Study in the United States

The United States hosts approximately 1 million international students, making it the world’s leading study destination by volume. International students pursue four-year bachelor’s degrees, two-year master’s programs, and PhDs largely on F-1 student visas. The Common Application platform centralizes undergraduate admissions at most four-year institutions. Tuition varies dramatically—from USD 15,000–30,000 annually at public state flagships to USD 50,000–85,000 at private research universities. Post-study work authorization under OPT (Optional Practical Training) and STEM OPT permits 12–36 months of employment after graduation. English-language instruction dominates at all levels.

Key facts

Study system

Undergraduate degrees: Four-year Bachelor’s (B.A., B.S., B.Eng.). Academic year runs August–May. Grading uses GPA (4.0 scale); typical passing grade is D (1.0) or above, but competitive graduate schools expect 3.0+.

Master’s programs: 1–3 years depending on field. STEM master’s (engineering, computer science, physical sciences) typically 2 years; business MBA 2 years; humanities/social sciences often 1.5–2 years. Thesis or non-thesis tracks vary by institution.

PhD programs: 5–7 years typical. Funded through full tuition waiver + stipend for most doctoral positions (especially STEM). Funded PhD is standard; unfunded PhDs are rare in research universities.

Semester calendar: Fall semester (August–December), Spring semester (January–May), optional Summer session (June–July). Most students enroll fall and spring; some accelerate via summer courses.

Grading: Letter grades (A–F) converted to GPA 0.0–4.0. Standard: A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0.0. Some institutions use +/– modifiers.

Applications

Centralised platform: The Common Application (CommonApp.org) is used by ~900 U.S. colleges, mostly private and selective institutions. State universities often use their own portals (UC application, UTexas.edu, etc.). Some use Coalition App or ApplyTexas. Direct institutional applications remain common.

Application deadlines:

• Early Decision / Early Action: November 1–15 (binding or non-binding early admission)
• Regular Decision: January 1–15 (most common)
• Spring intake (rolling): November–February for programs accepting January start

English language requirements:

• IELTS: 6.5–7.5 (undergraduate), 7.0–8.0 (postgraduate)
• TOEFL iBT: 80–100 (undergraduate), 90–110 (postgraduate)
• Duolingo English Test: 105–120
• DET (Duolingo): 120–160 (some institutions accepting from January 2025)

Exemptions: Native English speakers, or degrees completed entirely in English from recognized institutions, may not require English proof.

Typical GPA/test expectations:

• Selective undergraduate: 3.8+ GPA, SAT 1480–1570 or ACT 33–35
• Large state universities: 3.5–3.8 GPA, SAT 1320–1450
• Master’s programs: 3.0–3.5 GPA, GRE/GMAT if field-specific (not always required post-2022)

Costs

Tuition + Fees (annual, 2025–26):

• Public flagship universities (in-state equivalent for international): USD 25,000–40,000
• Public universities (international rate): USD 30,000–50,000
• Private universities: USD 50,000–85,000
• Community colleges: USD 8,000–15,000 (often entry point; credits transfer to 4-year degree)

Room & Board (major student cities, annual):

• Boston, New York, San Francisco: USD 15,000–25,000
• Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle: USD 12,000–18,000
• Austin, Ann Arbor, Chapel Hill: USD 10,000–15,000

Books, supplies, transport (annual): USD 3,000–5,000

Cost of living breakdown (single student, annual, major metros):

• Housing: USD 12,000–20,000
• Food: USD 4,000–6,000
• Transport/car insurance: USD 2,000–4,000
• Personal, entertainment: USD 2,000–3,000

Total cost of attendance (annual, typical private university):

• Tuition, fees, room, board, supplies: USD 70,000–90,000 (some reach USD 95,000+)

Financial proof for F-1 visa: USD 25,000–75,000 required in bank statements or affidavit of support (I-864 form). USCIS expects proof to cover full program cost + living expenses. See USCIS Form I-20 requirements.

Student visa and work rights

Visa category: F-1 Visa (Student Visa). Issued by U.S. State Department consulates/embassies abroad. No annual cap.

Application process:

1. University issues Form I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility) after acceptance and financial verification.
2. Student applies for F-1 visa at nearest U.S. embassy/consulate (online DS-160 form, in-person interview required).
3. Interview fees: USD 160 (non-refundable).
4. Processing: 2–6 weeks typical; express service available at some posts.
5. Validity: F-1 visa granted for 4 years (standard) or 1 year (sometimes for shorter programs); duration of stay tied to I-20 expiration + grace period, not visa expiry.

Financial proof on I-20: Bank statements showing USD 25,000–75,000+ (exact amount determined by school). Affidavit of Support (I-864) from sponsor if funds not in student’s name.

