Want to Study Masters In USA? What You Should Know

The USA, one of the top most study-abroad destinations for international students, with the Harvard University been the oldest university in America, the universities in the country offer many graduate and undergraduate programs with a variety of courses made available to the students. Each year, thousands of foreign students get accepted into the American institutions to either begin their university higher education or to study for a postgraduate course.

Since America has over 4,000 academic institutions which includes both government and private institutions, then makes it easy to get accepted into any of its institution. With a great academic system, America is home to some of the world’s great educational institutions which are acknowledged worldwide for their proficiency in educating great professionals.

Although, studying in the USA may not necessarily come cheap as should be expected, but there are scholarships and other student aids and grants which are provided by the government and private organizations are used to support the students throughout their course of study. For a master’s degree, international students may be required to pay about $20,000 to $30,000 per year and this would be dependent strictly on the university and course of study. Master’s degree programs in the USA are usually between two years duration and may be shorter or longer depending on the course of study.

The American Universities; Difference Between Postgraduate and Graduate Programs

In the American universities, there is a always a clear distinction between the postgraduate and graduate programs. There are two different types of higher education institution in America and the term college is often referred to a university which are usually very small and offer minimal courses. The two distinct higher education institutions are:

Community colleges: These types of colleges only offer undergraduate programs which may be often regarded as associate degrees in preparation of the proper university degree. The colleges in this category do not offer major courses like medicine or law.

Liberal Arts College: these colleges offer various postgraduate programs like masters and PhD programs. Although some of the liberal art colleges still focus on some undergraduate programs which may be a combination of arts and science.

Also, in the American higher educational centers, the universities may be public or private institutions. The public universities are owned by the government and operated fully under the state or federal government. In some states in the USA, there can be more than one public university and since the operations of such institution is run by the government, the tuition fees paid are usually cheap making it affordable and most sought after by most students.

The private universities on the other hand, is owned and fully operated by a private organization or individual and its operations are separated from the view of the government. Since the government is not in charge of such institutions, the tuition fees are usually on a high side which may discourage some students from applying to study in such institution.

There are also the graduate schools which are usually focused on masters and PhD programs. The graduate schools are usually part of a larger institution which focuses its attention on creating and delivering a decent and advanced postgraduate degree. Some universities usually have more than one graduate school which is used to specialize in different study areas. Few of the most common graduate schools are; law schools, medical colleges, business schools amongst others.

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10 Things to Know Before Applying to a Masters Degree in USA

Studying in the any university or other higher learning institutions in the USA allows international students to explore and enjoy their education making use of some of the top notch technology infrastructures at the various universities in the country. If you are an international student aspiring to apply for studies in any of the USA universities, here are 10 reasons why you may consider studying in the USA.

1. Recognized institutions: the USA is home to a larger portion of the world class acknowledged institutions with the Harvard University been the oldest institution in the country. The USA universities are known to be well equipped with some of the best technologies and infrastructures which are used to make studying of any degree or course easy for students.
2. The USA University degrees are well accepted: since the American universities offer a high quality of education also its degrees when awarded are well recognized and accepted by employers of labor in any part of the world. The country has one of the excellent system of education which is been adapted by other countries of the world.
3. Diverse society: the USA welcomes foreigners from various parts of the world and its campuses are filled with varieties of students. The diverse society then makes it easy for international students to adjust their lifestyles into the country’s mode of living because, there are different international student groups which accommodate students from each country or race and put them throughout the university process, making the students feel comfortable and at home.
4. Support for international students: the USA institutions are known to house a very large portion of international students who come into the country every year and so, this makes it evident for the government, private organizations and some institutions to set up support plans for the students which can be accessed through scholarships, grants and other financial methods or plans. This support system may vary from institutions or the student’s degree of choice and also nationality.
5. The campus experience: studying in universities in the USA will definitely allow international students to explore and enjoy the campus experience, since there are so many engaging experiences from clubs, volunteering, drama, arts and so many more. America is surely the best place to explore and enjoy your youthful endeavors.
6. Variety of study programs: there is a broad range of courses to choose from in American institutions. Due to the diverse range of international students who are received yearly to study in the universities in the USA, there is then a constant need to keep updating their course structures and adding more courses which makes it easy for students to make their choices from a wide range of courses which has been made available.
7. Job opportunities: students who graduate from any university in America are always well sought after by employers and big companies. They believe they can only get the best for their companies and as such, an American university degree is a key to the advancement of their jobs.
8. Multicultural environment: the USA can be said to be a multicultural country due to the increase in foreigners who are welcomed in the country each year. Some of the foreigners bring their cultures into the country and since the USA welcomes all, there is then no discrimination. The multicultural environment makes life easier and students are quick to adapt to the lifestyles in the country.
9. Flexible study environment: the universities in the USA allow for students to be able to study in a flexible environment which encourages students to choose various courses which may be for a two to three years duration depending on the course.
10. No language barrier: since America is the second-largest continent that is native English speakers therefore, foreign students who wants to come for studies in the USA do not need to worry about the language barrier. The English language is the major language used for communication in the country and its institutions as well. Although, international students who are not from native English speaking countries are usually required to provide a proof of English language proficiency as part of their requirements when registering for any degree in the American universities.

Application Requirements and Documents for International Student Apply to a Masters Degree in USA

Before you can study in the USA as an international student, there are some necessary requirements which must be provided by the student before they can be granted the permission to study in the country. As an undergraduate or for postgraduate degrees, there are some general requirements which must be tendered either at the embassy or online through the host institution website for documentation. Below are some of the requirements needed for International students who want to study for a master’s degree in any university in the USA.

• A copy of the student international passport
• Minimum undergraduate degree requirements of 2.1 or its equivalent as specified by the host university for course of choice
• Copies of student passport photographs
• A personal statement in English language for students from English speaking countries
• Proof of English language proficiency
• Copies of the student’s bachelor degree certificates and other certification as requested by the host university.
• Student transcript or result
• Curriculum Vitae or resume which may include referees or as directed by the host institution
• Graduate admission test, with the common test been the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).
• Personal and research work statements.

The USA is one of the most sought-after studies abroad destinations for most foreign students particularly from African countries because they believe that the USA offers only the best form of higher education. The country is also known to have top-ranked universities well equipped with great infrastructures and high technology based system used in the classrooms which helps students to achieve professional, academic, and also personal growth both in their present and future endeavors. A good professional master’s degree in the USA would definitely empower and prepare you well for your future careers in the workforce as the degree awarded by the American universities are well-acknowledged and respected.