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to Studyin the United States

G R A D U A T E A N D

P R O F E

S S I O N A L S T U D Y

A N D

R E S E A R C H

2

S u

p p

o r t e d

b y t h

e U .S

. D ep a r t m e n

t o f S

t a t e

EducationUSA

Bureau o Educational and Cultural Afairs

U.S. Department o State

I f Y o uW an t t o S t u d yi n t h e U ni t e d S t a t e s : G r a d u a t e S t u d y



If YouWantto

Study



Acknowledgments

This four-booklet series, published under the title If You Want

to Study in the United States, was produced by the U.S. Department

of State’s Educational Information and Resources Branch.

The booklets are also available on the Internet at http://www.educationusa.state.gov. This current edition is an updated

version of the original project coordinated by Evelyn Levin-

son in 2000-2001. The update project was administered

by the College Board Office of International Education

through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department

of State. Carol Blythe and Janine Farhat thank Coleen Gate-house for her organization and editing and Rolando Ribera

for his cover design.

The Department of State wishes to thank the following

individuals from around the world who contributed theirtime, expertise, and talents to this series:

Kathleen Alam Evelyn Levinson



Preface

Graduate and Proessional Study and Research is one o aseries o our introductory booklets produced by the U.S.Department o State to provide objective and practical advice to prospective international students and scholars on

studying in the United States. The booklets may be down-loaded rom the Internet at www.educationusa.state.gov,and print copies are available at EducationUSA advisingcenters worldwide. To nd the center nearest you, contact a U.S. embassy or consulate, or consult the list available onthe EducationUSA website.The our booklets cover the ol-

lowing areas:

Undergraduate Study

How to choose and apply to U.S. bachelor’s and associatedegree programs, plus inormation on technical and voca-

tional educational opportunities in the United States.Graduate and Proessional Study and Research



The United Sta



tes of America



Contents

Introduction 10Why Study in the United States?EducationUSA Advising CentersUseul Websites

Chapter 1 Graduate Education in the

United States 13Graduate DegreesMaster’s DegreesDoctoral DegreesAcademic CalendarCourse Load and Grading Systems

Colleges, Universities, and Institutes:The Distinction

Private and Public InstitutionsDistance EducationNon-degree Study at a U.S. UniversityUseul Websites

Chapter 2 Choosing the Best Graduate

Programs or You 20



Contents

Chapter 4 Preparing Successul Applications 35

The Application ProcessRequesting Application MaterialsRegistering or Admissions TestsCompleting and Returning Application

MaterialsApplication FormApplication FeeTranscriptsTest Score ReportingPersonal Statement or Statement

o PurposeRecommendationsFinancial Statement Deadlines and SubmissionThe Admissions ProcessInterviews

AcceptanceUseul Websites

Ch t 5 Th A li ti P



Contents

Chapter 7 Student and Exchange Visitor

Inormation System (SEVIS) and

Student Visas 59

Student and Exchange VisitorInormation System (SEVIS)

Visa TypesProcedures or Your CountryApplying or a Student Visa:

A Step-by-Step GuideVisa ReusalsUseul Websites

Chapter 8 U.S. University Lie 65

Arrival in the United StatesOrientationInternational Student Advisers (ISAs)University Housing

Money and BankingHealth InsuranceExtracurricular Activities



Contents

Appendices Glossary o Terms 95

Additional Resources 105

Index 110



Introduction

Thousands o colleges and universities oer graduate de-grees, specialized proessional education, and opportunitiesor scholars to pursue their academic and proessional goalsin the United States. This vast choice means there are pro-

grams available to meet everyone’s needs, but how can you nd the best program or you? This booklet aims to give you the knowledge you need to make the right choices and thecondence to prepare successul applications.

Why Study in the United States?

Here are just a ew o the reasons why more than 600,000international students rom around the world are urtheringtheir education in the United States:

Quality: U.S. colleges are known worldwide or the qual-ity o their acilities, resources, and aculty. Accreditationsystems ensure that institutions continue to maintain these



Introduction

EducationUSA Advising Centers

“It is difcult to overestimate the help and support I got rom the advising center. The center was my frst and

primary source o inormation about the American edu-cational system. The books, magazines, and the Internetaccess at the center proved extremely useul, and the sta assisted me very much in achieving my goals.”

— Business student rom Russia

Choosing the best programs or you and preparing successulapplications will require commitment and careul planningon your part, but in almost every country there are specializedadvisers who understand your needs and can help you. Inor-

mation and advice on study in the United States are availableto you rom a network o nearly 450 EducationUSA advisingcenters worldwide. Admissions test inormation, directories,



Introduction

Useul Websites

EducationUSA

http://www.educationusa.state.gov

I You Want to Study in the United States On-line

http://www.educationusa.state.gov (Click on “I You Want to

Study.”)

Directory o EducationUSA Advising Centers

http://www.educationusa.state.gov (Click on “Find an AdvisingCenter.”)




United States

Graduate Education

in theUnited States




United States

by aculty members, or they maybe relatively inormal, placing em-phasis on discussion and exchangeo ideas among aculty and stu-

dents. Seminars involve smallergroups o students than lecturecourses and may require studentsto make presentations and par-ticipate in discussions. Class par-ticipation, research papers, and

examinations are all important ingraduate education.

Master’s Degrees

The master’s degree provides ad-ditional education or training in aspecialized branch o knowledge,

degree is the same in both cases,but the academic requirementsare slightly dierent. Students innon-thesis programs usually take

more coursework in place o re-searching and writing a thesis, andthey take a written comprehen-sive examination ater all course-work is completed. Students indegree programs that include a

thesis component generally takea comprehensive oral examinationcovering both coursework and thetopic o their thesis.

Proessional Master’s: Thesedegree programs are designedto lead the student rom the rst




United States

One main dierence betweenmaster’s programs is whether ornot they are designed or stu-dents who intend to continue

toward a doctoral degree. Thosethat do not lead into doctoralprograms are known as terminalmaster’s programs. Most proes-sional master’s degrees all underthis category. Some departments

only admit potential doctoralcandidates, although they mayaward a terminal master’s degreeto students who complete a cer-tain level o coursework but do

not go on to pursue a doctorate.Other departments require amaster’s degree as part o the re-

degree awarded in academic dis-ciplines. In proessional elds,other doctoral degrees include theDoctor o Education (Ed.D.) and

the Doctor o Business Adminis-tration (D.B.A.).

To receive a doctoral degree,candidates must pass a compre-hensive, or “qualiying,” exami-

nation, usually ater three to ve years o study and completion o all coursework, and when the stu-dent and adviser agree that thestudent is ready. This exam is de-

signed to test the student’s abilityto use knowledge gained throughcourses and independent study in




United States

United States; these programsmight have very dierent typeso requirements rom traditionalprograms. Beore applying to any

program, make sure you know what is required to enter it andobtain a degree. This inormationis usually available rom universitycatalogs and websites or directlyrom individual departments.