Work hours during term:

• On-campus employment: up to 20 hours per week during academic term (F-1 regulations). No immigration approval required for on-campus jobs.
• Off-campus employment: Generally not permitted during first year unless authorized as Economic Hardship or Severe Economic Hardship (filed via USCIS I-539).
• Curricular Practical Training (CPT): Permission from DSO (Designated School Official) allows off-campus internship credit toward degree; counts against OPT allowance.

Work hours during vacation:

• Full-time (40+ hours/week) permitted during official breaks (winter, spring, summer) without additional authorization.

Recent major changes:

• January 2024: USCIS extended STEM OPT from 24 months to potentially 36 months (depending on employer and advanced degree eligibility).
• September 2024: U.S. State Department increased F-1 visa interview waivers for renewals, reducing processing times.
• October 2025 (announced): Proposed increase in F-1 visa fees under review; consular fees may rise USD 160 → USD 185 from January 2026.

Dependents: F-2 visa available for spouse and unmarried children under 21. F-2 dependents may NOT work or study full-time; limited part-time study permitted (check school policy). Healthcare and accommodation costs increase substantially for family applications.

Post-study work

Primary route: Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Standard OPT: 12 months of authorized employment. Available to all F-1 visa holders after degree completion, regardless of employer sponsorship or employment type. Must be in field of study or directly related. No visa sponsorship required initially (works on OPT permit, not H-1B).

STEM OPT extension: 24–36 additional months (total 36–48 months) if degree is STEM-classified by DHS and employer completes e-Verify registration. STEM fields: engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, computer science, biological sciences, certain dual-degree combinations. Updated STEM list maintained at NAFSA and DHS websites.

Application process:

1. Request from Designated School Official (DSO) before graduation.
2. File Form I-765 (Application for Work Authorization) with USCIS within 60 days of degree completion.
3. Fee: USD 410–450 (no refund).
4. Processing: 3–8 weeks typical.

OPT timeline:

• 60-day grace period to file after program end date.
• OPT employment must begin within 90 days of degree conferral.
• Unemployment periods tracked; total of 150 days (90 days for STEM extension) permitted without losing status.

Pathway to PR: OPT leads to EB-3 (skilled workers) or EB-2 (advanced degree holders) green card sponsorship via employer. No automatic path; employer must sponsor and initiate PERM labor certification. Timeline from OPT to green card: 3–8 years typical (highly dependent on country of origin and priority date backlog). Work-visa bridge: H-1B visa (6-year cap) often used after OPT exhaustion while green card pending.

Recent changes (2025–26):

• March 2025: Administrative review of STEM OPT eligibility criteria; some cybersecurity and AI-related roles added to eligible list.
• OPT unemployment tracking: Students exhausting 150-day unemployment during standard OPT cannot extend to STEM OPT; enforcement tightened from January 2025.

Working while studying

On-campus employment:

• Hours: Maximum 20 hours/week during academic term.
• Wage: State minimum wage applies; typical range USD 12–18/hour depending on state and role (student worker positions, library assistant, research assistant).
• Tax/withholding: W-2 issued; federal income tax withheld (standard rate 10–22% depending on income). FICA (Social Security) and Medicare withheld (7.65% combined). International F-1 students are generally exempt from FICA if they have no U.S. income source. Consult tax advisor.

Off-campus employment (with authorization):

• Hours: Full-time if authorized; normally 40+ hours/week permitted in summer.
• Wage: Federal minimum wage USD 7.25/hour; state minimum ranges USD 10.35–17.27/hour (January 2026, highest in California at USD 17.27, lowest in states with no state minimum at USD 7.25).
• Tax: Standard W-2 withholding; FICA applies to all (even F-1 visa holders, no exemption for off-campus). State income tax varies; some states have no income tax (Texas, Florida, Nevada).

SSN (Social Security Number):

• Not required for F-1 visa status, but employment requires ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) or SSN.
• SSN available from Social Security Administration with work authorization document (OPT permit, I-765).
• ITIN used if not eligible for SSN; issued by IRS.

Employer sponsorship: On-campus positions do NOT require I-9 Section 2 sponsorship checks (schools use modified compliance). Off-campus requires full I-9; employer must verify work eligibility.

Best-known universities

Primary sources

• U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. Student Visas (F-1). https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study.html (accessed 2026-04)
• USCIS. Form I-20 and F-1 Visa Information. https://www.uscis.gov/ (accessed 2026-04)
• Common Application. Member Institutions & Timeline. https://www.commonapp.org (accessed 2026-04)
• IIE (Institute of International Education). Open Doors Report on International Students. https://www.iie.org/opendoors (accessed 2026-04)
• QS World University Rankings. https://www.topuniversities.com (accessed 2026-04)

Last updated: 2026-04-15.