The rules for applying to US universities are almost always the same. Most US universities accept applications by mail using standardized forms. You can apply via Universal College Application or Common Application. After that, the standard form of a particular university is filled out and sent and an account is created on the official website of the university.
In many US universities, registration is paid. For example, at Harvard, in order to apply and create your profile on the university's website, you need to pay an application fee ($70-$100). The applications indicate the results of the tests passed, the school certificate, the application form for foreign applicants and recommendations from school teachers.
To enter an American university, it is necessary to pass standardized SAT or ACT tests (analogs of the Russian Unified State Exam), which are accepted by all US universities without exception. The standard requirements for submitting documents are "SAT Reasoning Test" (logical thinking test), or ACT with a section "writing", as well as tests on specific subjects – "SAT Subject Tests", or SAT II. Also, for admission of foreign students, the results of English language proficiency tests are required – TOEFL (sometimes IELTS is possible).
SAT in the USA takes place 7 times a year: in October, November, December, January, March (sometimes in April), May and June. In Russia, SAT I is held six times a year. You can take the exam in Moscow in International University in Moscow. You can register for SAT I and SAT II on-line on the official website College Board.
To pass the "SAT Reasoning Test", you need to deposit $49 ($94 for foreigners). In SAT II, a student pays $20 for the exam itself and $9 for each selected subject (listening language tests cost more than $20).
All documents are sent to the Admissions Office, which decides the fate of the applicant. To start studying in the fall semester, documents are submitted, mostly, no later than December.
Together with all the documents, a statement of purpose is sent to the admission office — a motivational essay in which the student outlines his life goals and objectives, as well as why he is interested in this or that program. Often this work is crucial for the decision of the commission.
US Universities
The number of international students studying in undergraduate (undergraduate), master's and postgraduate programs (graduate, in Europe is usually called postgraduate) is increasing exponentially every year. Following it, the amount of tuition fee increases in the most famous and prestigious educational institutions.
The most prestigious universities in the United States are those that are part of the so–called Ivy League, an athletic association of eight educational institutions on the east coast. The name was historically fixed thanks to a plant that wrapped around the fences of some universities that are members of the League. Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Columbia and Cornell Universities stand out among them. Most universities were founded in the 18th century.
Perhaps the most famous American university in the world Harvard needs no introduction. A year of study at Harvard in the academic year 2014-2015 will amount to approximately $43,938. To this you need to add fees for accommodation and meals on campus ($14,669), expenses for books and other expenses ($3,643). Thus, the total cost of training will be about $62,250.
About 70% of students at Harvard receive financial support. In order to receive a full scholarship, it is necessary to prove that the family's annual income is less than $ 60,000.
Harvard is located in the city of Cambridge in the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts on the east coast of the United States. There are three campuses on the territory of the university, between which transport links are established. One of them is located in Cambridge itself and covers an area of 85 hectares.
Another Ivy League university – Cornell – located in Ithaca, New York. Since its foundation in 1865, the university has been distinguished by democracy with a high quality of education – all applicants were allowed to study without exception, regardless of social status, race and religious beliefs. Now Cornell University is one of the most prestigious in the USA.
The total cost of training per year is $63,604. Of these, $13,678 goes for accommodation and meals, $870 – for books and an average of $1,770 – for additional expenses.
Columbia University is located in the prestigious Manhattan neighborhood. The university was founded in 1754 as King's College. The Faculty of Journalism of the University is awarded the most prestigious US prize in the field of journalism – the Pulitzer Prize.
The total cost of tuition in the next academic year will be $64,144, of which $46,846 is tuition, $2,292 is for services during the stay, $11,978 is for accommodation, $3,028 is for books and additional expenses.
Johns Hopkins University (Johns Hopkins University), founded in 1876, is one of the most prestigious in the United States. It is located in Baltimore, Maryland. It was one of the first educational institutions focused on the concept of a research center.
The average tuition costs in the 2014-2015 academic year will be approximately $64,029 (including $47,060 for tuition, $500 for entrance exams, $14,246 for a room on campus and meals, and $2,223 for books and other expenses).
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the most prestigious and perhaps the most famous technical university in the world. Every year, about 28,000 applications are submitted for 1800 places in the institution. The average amount of expenses of a student studying undergraduate in the 2014-2105 academic year will be $55,270. Of this: $43,210 — tuition, $12,744 — accommodation and approximately $2,778 – books and personal expenses. The campus is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and covers an area of 68 hectares.
