With over 1700 institutions offering postgraduate degrees in a multitude of subject areas, it is easy to see why hundreds of thousands of international students go to the USA. In addition to being able to work with worldrenowned faculty in state-of-theart facilities, there are funding sources that can make going to the States an affordable option. However, before making plans, it is important that students understand what is involved.
The structure of a US postgraduate degree differs from those of the UK, Australia and several other countries. There are no pure research degrees. Masters and PhD programmes will always involve a combination of research and taught courses and the evaluation of performance continuously assessed through classroom participation, examinations and papers.While this may produce a workload that some students often find heavy and highly structured, the US system is also flexible.
Aisling Conboy, an advisor at the US Education Advisory Service, US-UK Fulbright Commission (EAS), is a graduate of Central Michigan University’s masters programme in history. She states, “By meeting regularly with other students on my course I made good friends and also could discuss the coursework and reading with other students, rather than simply discussing class issues with professors alone. Often times, talking with other students would motivate me and also was a good resource in terms of finding out about relevant books or articles.” Additionally, programmes will often allow students to take courses outside their own departments and interdisciplinary degrees are also offered.
The academic year in the US lasts nine months and is divided into terms. The number of terms per year varies depending on which system the university follows. The most common is the semester system, which breaks the academic year into two terms, usually called “Fall” and “Spring” semesters. Universities express their postgraduate coursework requirements in terms of a specified number of “credits”, “hours” or “units”. Each individual course taken each semester is worth a certain number of credits, hours or units. A realistic full-time course load for a postgraduate student is likely to be 24 semester hours, which translates to between three and four courses per term.
However, before being able to attend a US university, students should be aware that the process of applying to US universities can seem arduous and expensive. EAS recommends that students interested in pursuing postgraduate study in the US, begin researching 18 months before they plan to enrol. In addition to the application forms, students will be expected to complete essays, get recommendations, provide transcripts and take admission tests. Simon Ruben, New York University applicant, says, “However hard and long the application process was, I knew that the quality of the degree would be the best thing for my ambitions. It was worth the hard work!” In the first instance, students should begin by identifying courses in their subject area. EAS has compiled over 100 lists of universities according to field of study and holds a large collection of general and subject-specific directories in its reference library. Another good source of information is the internet. Links to these sites can be found at www.fulbright.co.uk/eas.
It is recommend that a student apply to between three to six universities, as applying to one or two can be risky if an application is rejected or no funding is available, while applying to too many institutions will increase one’s workload and expense.When choosing where to apply, things to consider include; location, university size, tuition fees, and number of international students. The most important factor for postgraduate study, particularly for PhD study, is to make sure the department is a good match for your particular area of interest. Additionally, students should be realistic about their chances of admission and look at any minimum test scores, general criteria and discuss any concerns with the department directly. US universities are keen to get a total picture of each applicant and, while obviously wanting students with the best academic records, will also take into consideration other factors which may affect academic performance. In other words, they will look at potential as much as grades.
Most universities in the US will require that an applicant takes at least one standardised test. Depending on the selected field of study, the following standardised tests are generally required: The Graduate Record Exam (GRE), the most commonly required, is for applicants to humanities and arts & sciences courses. The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is for admission to a business school programme. TheTest of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is only for nonnative speakers of English. These tests generally comprise several multiple-choice sections and an essay. Each takes three to four hours to complete with strict time limits on each section. The scores are sent directly to the universities applied to. No matter how many applications are submitted, a student need only take the applicable standardized test once. To find out more information on each of these tests please refer to www.ets.org.
Each university has its own admission requirements. Contact the US university’s director of graduate admissions for prospectuses, application forms and financial aid information. This information is also available on the university's website. Letters of recommendation are an essential part of the application. Care should be taken in choosing referees. It is important that they are familiar with the student's academic work and it is a bonus if the referee is known to the department to which the application is being made.
Universities require a statement of purpose from candidates as part of the application process. This is an opportunity to distinguish oneself from other applicants. The goal is to write a clear, concise and persuasive statement that sincerely reflects the applicant’s views and aspirations. The university and graduate department will be looking for: academic or research interests; reason for wanting to pursue graduate study; strong and specific reasons for choosing that institution; future career goals; how graduate study will help to achieve those goals; and relevant extracurricular experiences or personal qualities not discussed elsewhere in the application.