Academic Calendar

The academic year in the Unit-ed States generally lasts nine

months, rom late August orearly September until the middleor end o May, and it may be

also be more readily available tostudents starting in the all ratherthan midyear. (See chapter 6,“Funding Graduate Study,” or

urther inormation.)Course Load and GradingSystems

“Course load” reers to the

number o courses students takeeach term. The normal courseload or a graduate student isthree or our courses per term.Under the Student and Exchange

Visitor Program (SEVP), theU.S. Department o HomelandSecurity requires that interna-




United States

Colleges, Universities, andInstitutes: The Distinction

Degree-granting institutions in

the United States can be called byany o these terms, and collegesand institutes are in no way ine-rior to universities. As a generalrule, colleges tend to be smallerand usually oer only undergradu-

ate degrees, while universities alsooer graduate degrees. The words“school,” “college,” and “univer-sity” will be used interchangeablythroughout this booklet. An insti-

tute usually specializes in degreeprograms in a group o closely re-lated subject areas, so you will like-

programs. The terms “public”and “private” reer to the wayuniversities are nancially sup-ported. Public universities may

also be called state universities,and some include the words“state university” in their titleor include a regional element (or example, East CarolinaUniversity or Western Con-

necticut State University). Stateuniversities tend to be very largewith enrollments o 20,000 ormore students. Since public universities obtain a part o their

support rom the state in whichthey are located, the tuition theycharge is oten lower than that




United States

Tuition ees tend to be higher at private universities than at stateuniversities, and all students paythe same tuition. Institutions with

a religious aliation and single-sex institutions are private. Ingeneral, private universities haveenrollments o ewer than 20,000students, and private colleges mayhave 2,000 or ewer students on

their campuses.

Except or nancial consider-ations, the public or private na-ture o a university should not be

a actor in selecting a graduateprogram. High quality programsexist in both types o institutions.

or short periods o ace-to-acecontact and study on the cam-pus. Studying or a degree usingdistance education requires

students to be sel-disciplined,committed, and able to work ontheir own. I you are consideringdistance education, you shouldthoroughly research the qualityo the program, the accreditation

o the institution in the UnitedStates, and its recognition in yourhome country to be sure that thisoption is appropriate or your u-ture goals. Further inormation

on distance education is providedin Booklet Three o this series,Short-Term Study, English Lan-




Programs or You

in the United States, and reer tochapter 4 in this booklet or ur-ther details on requesting inor-mation rom U.S. universities.

Review

• The two graduate degrees o-ered in the United States arethe master’s degree and the

doctoral degree. Both includecoursework and independent research. The length o time tocomplete a degree varies con-siderably between programs:rom 12 to 24 months or amaster’s degree and rom ve toeight years beyond a bachelor’s

• It is also possible to study at thegraduate level in the UnitedStates as a non-degree-seeking“special student.”

• Institutions vary considerably insize and location. They may beprivate or public, designationsthat indicate only the sources o unding or the institution and

not the quality or range o pro-grams they oer.

Useul Websites

EducationUSA





Programs or You

Choosingthe Best

GraduateProgramsfor You




Programs or You

ate programs and motivate you through the application process.It will assist you in writing applica-tion essays that ask you to explain

your career goals and how they re-late to your application or gradu-ate study. Be sure to research thequalications or careers that interest you and whether or not U.S. credentials are recognized in

your home country.

To help dene your education andcareer goals, ask yoursel thesequestions:

• What career do I want to pur-sue? Is employment available in

sionals in your country about the value o U.S. study or you at this stage in your career, in-cluding any increased earning

potential. Take into account revalidation or certication re-quirements or employment in your particular eld when you return home.

• What is the system o recog-nition or U.S. degrees in mycountry?

In many countries, a U.S. degreeis highly valued, and recognitiono degrees is straightorward. Insome countries, however, grad-




Programs or You

within that subject area. Findingthe right academic “match” be-tween you, the department, andits aculty can be the key to a suc-

cessul graduate experience in theUnited States. Be sure to look at the individual programs, not just institutions, since no one schoolcan excel in all disciplines; manyexcellent graduate programs are

available at lesser-known schools.

Sources o Inormation toHelp You Choose

EducationUSA AdvisingCenters

Printed Directories

There are several general direc-tories that list institutions by de-

gree program and include helpularticles on graduate study (see the“Additional Resources” list at theend o this booklet). Proessionalassociations also publish directo-ries o university departments in

the United States, including inor-mation on dierent specializationsand aculty research interests. Uni- versity catalogs provide the most specic inormation about institu-tions and their programs. You cannd these directories and catalogsat EducationUSA advising centers




Programs or You

degree programs, application pro-cedures, academic departments,acilities on campus, and othertopics. Many sites include a copy

o the college catalog and e-mailaddresses or current students(including international students)who can answer your questions.I you don’t nd this inormationon the website, ask the admissions

oce.

Web-based Search Tools

Some websites are independent o colleges and universities andallow you to search or programsby subject area, by geographic

sands o students, or are you look-ing or a small or mid-size collegeor university? (Keep in mind that individual graduate programs can

be quite small or very large, re-gardless o the size o their host institution.) Do you need accessto acilities that could supplement your academic studies, such asmuseums, other universities, or

places to conduct eld research?By answering these questions andothers you can rene your searchcriteria and generate a list o schools closely matched with yourneeds.

Social Media Tools




Programs or You

attending pre-departure orienta-tions. Videos posted by universi-ties give you the chance to see what these institutions think are their

best qualities. Social networkinggroups allow you to interact withadmissions representatives or tocommunicate with current stu-dents. Podcasts provide helpuladvice on navigating the applica-

tion process or allow prospectivestudents to listen to classroomlectures. Blogs give a student per-spective o what day-to-day lie islike at dierent universities. Weencourage you to explore all thesetools as you search or the right school or you.

time so you can do some researchon those institutions.

U.S. admissions representatives

also give presentations at Edu-cationUSA advising centersthroughout the year when they visit other countries. These pre-sentations explain the admissionsprocess and what it would be like

to be a student on specic cam-puses and in specic programs.A list o airs around the world isavailable on the EducationUSAwebsite.

Campus Visits




Programs or You

vate educational consultants whocharge a ee to assist students withthe process o choosing programsand compiling applications. O-

ten these educational consultantsand private agents are graduateso U.S. institutions or people whoare dedicated to promoting thebenets and advantages o theU.S. education system. Some-

times, however, they are not, soit is important to check the cre-dentials and past perormance o educational consultants or agentsbeore using their services. Some-times agents or consultants prom-ise things — like being acceptedat certain schools — that they

their program and the servicesthey received rom the agent orconsultant. Such precautions areespecially important i the agent

or consultant charges expensiveees or his or her services. Alwayscheck with an unbiased source(such as an EducationUSA advis-ing center) to ensure the legiti-macy and accreditation status o

the programs you are considering.

Other Considerations

Accreditation and Recogni-tion o Degrees

An important indicator o the




Programs or You

plexity, you should check care-ully whether a degree rom theinstitutions you are applying towill be recognized by your home

country government and any rel-evant proessional associations,ministries, or employers. You should also talk to graduates whohave returned to your country tosee i they have been successul

in applying degrees earned romsuch institutions to their chosenproessions.

EducationUSA advising centerscan advise you regarding recog-nition o U.S. degrees in yourcountry and tell you whether

elds o study; some are verylarge and oer degrees in manyelds. When choosing where toapply, you should consider the

size o the institution, as well asthe size o the department anddegree program. A large institu-tion may oer better academicacilities, while a small institutionmay oer more personal services.

The same is true o the size o the degree program. A large pro-gram that has many students maynot provide the individual atten-tion you need; however, theremay be more diversity within theaculty and student body, andmore assistance may be available




Programs or You

your studies. For example, i you wish to enter an art program,does the school oer programsthat involve students with nearby

museums and art galleries? I you are accustomed to a warm cli-mate, you might consider study-ing in a part o the United Statesknown or mild weather. Or, i you preer colder temperatures,

you might consider an area witha cooler climate.

