The United States is the land of unlimited possibilities. The country attracts approximately 525,000 international students every year. The United States is in the top 5 most popular countries to study. But what does studying in the United States actually mean?
Why the United States?
The best universities in the world can be found in the United States. There is no country in the world that has as many universities as the United States. You do pay a lot of tuition fees, on average between $ 2,000 and $ 60,000 per year. You usually live on the university campus. Living on campus has many advantages such as: no travel time and of course the fun. Living on campus is very attractive because there are many cafes, cinemas, theaters and restaurants. Students in the United States are much better supervised during their studies than in the Netherlands. If you have studied in the United States, you have a very good chance in the international job market.
The American Education System
You can study in America at a university, but also at a college or an institute. There are about 5,000 different educational institutions in the United States. The universities and institutes have the best reputation. Institutes can be compared to technical universities.
The study
In the United States you are obliged to always be present at all courses, many courses are given. The American bachelor system is very similar to the Dutch bachelor system. Training courses last an average of four years in the United States, which is also the case in the Netherlands.
Admission and application
To be admitted to an American university you have to start arranging things about 1.5 years in advance. During this period you must be advised on the available scholarships, applying for a scholarship takes a lot of time. The deadlines for applying for studies usually run between January and April. As an international student you must always prove that you have the necessary language skills. You can demonstrate your English language skills by taking a TOEFL test.
Life in the United States
You are required to apply for a visa to stay in the United States. To get a visa, you need to show that you have sufficient financial means to pay for your living expenses in the United States. It is also mandatory to take out health insurance, many universities offer insurance themselves. But you can also get insured by a Dutch insurer. The cost of living varies greatly by region. In the cities, the cost of living is very high. The countryside is much cheaper, the costs are comparable to the Netherlands. It is advisable to join a student association. You quickly make new friends, the student association usually organizes many fun leisure activities. Joining a student association is usually free.