It is important to check all university admissions deadlines carefully. US university deadlines are firm and applicants must ensure that the full application pack has reached the university before the required date. This includes the non-refundable application fee which ranges between $30 to $100 per school. Some universities offer rolling admissions which means that applications will be accepted until spaces are full and therefore there are no specific deadlines.
While fees may be higher than in many countries, averaging $19,000 per academic year in 2004, a plethora of funding sources exists. The admissions office of the institution in which an international student wishes to enrol is the best place to start a search for financial assistance. This can be in the form of a grant, loan, scholarship, teaching/research assistantship, tuition waiver, or work-study. As Aisling found, “I funded my studies by working as a graduate assistant at the university and did not have to take out further loans, my tuition and living costs were covered. For my assistantship I worked up to twenty hours a week, teaching, grading students’ work and also holding office hours where students could meet with me on a one to one basis.”
In contrast to undergraduate education, where admission and financial awards are controlled at the institutional level, US graduate education is quite tightly controlled at the departmental level. Funding for certain fields tends to be more heavily subsidised than for others. For example, a student of physics, chemistry, or biology may find institutional funding more readily available than a student of humanities, the social sciences, or education.
There are also independent foundations and scholarship organisations that provide funding for students studying in the US. Many of these awards will also pay for living and travel expenses. For example, The US-UK Fulbright Commission grants between six and ten postgraduate awards in any discipline at the US institution of the UK student’s choice. The award covers tuition fees, health insurance, and living expenses for the first year of study only. Funding directories, such as Peterson’s Grants for Graduate and Postdoctoral Study (1998) and the annually published The Grants Register (Palgrave Macmillan), show that there are hundreds of independent awards available, so doing as much research as possible is a key factor in getting funding. Simon adds, “Don't give up, dig about everywhere and anywhere and write lots and lots of letters – the worst thing people can say is ‘No’.”
Many personal loan schemes are also available from US sources such as banks and loan services. Loan amounts and repayment options vary depending on the field, level, and length of study. A second option for any student with residence in the EU is a Career Development Loan. These loans are for students who are following a professional course, and intend on working in the EU upon completion.
The availability of US-based loans for non-US citizens is limited. In almost all cases, US-based loan programmes require non-US citizens to have a creditworthy US citizen or permanent resident to act as a co-borrower. However, a few universities have arrangements with lenders that do not require a cosigner so students should investigate.
Additionally, international students may work for up to 20 hours per week on campus when classes are in session, and full-time during university holidays. International students are also eligible for up to one calendar year of Optional Practical Training (OPT), provided that the position is directly related to the students’ field of study and commensurate with their educational level. OPT may be applied for after nine months of full-time study and it allows a student the opportunity to gain professional experience with an American firm while earning. At the same time, it puts an attractive capstone to the postgraduate experience.
Upon notification of admission to a US university, an international student will receive either a form I-20 or a form DS-2019, which forms the basis of the visa application. This, along with a visa application form, valid passport, documentation showing sufficient funds to cover living expenses and fees for the first year of study, evidence of intent to return home at the conclusion of the academic programme in the US, proof of SEVIS fee payment, a photograph, and the visa fee are required.While processing times for some immigration applications have become notoriously backlogged post-9/11, as a general rule, student visas processing times are quite reasonable. Aisling writes, “The visa application process was straightforward and once I received my I-20 form from the university, setting up a visa appointment at the embassy was simple and relatively stress-free.”
Aside from academics, American universities have welldeveloped offices to support the international student every step of the way. Aisling adds, “The Office of International Education at CMU was very helpful, and I had extensive orientation which explained a lot for me regarding registering for classes, banking, insurance and more.” Apart from helping with course-related tasks, the international office often arranges social events throughout the academic year. “I also had a host family arranged by the OIE. My host family invited me to their home on special occasions and took me on day trips. This was very nice, as I got to meet a lot of people from the local community as a result, rather than mixing only with students.”
With a little hard work and determination, in the USA international graduate students can open up another world of opportunities for themselves. For further information, visit www.fulbright.co.uk/eas/