Student Services: U.S. univer-sities oer students a variety o services such as international stu-dent oces, campus orientationprograms, counseling services,

learning disabilities, while oth-ers make a limited number o special services available to suchstudents. You and your amily

should look at the services o-ered and compare them to yourneeds. Find out which servicesare provided automatically andree o charge, and which services need to be pre-arranged

and incur a charge. I possible,contact a current student whohas a similar disability, and vis-it the campus i you can. Withproper documentation, studentswith disabilities can request spe-cial acilities or extended time totake graduate admissions tests




Programs or You

Deciding Where to Apply

Once you have a list o institutionsthat oer your eld o study andany relevant specializations, you will need to compare the objec-tive data among these institutions.Do not rely solely on rankings orratings o institutions to do this;there is more to choosing the

right department than choosingthe most well-known or selectiveuniversity. Keep in mind that adepartment’s reputation reliesheavily on the reputation o itsaculty. Sometimes it is moreimportant to study under a partic-ular person than it is to study at a

aculty) and size o institution;

• qualications o the aculty;

• accreditation o the institutionand, i applicable, the depart-ment or program;

• course and thesis requirements;

• length o time required to com-plete the degree;

• academic admission require-ments, including required test scores (see chapter 3 or urtherinormation), degrees, and under-graduate grade average required;




Programs or You

Review

• Dene your educational and ca-reer goals to help you select themost appropriate programs.

• EducationUSA advising centerscan provide inormation andadvice about degree programsand other aspects o study in the

United States.

• Directories and websites areuseul sources o inormation,but you should also speak toaculty at your institution and tostudents who have studied in theUnited States.

o nancial costs and assistanceavailable, admission and degreerequirements, the composi-tion o the aculty and student body, and campus services andacilities.

Useul Websites

Directory o EducationUSA Advising

Centershttp://www.educationusa.state.gov

(Click on “Find an Advising Center.”)

University o Texas at Austin Database

o U.S. Universities

http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ/

state/



Chapter 3 Admission Requirements and

Entrance Examinations

AdmissionRequirements

andEntrance

Examinations





grams in the United States. Notethat although all U.S. universitiesollow the same general guide-lines, they may dier in the levelat which they recognize a particu-lar degree rom your country.

Graduate school applicantsshould have excellent grades,particularly in their chosen eld

o study. Most graduate depart-ments require a minimum gradeaverage equivalent to a U.S. “B”in undergraduate work. Sta at EducationUSA advising centerscan tell you the equivalent to thisgrade average in your own edu-cational system. Proven research

sections, but increasing numbershave also begun to accept GREGeneral Test scores. The MillerAnalogies Test (MAT), whichmeasures analytical thinkingthrough problems stated as anal-ogies, may be required in eldssuch as education and psychol-ogy. Proessional schools such asschools o law, medicine, dentist-

ry, and veterinary medicine havespecial examinations; see chap-ter 9, “Specialized ProessionalStudy,” or urther inormation.

Check with the programs you are considering to nd out i you need to take one or more o these





times o the year you may not beable to take the test immediately,so register early. For more inor-mation or to request registrationand test preparation materials, visit the website or the test you need. You can also nd inorma-tion at your nearest EducationUSAadvising center.

English Profciency

To complete graduate study inthe United States successully, you will need to be able to read,write, and speak in English witha high degree o prociency. Eng-lish language prociency will also

that does not oer the Internet-based TOEFL or the IELTS, you can contact the Educational Test-ing Service (ETS) at [email protected] to request the Test o SpokenEnglish (TSE). Allow several ad-ditional months or the applica-tion process i you are applyingor a teaching assistantship.

I you are a non-U.S. citizen andnon-native speaker o Englishwho has been educated in Englishor most o your school lie, theEnglish Language testing require-ment may be waived. Be sure toask the institutions to which you plan to apply about this well in





The paper-based TOEFL(TOEFL PBT) provides TOEFLtesting in areas where TOEFLiBT is not available and to supple-ment the TOEFL iBT test cen-ter network. The paper-basedTOEFL does not include a speak-ing section. I you choose to takethe TOEFL, but live in a countrythat does not oer the TOEFL

iBT, you can contact ETS at [email protected] to request the Test o Spoken English (TSE) to evalu-ate your oral prociency.

TOEFL registration is availableonline, by phone, and by mail, andpre-registration is required. At

and speaking modules are thesame in both versions. Test tak-ers interested in entering highereducation programs or pursuinga license in the healthcare proes-sions usually take the Academic version o the reading and writ-ing modules. The General Train-ing version is or test takers whoneed to use English daily or unc-

tional activities, secondary edu-cation, vocational training, work purposes, or immigration.

For registration inormationplease visit the IELTS websiteat www.ielts.org. The websiteincludes a downloadable “Inor-





out their English language pro-ciency requirements.

• I you are applying or a teach-ing assistantship, some graduatedepartments may require you to prove your English speakingability. Both the TOEFL iBTand IELTS measure this. I you choose to take the TOEFL, but

live in a country that does not oer the TOEFL iBT, you cancontact ETS at [email protected] request the Test o SpokenEnglish (TSE), which evaluatesoral English prociency.

• Many U.S. graduate degree

demic programs also requireapplicants to take a GRE Sub-ject Test.

• Register or admissions testsearly and prepare or themat least one to two months inadvance.

Useul Websites

GMAT

http://www.mba.com/mba/thegmat

GRE

http://www.ets.org/gre

IELTS



Chapter 4 Preparing Successul Applications

Preparing

SuccessfulApplications




dent visa, should begin 12 to 18months beore you wish to start studying in the United States. Seechapter 5 or a summary o thetime rame or applying to U.S.universities to make sure you understand what you need to doand when. It may be possible tocomplete the process in less than12 months, but late applicants

usually nd they have a morelimited choice o institutions, andeven more limited chances o re-ceiving nancial assistance.

Requesting ApplicationMaterials

cation, you should use it. This isthe quickest method or submit-ting your application.

I you must communicate with aschool via regular mail, use theaddress or the university givenin the reerence books availableat your local EducationUSA advising center and be sure to in-

clude the name o the appropri-ate oce or department on theenvelope.

I you plan to apply to highly com-petitive institutions or to seek -nancial assistance, request inor-mation at least 18 months beore




the GRE General Test, a GRESubject Test, the GMAT, orsome other admissions test. (Seechapter 3 or urther inormationon these tests.)

I English is not your nativelanguage, register to take theTOEFL or the IELTS. (Seechapter 3.) As with the academic

admissions tests, make sure yourtest results reach universitiesbeore their deadline dates. I you believe that you qualiy oran English-language prociencywaiver, contact universities di-rectly and well in advance orurther details. At least one to

impression. You should t yourinormation into the applicationorm provided and only use ad-ditional pages where necessary.Keep your personal inorma-tion consistent, and always spell your name the same way on alldocuments to help schools keeptrack o your application mate-rials more easily. Do not worry

about providing a Social Secu-rity Number — either leave thesection blank or write “none,”according to the instructions.Avoid abbreviations; it is betterto write the ull names and ad-dresses o your schools, employ-ers, examinations, and awards.




Transcripts

Transcripts are a record o yourpast education and include a list o classes that you have taken inundergraduate programs, when you took them, and the grades you received or each class. You will be required to provide thisrecord as you apply to graduate

programs.

For international students, U.S.colleges sometimes providespecial orms on which schoolauthorities are asked to write your grades and describe youracademic perormance relative

selves or pay an outside company,called a credential evaluator, todo so. They sometimes requireinternational applicants to payor the evaluation o documents.

