Wish to pursue your dream of studying in the United States? This article emphasizes on the various undergraduate courses offered in USA.
Undergraduate Courses in USA
United States of America has successfully made its presence felt as an educational hub globally, apart from its happy-go-lucky lifestyle and much-loved tourist destinations. This vast nation is home to some of the most prestigious and top-notch educational institutions and universities of the world. So, what is it that attracts thousands of students from round the globe each year to this fascinating place on earth? It is the brilliant array of undergraduate and postgraduate programs that draw a high student percentage from international destinations, year after year. This land of opportunities offers a plethora of programs to pursue for a Bachelor’s degree, as most students enroll in a US university or college for an undergraduate program. This, in turn, opens an increased number of jobs and careers for students obtaining a Bachelor’s degree from an esteemed university. Read on further to find more information on the various courses offered by US universities and the requirements for applying to an undergraduate program there.
Degree Recognition
The two-year associate degree and four-year bachelor’s degree earned by international students from any US university are highly recognized and accepted in institutions and organizations across the world. Higher education from USA is admired for its distinguished instructive system and outstanding opportunities.
Degree Structure
Bachelor’s degree program, or undergraduate program, in US is different from other parts of the world. Typically, it takes about four years to complete an undergraduate program and obtain a Bachelor’s degree in US, unlike other universities and colleges which offer a Bachelor’s degree after three years. Students have the option of pursuing either a two-year Associate degree or a four-year Bachelor’s degree. Associate degrees are of different types, namely, Associate of Arts degree (A.A.), Associate of Science degree (A.S.), and Associate of Applied Science degree (A.A.S.). Both A.A. and A.S. prepare students for transfer into a four-year college or university, while A.A.S. trains students to join the workplace immediately on completion of two years of study. It requires at least four years but not more than five years of full-time college-level coursework to qualify for the four-year undergraduate degree. Most undergraduate courses require the students to take up general education courses in the first year, following which they are required to choose a specific field of study, known as the major. The majors are studied in an academic area in which the students find interest and seek to make a career in.
Academic Calendar
American universities follow a slightly different academic calendar compared to UK universities. The academic year followed in all US universities is organized by semesters - Fall and Spring. The fall semester runs from August through December, while the spring semester starts in January and ends in May. However, certain universities also run a summer semester, extending from May to August, but most students choose not to attend this semester and pursue vacation, work, or internship instead.
Subjects for Bachelor’s Degree
Agriculture and related subjects; Applied and Pure Sciences; Architecture, Building and Planning; Art; Aviation; Beauty and Personal Care; Call Centre Management; Economics; Education and Teaching; Engineering; Fashion Designing; General Management and Business; Hotel Management and Hospitality; Humanities; IT and Computer Science; International Culture, Literature and Foreign Languages; Law; Mass Communication and Media; Medicine and Life Sciences; Music, Dance and Theatre; Physiotherapy; Sales, Marketing and Retailing; Social Sciences; Sports and Sports Management; Therapeutic Personal Care
Admissions Requirements
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Students applying for a Bachelor’s degree or Associate degree in a US university are required to submit a secondary school report and transcripts (report cards) of the final exams. The report form should be duly filled and signed by a school official, usually by the principal, counselor, or headmaster. The school report should highlight on your academic performance, accomplishments, and predictions of your chances for success in university-level studies.
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Get your qualifying marks converted into grades as colleges and universities in the US follow the grading system, even for the admission procedure.
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Collect the school/junior college leaving certificate from your institution and include it with other documents.
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In case the transcripts have been documented in a language other than English, get them translated in English by the issuing authority or university, else your application will stand cancelled.
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You will be required to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), a standardized test of English proficiency recognized and desired by all educational institutions in the US.
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You also have to take other standardized tests, like SAT I and SAT II, required by most universities offering undergraduate programs.
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Three Letters of Recommendation
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A copy of your valid passport
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Photographs
Application Procedure
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Application forms can be downloaded from the respective institution’s website. Most universities have an online form which can be duly completed online, asking for requisite application material.
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You can also send a request for application material to the concerned educational institution via email or air-mail. Include a brief description of your educational background, academic objectives, source of financial support, English proficiency and standardized test scores in your request.
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Complete the application form and attach all the required documents. Send the same to the admission office of the university before the closing date of application.
Cost of Education
Tuition Fees in $US
An undergraduate degree in a US university can cost you anywhere between $7000 per year for a state university and $25,000 per year for an esteemed private university. Apart from tuition fees, majority of the colleges and universities charge additional fees, such as student activity fees, though they are relatively just a few hundred dollars per year.
Living & Other Expense in $US
The average annual living expenses, including accommodation, food, clothing, utilities, phone, and sundry, cost about $7,200-12,000 per year.
Accommodation Expense in $US
Depending upon your lifestyles and area of accommodation, you can end up spending $400 per month on rent, if you are residing alone in Auburn or sharing an apartment with 6 people in New York.
Health Insurance in $US
Mostly, health insurance is a mandatory requirement by US universities for international students. Thus, students are required to have adequate international student health insurance protection, as universities do not want to bear the medical expenses of international students. Health or medical insurance in USA can cost about $300-$400 per year.
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