Stanford University (Leland Stanford Junior University) is another US research university founded in 1885. The university consists of seven faculties with a total of approximately 16,000 students. Stanford University has the largest campus in the USA with an area of 3310 hectares.
The total amount of tuition and accommodation costs is $62,801, of which $44,184 is for tuition, $13,631 is for accommodation and meals, $3,975 is for books and additional expenses.
The University of California includes 12 departments, including Los Angeles (UCLA), Berkeley, San Francisco, Belmont, etc. UCLA and Berkeley are the main divisions of the university.
UCLA consists of five colleges, seven professional schools (School of Arts, School of Theater, Film and Television, etc.) and four medical schools.
The total cost of studying at UCLA is $33,193, of which $12,862 – for tuition, $14,571 – for accommodation and meals, $1,599 – for books and other expenses, $1,938 – for health insurance.
Student visas
To stay during a four-year study in the United States, you must apply for an F-1 student visa, which is issued only at the embassy and consulates in the student's country of residence. The main requirement for issuing a visa is proof of income corresponding to the costs of tuition and accommodation within the specified period, since work permits for foreign students are limited.
The F-1 visa is valid for the entire duration of the student's studies. After graduation, foreign students are given the opportunity to legally live and work in the country for a whole year.
On-campus and off-campus
All international students at US universities study on an equal footing with American students, including in terms of providing on-campus student housing. Most higher education institutions in the USA have their own dormitories – campuses at their disposal. Preference is given to first and second year undergraduate students. Many universities prohibit students from living off-campus or without parents during the first two years of study.
Living on US campuses is quite expensive. Most often, the cost of living is almost half of the total annual tuition fee. Many international students are deterred by the strict rules of residence on university campuses – curfew, a ban on inviting strangers to the campus, smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages. Therefore, foreign students increasingly prefer to rent an apartment near the place of study, which, as a rule, turns out to be cheaper than living on campus.
The easiest and most reliable way is through applying to the university's housing office, which can provide a student with off–campus housing from its own database – this is called off-campus accommodation. In addition, apartment blocks are located on the territory of many educational institutions, which are provided to undergraduates and graduate students (graduate students) or students who are married.
Another accommodation option is also popular among international students – homestay (accommodation in an American family by agreement with the university). This makes it possible for a foreigner to better adapt to the conditions and cultural traditions of life in the United States before himselfrent a house. In addition, there are obvious advantages for parents who are worried about the safety of a child who has left for a distant country.
Buying a property
In many regions of the United States, there is now a fast-growing and promising real estate market for investments. Prices are still affordable compared to the maximum figures of 2007, but there is a potential for further growth, which means a profitable purchase with a prospect for several years ahead. Many buyers of foreign real estate are trying to combine investments in foreign real estate with their child's education abroad.
Given the good prospects for the growth of the real estate market in the coming years at relatively affordable prices at the moment, as well as high rents for student housing, the United States can be considered the best place to buy real estate for children studying here.
The most promising and in–demand US real estate markets at the moment are Miami, New York and Los Angeles. The two main universities of the State of Florida are the University of Florida and the University of Miami. The average price for 1 sq.m. in Miami is $370, the average price for a detached house is $269,400, the average rental price is $2,300 per month. Over the past year, Miami real estate prices increased by 23.1% - one of the highest rates in the country. This year, according to experts, the growth may be 8.8%. Rental income in Miami averages from 7% to 8%.
The average price of a detached house in Baltimore is $104,100. Since mid-2012, real estate prices have been rising in Baltimore. According to the Zillow portal, prices here rose by 9.2% last year, and experts expect an increase of 2.6% this year.
The average price in Cambridge is 547,000. Over the past year, the average price has increased by 10%, and by the end of this year, an increase of 2.5% is expected.
There is a unique opportunity for Stanford University students to buy real estate in Silicon Valley. For example, the average price for a detached house in San Jose is approximately $669,000.
The average price of apartments in Manhattan ranges from 12,000 to 24,000 per 1 sq. m. The average rental price ranges from 54 to 67 per 1 sq.m. Last year prices increased by 17.4%, and next year an increase is expected by 6.5%.
Daniil Burygin
HomesOverseas.ru