As requested, send certied cop-ies o your original diplomas, de-grees, or proessional titles, andcopies o ull records o your per-

ormance in any comprehensiveexaminations administered in your home country. Do not sendoriginal documents unless there isno alternative; usually they cannot be returned. Copies should becertied with an ocial seal romthe school or university, or certi-




Test Score Reporting

When you apply to take theGRE, GMAT, MAT, TOEFL,IELTS, or other examinations, you should know to which univer-sities you wish to apply. You willsave time and money by request-ing the scores at test time ratherthan at a later date. When you

submit an application, include aphotocopy o your test score re-ports i possible. The admissionsoce can then more easily match your application with the ocialscores when they arrive. In someinstances, the oce may beginprocessing your application with

er the degree program can meet your needs.

The statement o purpose is animportant part o the applicationand is an opportunity or you todistinguish yoursel rom otherapplicants. The personal state-ment is not meant to be an auto-biography in chronological order;

instead, use your imagination tocome up with an interesting or-mat and content that will main-tain the reader’s interest.

Consider the ollowing our ques-tions when writing your statement o purpose:




gree program? Tailor eachstatement o purpose to thespecic program and institu-tion, including, i possible,reerences to proessors you wish to work with, courses you wish to take, and unique acili-ties available at the institution.Admissions ocers want tosee that you have done careul

research about their programand that you are a serious can-didate.

• What can you contribute tothe department or programin terms o your background,abilities, or other special quali-

• Make sure your statement is atrue representation o you and your abilities — it is important that the essay be genuine andhonest.

• Admissions ocers read manyessays. Since some programsare extremely competitive, tryto have an interesting rst sen-

tence that grabs the reader’sattention and makes the essaymore memorable.

• Get someone you trust to proo-read each statement o purposeor grammatical and spellingerrors. Make sure statements




mendations must be able to writeabout your work and assess yourpotential to do well in graduateschool. I you are applying oran academic degree program,ask proessors who have taught you in the past to write your rec-ommendations. I you are not arecent graduate, one recommen-dation can be rom an employer.

For proessional programs, reer-ences rom both employers andproessors are acceptable.

Some universities send recom-mendation orms with the ap-plication; i so, ask your recom-menders to use these orms and

same eld with whom they haveexperience;

• an assessment o your particularstrengths;

• your rank in their class, depart-ment, or university, i they know it; and/or

• an assessment o your researchexperience and ability.

U.S. universities expect letters o recommendation to emphasize astudent’s positive qualities and tobe longer and more detailed thanmight be customary in your home




ocers preer you to waive yourright so that recommenders mayeel more comortable when writ-ing their evaluations. Admissionsocers usually interpret waivedrecommendations as more hon-est. I your recommendationsmust be sent directly rom yourreerees, it is common courtesyto give them stamped, addressed

envelopes. Allow plenty o timeor your reerees to write theirrecommendations, and remindthem to sign the sealed fap o each envelope beore mailing it toan institution.

Financial Statement

Some academic departments orschools decide whether to admit students without taking into ac-count their need or nancial aid.Other schools and departmentswith limited or no nancial aidavailable give higher priority toapplicants who do not need nan-cial support rom the university.

Deadlines and Submission

Each graduate department withina university sets its own deadlinedate and is usually rm about not accepting applications ater that time. For the all semester, whichbegins in late August or early




system may oer admission bothin the winter term (January) andthe spring term (March). Theprecise date diers or each in-stitution. Deadlines or midyearadmissions are usually six to ninemonths in advance o enrollment.I you are applying or admissionin January, take admissions testsat least six months beorehand.

It is your responsibility to ensurethat all documents, applicationorms, reerences, and ocial test score reports reach the universi-ties saely and on time. Otenthe closing date or students romother countries is earlier than orU.S. students. Applications or

mit the electronic application andmail all supporting documents.Keep copies o your applicationand documents so you can supplyanother set o inormation quick-ly i something gets lost. Three toour weeks ater submitting thedocuments, contact the universityto conrm that your applicationis complete. Allow at least six to

eight weeks ater completion o the application or a decision tobe made. Some programs andinstitutions may take as long asthree to our months to makeadmissions decisions, and manyinstitutions review all completedapplications at the same time and




the responsibility or admissionswith the academic departments,and most commonly there is agraduate admissions committeeor each department made up o aculty members, graduate ad-missions oce sta, and some-times current students. The rolesand the relative authority o thegraduate admissions oce and

the academic departments, as wellas the relationship between them, vary markedly rom institution toinstitution. To make your admis-sions experience more positive,it is a good idea to network withboth the graduate admissions o-ce and your specic department

sources or your research are lack-ing. Second, since aculty mem-bers review applications to decidewho should receive research orteaching assistantships, depart-ments oten look or applicantswho can teach or do research inparticular areas.

Interviews

U.S. universities are rarely ableto interview candidates outsidethe United States, although busi-ness schools or other proessionalprograms occasionally send ad-missions ocers on internationalrecruitment trips to conduct




tance, write to the universities you turn down so they can make o-ers to those students still on wait-ing lists. Return unused student visa Certicates o Eligibility tothose schools as well.

Review

• No uniorm procedure exists

or graduate admissions in theUnited States. The admissionsprocess may vary between universities and rom department to department within a particu-lar university.

• Start the application process 12

• Make sure your applicationsare complete and include thecorrect application ee in U.S.dollars. Make copies beoresending applications to theUnited States.

• Send applications to the univer-sities by courier or registeredairmail, or complete and sub-

mit the electronic applicationand mail supporting documents.Check with each institution tomake sure your applications arecomplete.

• Send a letter o acceptance tothe institution you wish to at-



Chapter 5 The Application Process:

A Timetable and Checklist

The ApplicationProcess:

A Timetable

andCh kli t





º Which universities oer mysubject and specialization?

º Will I need nancial assistance?

• Begin narrowing down yourchoices o schools to approxi-mately 10 to 20 institutions andmake sure they meet your aca-demic, nancial, and personal

needs.

• Find out application deadlines.This will aect when you takestandardized admissions tests.

• Register to take GRE Subject Tests i required by the universi-

• Identiy your recommendersand request letters o reerence.

• Drat personal statements orstatements o purpose and re-search proposals, i required.

• Submit completed applicationorms or both admission andnancial aid.

• Double check that transcriptsand reerences have been sent.

• Take required admissions tests.

January — March





make sure you have unds ortravel and expenses on arrival).

• Finalize arrangements or hous-ing and medical insurance with your university.

• Notiy any sponsoring organi-zations o your plans.

June — August

• Use inormation rom yourForm I-20 or DS-2019 to llout the SEVIS Form I-901 andpay the required SEVIS ee.

• Upon receipt o your I-20 and

to tell them when you will arriveand conrm the details o new student orientations.

Getting Ready to Go

Once you know that you are go-ing to study in the United States, you will probably have questionsabout visas, accommodations,

health insurance, banking, how tostudy, and other “pre-departure”inormation. See chapter 8 in thisbooklet or urther inormation,and reer to Booklet Four in thisseries, Getting Ready to Go: Prac-tical Inormation or Living andStudying in the United States. Most



Chapter 6 Funding Graduate Study

FundingGraduate

Study




cess, universities oten requirestudents to complete a nancialstatement that species how theyintend to cover their expenses.Planning ahead will give you time to research independent scholarships and to identiy university programs that have und-ing available. I possible, contact proessors in your department

o interest at U.S. universities,since proessors play an impor-tant role in identiying grant and unding recipients in theirdepartments.

