preferred by students across the globe. It is the country that offers students exponential amount of knowledge, better job prospects and valuable experience. Every year thousands and thousands of students enrol in American universities. These universities offer courses in almost every program imaginable. Moreover, there are several reasons why students opt to study in USA.

Here are top reasons why studying in USA will benefit your future:

• Popular Universities
• Academic flexibility
• Research & training opportunities
• Career opportunities
• State-of-the-art learning technology
• Help & Support for international students
• The American education system
• Developing Entrepreneur Skills

Types of Courses

Type of Courses

Undergraduate Courses

Typically, it takes about four years to earn a bachelor’s degree. You can either begin your studies in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree at a community college or a four-year university or college. During your undergraduate studies, you get to choose a major at the beginning of your third year. ‘Major ‘is the specific field which is the focus of your degree.

The best part about the American Education System is that you can change your major multiple times based on your interests. However, keep in mind that this means more courses, time and money.

Top under-graduate branches in USA:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts
• Bachelor of Business Administration
• Bachelor of Computer Science
• Bachelors in Engineering
• Bachelor of Arts in Business Communication
• Bachelors of Business Accounting

Master’s Degree

Graduate programs are for those who have completed their undergrad and are looking to advance their career with a Master’s degree. This degree is usually mandatory for higher-level positions in organizations. Certain master’s programs require specific tests, such as the LSAT for law school, the GRE or GMAT for business school, and the MCAT for medical school.

The majority of a master’s program is spent in classroom study and a graduate student must prepare a long research paper called a “master’s thesis” or complete a “master’s project.”

TOP POST-GRADUATE BRANCHES IN USA

• Masters in Engineering
• Masters of Science in Computer Science
• Masters in Data Science
• Masters in Corporate Management
• Masters in Telecommunications Management
• Masters in Artificial Intelligence
• Masters in Financial Engineering
• Masters in Marketing
• Masters in Pharmacy
• Masters in International Management

DOCTORATE DEGREE

Many graduate students consider master’s degree as the first step towards earning a PhD (doctorate). However, there are some schools that help students prepare directly for a doctorate without a master’s degree. It may take three years or more to earn a PhD degree. For international students, it may take as long as five or six years.

TOP DOCTORATE BRANCHES IN USA:

• PhD in Biomedical Engineering
• PhD in Statistics
• PhD in Communication
• PhD Economics and Finance

Visa Process (brief)

Visa process can often be stressful. However, because USA is one of the most sought-after destinations visa procedure is considerably simpler. There are three types of student visas regardless the most common one is F-1 student visa. Other student visa types are J-1 Exchange visa visitor and M-1 Vocational/Non-Academic student visa.

F-1 student visa

 Most of the students apply for F-1 visa. Individuals pursuing Under-graduate, Post-graduate programs on full-time or part-time basis apply for F-1 visas

On part-time basis during semesters, students are allowed to work 20 hours per week

F-1 visa process:

• Collect Form I-20 from college, it is issued by the colleges in USA
• Pay application fee for Form I-901, through USA immigration and customs enforcement
• Print the application SEVIS fee receipt
• Apply for online student visa application form DS-160
• Print out the application confirmation page
• Pay visa application fee
• Print out the application fee receipt
• Schedule an appointment for USA student visa interview (You will find your DS-160 application and fee receipt at the end of this process)

Post Study Work Permit in USA

As an F1 student visa holder, international students are able to complete up to a year of temporary employment directly related to the major field of study.Optional Practical Training (OPT) is a one-year work and stay-back permit given to international students on completion of a degree program in the US. There are two types of OPT – one which can be used during one’s studies i.e. Pre Completion OPT, and another which starts after completing one’s studies i.e. Post-Completion OPT. The job you get after finishing your course must be directly related to your field of study. You have to find the job within 90 days after graduation. Duration of allowed stay – You get to stay in the US for one year after completion of your course on an F1 visa. Extension – For students studying STEM courses (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) a new rule allows a 24-month extension. Which means you can continue to stay in the US for three years after finishing your course of study.

Admissions in USA

If you have just started preparing to Study in USA, there will be many questions in your mind. The first thing you should consider when applying to a university or College is the intakes that the country has to offer. How many intakes are there in USA? What are the types of intakes in USA? What is the primary intake of all the USA intakes? To answer all these questions, here are the type intakes:

USA has mainly two intakes:

• Fall Intake – September
• Spring Intake - January

Fall Intake in USA

Duration: September, October, November, December

Fall Intake is also known as September Intake.

Like most of the countries fall intake is the primary intake in USA. All the Universities offer a wide variety of courses during this intake. Moreover, more funding is provided for the Fall Intake in USA. Many Universities and colleges only have fall intake for the admission process.

Most of the students opt for this intake for above-mentioned reasons. If you are planning for admission in the fall semester, start your college and University short listing and research from April. Appear for IELTS / TOEFL or other required exams around June. After that you should start documentation such as SOP, LOR, Application Essays, and most important, visa process.

Spring Intake in USA:

Duration: January, February, March, April, May

Spring intake in USA is also known as January Intake.

Spring Intake is more of a secondary intake for USA. The spring intake has the duration of January to May. Students who have missed the fall intake can apply for this one. However, spring intake does not have as many courses on offer as fall intakes from the Universities.

If you are planning to apply for the Spring Intake in USA, then you should be done with your short listing of universities and all the necessary research by August. Give required English Language and other competitive eligibility exams by September / October. After that, focus on your application process and visa requirement to departure.