Calculating Your Expenses

additional ee or health insur-ance, which is usually mandatoryor all students. Because tuitionand ees vary rom school toschool and rise by an average o 5percent each year, be sure to con-sult current college catalogs, web-sites, or other reerence materialsavailable at EducationUSA advis-ing centers or the latest gures.

Be sure to conrm current costswith the institution at the time you apply.

Living Costs

Living costs vary widely and de-pend on individual liestyles. Liv-




Books and Supplies: Collegesestimate the cost or books andsupplies or the academic year.Students studying in the UnitedStates must buy their textbooks,and books can be quite expen-sive. Most institutions haveon-campus bookstores. Manyo these stores allow you to pur-chase used books at a lower cost,

or to sell back your books at theend o a semester at partial value.I you are planning to study in aeld that requires special sup-plies, such as engineering, art,or architecture, your expensesare likely to be higher than theaverage.

Financing Your Education

It is important to start yournancial planning at least 12months beore you intend tostudy in the United States. Fi-nancing your graduate educationconsists o:

• assessing personal unds;

• identiying nancial assistanceor which you are eligible;

• compiling eective applications(see chapter 4); and

• reducing educational costs.




• your own earnings until de-parture: savings rom earnings,gits, investments, or property;

• other sources: relatives in theUnited States or a sponsor (in-dividual, government agency,or private organization) in yourcountry who has agreed to payall or part o your educational

expenses.

I you cannot pay the costs o yourstudy through the personal unds you have available, you will needto apply or nancial assistance.

Identiying Sources o Finan-

riety o resources to help you ndnancial aid.

• Home-Country Sources: Ask an EducationUSA adviser orconsult local contacts about unding rom government scholarship programs, regionalassistance programs, local orthird-country organizations or

businesses, banks, or religiousinstitutions that may oer aidto graduate students rom yourcountry.

• U.S. Government Assistance:The U.S. Department o State’sFulbright Program, ounded to




term graduate study or master’slevel degree study may be avail-able through other programssponsored by the U.S. Depart-ment o State. Eligibility orthese programs varies, but ingeneral, local institutions nomi-nate employees or training oreducation that promotes a spec-ied development goal.

While the U.S. Agency orInternational Development (USAID) headquarters doesnot provide tuition grants orscholarships to individuals,

some local missions oer limitedunding or post-graduate train-

Nations and the World Bank,and regional organizations suchas the Organization o Ameri-can States (OAS) also providescholarship support. Visit theorganizations’ websites or moreinormation, or contact the localmission.

Many private awards and grants

are directed toward particulargroups such as women, engi-neers, journalists, or studentsrom a particular country; readcareully to see whether you t into any o the categories.I an application requires that you write a research or project




computer search sotware at the nearest EducationUSA advising center. You can also ndinormation on nancial assis-tance in university catalogs andon websites. Some universityreerence books provide inor-mation on nancial aid awardedto rst-year graduate students,but these statistics include U.S.

students as well as internationalstudents. All students, includ-ing international students, arerequired to pay U.S. incometax on certain orms o gradu-ate nancial assistance, so i you

are awarded a grant be sure tocheck with the institution to see

Assistantships: Assistantshipsare the most common orm o nancial aid or graduate stu-dents. These are cash awardsthat require the perormanceo services related to the eldo study, usually about 20 hoursper week. Sometimes an assis-tantship carries with it a waiver(a remission or reduction) o

tuition and ees. Awards mayrange rom as little as $500 toas much as $30,000 (or higher,i high tuition costs are waived)or an academic year, so it isimportant to check what pro-

portion o your costs the assis-tantship will cover. There are




ship, be sure to mention in your application any previousteaching experience.

Research assistantships involve perormance o researchservices related to your eldo study. The advantage o aresearch assistantship is that it can be related to your the-

sis or long-term academicinterests. Research assistants(RAs) are chosen or theirdemonstrated research andinterpersonal skills, computerand writing ability, and ex-

perience working as part o a team. Find institutions that

or applications. Read thematerial rom each institu-tion to learn where to sendapplications.

To apply or university und-ing, nd out which oces areresponsible or the various pro-grams and request applicationmaterials. The graduate school

may control the unds, or thedepartment or program mayadminister them, or a combi-nation o both. Read all inor-mation pertaining to undingcareully, since the application

process can be complex andtime-consuming.




or J-1 student status to work up to 20 hours per week whileschool is in session and ull-timeduring vacation periods. A-ter your rst year o study, you may apply to the Department o Homeland Security or per-mission to work o campus orup to 20 hours per week whenschool is in session or up to ull

time during vacation periods i you can demonstrate economichardship. You should note, how-ever, that there is no guaranteethat this request will be granted.I you are married and are in

the United States on an F-1 stu-dent visa (see chapter 7), your

students. Consult your Educa-tionUSA advising center orinormation on loans or stu-dents rom your country. Beoretaking a loan, make certain you know how you are going to re-pay it and how a loan will aect your plans or uture study andor returning home.

Writing a Research Proposal

To receive unds or research orstudy in the United States, someorganizations require that you submit a careully designed plan

or your proposed research. Yourproposal will be competing with




to complete the research success-ully? Has he or she demonstratedresearch aptitude? (Supportingdocuments or past papers arehelpul.) Is the proposal careullywritten and neatly presented?

The proposal should begin witha clear statement o goals o the intended research project.

It should include a summary o background inormation regard-ing the need or the research,highlights o related research(with a bibliography), a step-by-step description o the research

plan with expected results ormajor theses, and a conclusion.

choosing programs o study(12 to 18 months beore you wish to study in the UnitedStates).

• Tuition costs vary rom one in-stitution to another, and cost isnot an indication o the qual-ity o an institution. Living ex-penses vary depending on your

liestyle and location.

• Careully calculate the costs involved in U.S. study and yourpossible sources o unds to cov-er these costs. I you and your

amily cannot meet the costs, you will need to apply or nan-




ships, teaching assistantships,research assistantships, and ad-ministrative assistantships. Makesure you ully understand theresponsibilities involved and thelevel o unding oered beoreaccepting an award.

Useul Websites

EducationUSA Website — FinancialAssistance


(Click on “For International Students,”

then “Finance Your Studies.”)

Institute or International Education —Funding or U.S. Study

The Fulbright Program

U.S. Department o State

http://ulbright.state.gov/

Organization o American States

“Educational Portal o the Americas”

http://www.educoas.org (available

in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and

French)

World Bank Institutehttp://wbi.worldbank.org (Click on

“Approaches,” then “Scholarships.”)

The Foundation Center — Foundation

Grants to Individuals

http://oundationcenter.org/nd-unders/undingsources/gtio.html



Chapter 7 Student and Exchange Visitor Information

System (SEVIS) and Student Visas

Studentand

Exchange VisitorInformation

System (SEVIS)and

Student Visas



Chapter 7 Student and Exchange Visitor Information


States. It is part o the Student and Exchange Visitor Program(SEVP) managed by the U.S. De-partment o Homeland Security.The college you plan to attend willbegin the SEVIS process or you byentering basic inormation about you, your program, how you planto fnance your studies, and whenthe program begins and ends. They

will then send you an I-20 orm, aDS-2019 orm, or an I-20M-Norm, depending on the type o visa you need. You must pay aSEVIS I-901 ee and complete thisorm beore your visa interview

(see below). For more detailedinormation about SEVIS, see

ing center can provide valuableinormation on the applicationprocedures or your country. (I possible, attend an Education-USA pre-departure orientationprogram; it will almost certainlyinclude inormation on applyingor a visa). Your nearest U.S.embassy or consulate can provide application orms and spe-

cifc details o the applicationprocess. Embassies and consul-ates oten have telephone inor-mation lines and websites withthis inormation.

Booklet Four in this series,Getting Ready to Go: Practical



Chapter 7 Student and Exchange Visitor Inormation


Applying or a Student Visa:A Step-by-Step Guide

Beore you can ask or a visa ap-pointment you must pay the stu-dent I-901 ee. All students andexchange visitors must pay thisee, which varies based upon theirstatus: most F and M studentsand exchange visitors pay 200

U.S. dollars. There are many waysto pay this ee, including an onlineoption. To learn more, see https://www.mjee.com/i901ee/.

Once you have paid the ee, you

can contact the U.S. embassy orconsulate in your country or an

rect: date and country o birth,degree program, reporting date,completion date, and nancialinormation?

• Is it signed by a college ocial?

• Has the reporting date (“stu-dent must report no laterthan…”) passed? I so, the orm

has expired and may no longerbe used. Contact the Desig-nated School Ocial (DSO)or Responsible Ocer (RO)at your school or program to re-quest another.

• I your I-20, I-20M-N, or





In order to issue your visa, theconsular ocer must be satisedon three counts:

• First, are you a bona de stu-

dent? The ocer will look at your educational backgroundand plans to assess how likely you are to enroll and remainin college until graduation.

During your interview, be pre-pared to discuss the reasons you chose a particular college, youranticipated major, and yourcareer plans. Bring school tran-scripts, national examination

results, graduate admissions orEnglish-language test scores

sponsoring your education. I anyone other than your parentsis sponsoring you, you shouldexplain your special relation-ship with this person, justiyinga commitment o thousands o dollars to your education.

Provide solid evidence o yoursponsor’s nances, especially

sources and amounts o in-come. This assures the consularocer that adequate unds willbe available throughout yourprogram. I your sponsor’s in-come is rom several dierent

sources (such as salary, con-tracts, consulting ees, a arm,





demonstrate sucient eco-nomic, amily, and social tiesto your place o residence toensure that your stay in theUnited States will be tempo-

rary. Economic ties include your amily’s economic posi-tion, property you own orstand to inherit, and your owneconomic potential when you

come home with a U.S. educa-tion. The consular ocer willbe impressed to see evidence o your career planning and yourknowledge o the local employ-ment scene. For amily and so-

cial ties, the consular ocermay ask how many close am-

Visa Reusals

I your application is reused, theconsular ocer is required to give you a written explanation. How-

ever, this is oten a standardizedreply and is unlikely to go into thedetails o your specic case. You have the right to apply a secondtime, but i you do reapply, make

sure to prepare careully; the con-sular ocer will need to see reshevidence sucient to overcomethe reasons or the rst denial.

I you have given careul thought

to your educational goals and i you have realistic career plans,





or the M-1 visa) you receivedrom your university is validand correct.

• Pay the I-901 ee and obtain the

necessary receipt.

• Take all the necessary docu-ments to your interview.

•

Ensure that you can demon-strate to the consular ocer that you are a bona de student, that you can nance your education,and that you have strong ties to your home country.

• I your application is reused

must provide resh evidenceto overcome the reason or therst reusal.

Useul Websites

General Inormation on Student Visas

http://travel.state.gov (Click on “Visas

or Foreign Citizens.”)

U.S. Department o State Website orStudent and Exchange Visitors

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/

types_1270.html

U.S. Department o Homeland Secu-

rity — Student and Exchange VisitorProgram (SEVP)



Chapter 8 U.S. University Lie

U.S.University

Life




tive oces are open. Notiy theinstitution i you are travelingwith dependents, and be sure toask about married student hous-ing, day care acilities, activities

or spouses, schooling or yourchildren, and any other questionsthat may be important to you and your amily.

Orientation

Many U.S. universities hold ar-rival orientations or new inter-national students to amiliarizethem with the campus and its

acilities and to help them adjust to lie in the United States. The

International StudentAdvisers (ISAs)

U.S. universities that regularlyadmit international students have

special sta assigned and trainedto work with them. They are usu-ally called international student advisers (ISAs) or oreign stu-dent advisers (FSAs). You can

ask these sta members questionsrelated to your status as an in-ternational student or seek theirhelp i you have problems or con-cerns. They may also organize so-cial and cultural events or inter-

national students throughout the year along with the International




I you have not arranged housingin advance, or i you preer livingo campus in the local commu-nity, you will need to arrive at theuniversity several weeks beore

the start o the term. The closerto the start o the term you beginlooking or housing, the morelimited your options will be.

Money and Banking

The United States has national,regional, state, and city-basedbanks. Some universities havetheir own credit unions or other

banking services. Beore openingan account nd out which banks

on the best policy or you. Don’t orget to make sure you are in-sured or the journey rom yourhome country to your campus inthe United States.

Extracurricular Activities

A variety o organizations andactivities await you on most cam-

puses. These may include student-run publications, special-interest groups, or even sports clubs.Getting involved is a great wayto meet new riends and nd col-leagues with similar academic and

research interests.




can set up a bank account inthe United States and transerunds rom home.

• Check out the social, sports,

and other acilities available oncampus and identiy activitiesin which you would like to get involved.

Useul Websites

Getting Ready to Go: Practical Inorma-

tion or Living and Studying in the United

States (Booklet Four o the I You Want

to Study in the United States series)On-line


(Click on “I You Want to Study.”)

America.gov — American Liehttp://www.america.gov/amlie/educa-

tion.html



Chapter 9 Specialized Proessional Study

SpecializedProfessionalStudy




ics, and mathematics, as well as inthe humanities and the behavioraland social sciences.

First Proessional Degree

The rst proessional degree indentistry, titled either the doc-tor o dental surgery (D.D.S.)or the doctor o dental medicine

(D.M.D.) degree, requires our years o study — two years em-phasizing the basic medical sci-ences, and two years providing aclinical orientation. To practice,graduates must also meet licen-

sure requirements o the state inwhich they plan to see patients,

because public institutions gen-erally give admissions preer-ence to the state residents whosetaxes support their programs.The American Dental Educa-

tion Association (www.adea.org)publishes an annual ocial guideto dental schools that includesuseul inormation and statisticson admission requirements. Your

EducationUSA advising centermay have this resource and otherreerence material to help you get inormation on particular schoolsand evaluate your qualications.

Application requirements ordental school include a strong




IL 60611-2678, USA; Telephone:312-440-2689, extension 2689; E-mail: [email protected].

Admission with Advanced

Standing

International dental graduateswho wish to become licensed topractice in the United States or

Canada must obtain a D.D.S.or D.M.D. degree rom an ac-credited dental school in eithercountry. Currently some 40 suchdental schools oer an oppor-tunity to obtain a degree on an

accelerated basis, usually aterstudying or two or three years

lize the Centralized Applicationor Admission with AdvancedStanding or International Den-tists (CAAPID) oered by theAmerican Dental Education As-

sociation. CAAPID applicantssubmit a single set o credentials,which are then disseminated tothe dental schools they choose.

Postgraduate Training

Ater receiving the D.D.S. orequivalent, dentists may apply orpostgraduate training at hospi-tals or dental schools. Some pro-

grams lead to a master’s degree,and doctoral study may also be




No one process exists to qualiy in-ternationally trained dentists seek-ing to study in the United States.One common requirement is that applicants must pass one or both

parts o the National Board Den-tal Examination. Some specialtyareas, such as oral surgery andperiodontics, require that dentistscomplete at least the last two years

o proessional study at a U.S.university and earn a rst proes-sional degree at a dental school ac-credited by the American DentalAssociation. (About hal o U.S.dental schools oer admission at

an advanced level or internation-ally educated dentists wishing to

ater completion o a our-yearbachelor’s degree. Admission tomedical study is very competi-tive. Less than hal o U.S. citizenapplicants are accepted to medi-

cal school, and typically less than2 percent o international appli-cants are accepted. The majorityo these international applicantshave completed their bachelor’s

degrees in the United States.Some state-supported schoolswill consider only U.S. citizensand permanent residents oradmission.

First Proessional Degree




experience; and a satisactoryscore on the Medical CollegeAdmission Test (MCAT).

Students interested in pursuing

an M.D. degree should careullyconsider the entrance require-ments, length o time involved(our years o undergraduate studyplus another our years o medi-

cal school), and recognition o aU.S. medical degree and licensingqualications in their home coun-try to determine i medical studyis appropriate or them. TheAssociation o American Medi-

cal Colleges publishes an annualguide to medical schools, Medi-

in a chosen medical specialty,usually called a residency. A resi-dency is a proessional trainingprogram under the supervisiono senior physician educators.

Most residency programs last rom three to seven years. Thelength o residency training var-ies and depends on the specialtychosen: amily practice, internal

medicine, and pediatrics, or ex-ample, require 3 years o train-ing; general surgery requires 5 years. The Accreditation Coun-cil or Graduate Medical Educa-tion (ACGME) accredits such

programs. While entry to resi-dencies is quite competitive, in-




contact, graduates o medicalschools outside the United Statesmust pass a certication programadministered by the EducationalCommission or Foreign Medi-

cal Graduates (ECFMG). Thiscertication program is designedto assure both the U.S. public anddirectors o residency programsthat applicants rom oreign

medical schools have qualica-tions comparable to U.S. medicalschool graduates. All graduateso medical schools outside theUnited States and Canada must meet ECFMG certication

requirements.

international medical schools to veriy the status o their studentsand graduates who have appliedto ECFMG or the UnitedStates Medical Licensing Exami-

nation (USMLE).

Once approved by ECFMG,applicants must pass the ollow-ing exams:

• Step 1 Medical Sciences Exam— an eight-hour, computer-based, multiple-choice examcovering knowledge in the basicmedical sciences (anatomy, be-

havioral sciences, biochemistry,microbiology, pathology, phar-




at clinical skills evaluation cen-ters in the United States andconsists o twelve teen-min-ute examinations o standard-ized patients with ten minutes

to compose a written recordo the encounter. Students aregraded on their medical his-tory and physical examinationdata-gathering skills, com-

munication and interpersonalabilities, and English languageprociency.

For more inormation visit theECFMG website at http://

www.ecmg.org or the USMLEwebsite at http://www.usmle.org.

Locating a Residency

ECFMG certication doesnot guarantee placement in aresidency program, but the per-

centage o international medicalgraduates with ECFMG certi-cation who have been placed inresidency programs has increasedin recent years. Locating a resi-

dency involves applying to individual programs (usually throughthe Electronic Residency Appli-cation System), interviewing withthose programs that demonstratean initial interest in admitting

you, then ranking the programswith which you would preer to




Interviews: During the interview process, residency admis-sions ocers urther evaluateapplicants based on previousclinical training, recommenda-

tion letters, personal statements,patient care experience, medicalknowledge, practice-based learn-ing and improvement, interper-sonal and communication skills,

proessionalism, and systems-based practice. These programsare highly selective, so be open toall the potential residencies that would be a good t or your aca-demic background and proes-

sional goals.

Unmatched applicants then havetwo days to contact unlled pro-grams and possibly secure a posi-tion; this period is oten reerredto as the “Post-Match Scramble.”

For more inormation visit theNRMP website at http://www.nrmp.org.

More inormation on residency

programs is available online inthe Accreditation Council orGraduate Medical Education(ACGME) database at http://www.acgme.org/adspublic andthe American Medical Asso-

ciation’s (AMA) Fellowshipand Residency Electronic In-




graduate medical education toobtain a license. Most doctorsalso choose to become board cer-tied. To become certied doc-tors are tested on their mastery

o a specialty area and must provethey can provide quality patient care in that specialty. Some 24specialty medical boards certiyU.S. doctors in more than 100

general medical specialties andsubspecialties.

Alternatives Not RequiringECFMG Certifcation

Academic Graduate Programs:Foreign medical graduates can

erences or short-term courses,lasting rom a ew days, to a ew weeks, to several months. Suchopportunities are open to or-eign medical graduates without

ECFMG certication as long asthey do not involve direct patient contact. Some medical centers,particularly larger research andteaching institutions, may also be

able to arrange individual train-ing or international physicianson request. Such exchanges can-not involve direct patient contact,but they can provide valuableopportunities or consultation,

observation, and comparison o acilities. Some medical centers




Nursing

Basic study or the nursing pro-ession in the United Statestakes place at the undergradu-

ate level. A “registered nurse”(R.N.) can hold a diploma, anassociate degree, or a bachelor’sdegree in nursing and must ul-ll state licensure requirements

to practice. While the criteriaand regulations or licensure varyrom state to state, all states usethe same licensing examination,known as the NCLEX-RN,regardless o the type o entry-

level program attended. Nursesmust pass the NCLEX-RN to

continuing education programsoered by universities, hospitals,associations, and other sources.Specializations include nursingadministration, nursing educa-

tion, nurse midwiery, psychiat-ric/mental health nursing, geron-tological nursing, public healthnursing, and many others. Somegraduate nursing programs re-

quire state licensure dependingon the level o patient contact and the laws o the state wherethe program is oered, and mayrequire the CGFNS Creden-tials Evaluation Service (CES)

as a pre-admission assessment.Another option in many states is




CGFNS Programs

VisaScreen Program: Health-care proessionals, includingnurses, seeking temporary or

permanent occupational visasor Trade NAFTA (TN) status,must rst obtain a VisaScreenCerticate as part o the visa pro-cess. The CGFNS VisaScreen

Program is also required or tem-porary nonimmigrant (H-1B) orpermanent occupational visa ap-plicants. The VisaScreen Pro-gram, administered by the In-ternational Commission on

Healthcare Proessions (ICHP),a division o CGFNS Inter-

• Test o Nursing Knowledge:Registered nurses must takeeither the CGFNS Qualiy-ing Exam or the NCLEX-RN examination.

The VisaScreen Certicate is valid or 5 years rom date o is-sue and must be renewed i you have not adjusted status. For

inormation on the VisaScreen, visit the CGFNS website at http://www.cgns.org/sections/programs/vs/.

Certifcation Program: The

CGFNS Certication Programrequires a credentials review, a




health nursing, nursing o chil-dren, maternal/inant nursing,and psychiatric/mental healthnursing; and

• have initial and current licensurein your country o education.This licensure must be valid andunencumbered.

The CGFNS Qualiying Examtests nursing knowledge and isgiven approximately three timesa year at sites around the world.Candidates or certication must also demonstrate English lan-

guage prociency (unless exempt-ed rom English language testing)

wish to pursue licensure or aca-demic admission in the UnitedStates. The CES report on edu-cation and licensure is advisoryin nature and does not make

specic placement recommen-dations. For inormation on theCredentials Evaluation Service, visit the CGFNS website at http://www.cgns.org/sections/

programs/ces/.

Veterinary Medicine

U.S. veterinary schools oer aour-year program, and graduates

receive a Doctor o VeterinaryMedicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.).




which allows applicants to sub-mit a common application ormultiple schools. The primaryconsideration or admission isthe quality o the applicant’s un-

dergraduate record. The majorityo veterinary schools require stu-dents to take the Graduate Re-cord Examination (GRE), but aew also accept the Medical Col-

lege Admission Test (MCAT).For more inormation on VM-CAS, visit http://www.aavmc.org or contact VMCAS at 1101Vermont Avenue NW, Suite301, Washington, DC 20005 (tel:

877-862-2740; e-mail: [email protected]).

License to Practice VeterinaryMedicine

While the requirements to ob-tain a license to practice veteri-

nary medicine vary rom state tostate, all states require that apply-ing veterinarians pass the NorthAmerican Veterinary LicensingExam (NAVLE). Veterinarians

graduating rom veterinary col-leges accredited by the AmericanVeterinary Medical Association(AVMA) are immediately eli-gible to sit or the NAVLE. All28 U.S. colleges o veterinary

medicine, in addition to 13 inter-national colleges, are AVMA-ac-




Law

The legal system in the UnitedStates, on the ederal level and inalmost all states, is based on the

British system o common law.One state, Louisiana, has a sys-tem modeled on the French legalcode.

First Proessional DegreeThe U.S. rst proessional de-gree, the juris doctor (J.D.),provides an education stronglyocused on preparation or U.S.

practice, with limited opportu-nity or comparative or specialty

generally include fuency in Eng-lish, an excellent undergraduateacademic record, and a satisac-tory score on the Law SchoolAdmission Test (LSAT). (See

http://www.lsac.org or LSATregistration inormation.) Topractice in the United States,graduates must also pass the barexamination and meet other re-

quirements o the state wherethey wish to work.

Graduate Legal Education

One graduate option is the mas-

ter o laws (L.L.M.), a degree o-ered in a variety o specialties or




dents only or the all semester.Programs can be planned accord-ing to the interests o the student.Entrance requirements include arst degree in law, a strong aca-

demic background, letters o reer-ence, a statement o purpose and/or writing samples, and a high lev-el o English prociency as dem-onstrated by the Test o English as

a Foreign Language (TOEFL) orInternational English LanguageTesting System (IELTS) or stu-dents whose law degree was not inthe English language. Most grad-uate law programs do not require

standardized admissions tests.

Proessional associations and private training organizations oersimilar programs.

Your nearest EducationUSA ad-

vising center may be able to provide inormation on other options,such as tours to visit U.S. legalinstitutions.

Review

• Entry to U.S. rst proessionaldegree programs in dentistry ishighly competitive. Graduateoptions include academic de-

grees, residencies (particularlyin specialty areas), or short-




In some cases, and always in thecase o nurses seeking to qualiyor U.S. practice, certicationby CGFNS is required.

• Entry to the U.S. rst proes-sional degree in veterinarymedicine is even more compet-itive and dicult than it is ormedicine. Graduate options

include academic degrees, resi-dencies, or short-term trainingand exchanges. U.S. licensureor veterinarians educated out-side the United States requirescertication by ECFVG.

• LL.M. and other graduate law

Educational Commission or Foreign

Medical Graduates

http://www.ecmg.org

Electronic Residency Application

System (ERAS)http://www.aamc.org/students/eras

Federation o State Medical Boards

http://www.smb.org

Fellowship and Residency Electronic

Interactive Database (FREIDA)

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/

education-careers/graduate-medical-

education/reida-online.shtml

Medical College Admission Test




American Veterinary Medical

Association

http://www.avma.org

National Board o Veterinary Medical

Examinershttp://www.nbvme.org/

Law

American Bar Association

http://www.abanet.org

The Association o American Law

Schools

http://www.aals.org

Law School Admission Council

http://www.lsac.org

National Conerence o Bar Examiners

http://www.ncbex.org



Chapter 10 Opportunities or Scholars




as the underlying structure o theaculty system. Please note that while in many countries the word“aculty” reers to a department or division within a college or

university, in the United Statesthe term reers to the people whoteach courses.

Faculty

In almost every academic insti-tution, aculty members are or-ganized into departments basedon academic elds. Each depart-ment operates independently and

is headed by a department chair.Faculty members o a depart-

aculty or that department. Insome departments, primary pow-er lies with the department as awhole. In others, the chair is morepowerul than the other members.

Faculty titles denote academicrank. In ascending order, they are“lecturer” (or “instructor”), “as-sistant proessor,” “associate pro-

essor,” and “proessor.” Except in the case o very distinguishedsenior proessors, most acultymembers who know one anotheraddress each other by rst namesand do not use these titles in con-

versation. In addition to teach-ing classes, aculty may have one




o the tenure holder. The purposeo the tenure system is to preserveacademic reedom, to prevent aninstitution rom ring a proessoror making unpopular or radi-

cal statements, or or advocatingunorthodox ideas. Lecturers, in-structors, and visiting aculty arenot considered or tenure. An as-sistant proessor generally has be-

tween ve and seven years to gaintenure. At the end o this time acommittee o peers (other univer-sity aculty) votes on whether ornot to recommend tenure. One o the most important considerations

is the aculty member’s researchand publication record.

o around $51,000, based on thenumber o classes taught. Facultysalaries in elds such as engineer-ing and medicine were consider-ably higher than the average.

Many aculty members serve asconsultants to business, industry,and government, both as a sourceo outside income and as a stimulus

or proessional development. Se-nior aculty members sometimeshold joint appointments wherebythey have part-time teaching re-sponsibilities and part-time ad-ministrative responsibilities.

Students




distance, with students deerringto aculty members.

Faculty members usually con-struct their own examinations.

In most cases, aculty grade ex-aminations and papers or theircourses themselves, unless thecourse has a very high enroll-ment. In that case, they may rely

on teaching assistants to do at least some o the grading.

Research Institutions

Universities dier greatly rom

one another in the level o theirdedication to research. Research

Finding and ArrangingAcademic Opportunities

Many avenues exist or scholars,researchers, and aculty to come

to the United States as tempo-rary academic visitors. Thosedescribed below are some o themost common.

Fulbright Visiting ScholarsProgram: Under the auspices o the Fulbright Program, interna-tional scholars come to the Unit-ed States to research or to lectureat U.S. academic institutions or

periods ranging rom a semesterto an academic year. U.S. schol-




Department o State and theJ. William Fulbright ForeignScholarship Board in the UnitedStates or nal approval.

The Council or the Internation-al Exchange o Scholars (CIES)in Washington, D.C., assistswith the implementation o theprogram by arranging university

aliations or senior Fulbright scholars at U.S. academic in-stitutions. Once scholars are inthe United States, CIES assistsin program administration andsupport.

Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow-

Resources, Environmental Poli-cy, and Climate Change; PublicHealth Policy and Management;Public Policy Analysis and Pub-lic Administration; Teaching o

English as a Foreign Language;Technology Policy and Manage-ment; Tracking in Persons, Pol-icy and Prevention; and Urbanand Regional Planning.

Fulbright Commissions, U.S.embassies, and binational centersaccept applications and nomi-nate candidates. The Instituteo International Education (IIE)

reviews nominations with the as-sistance o independent selection




scholars, researchers, or lecturers.I you have an outstanding reputa-tion as a researcher or have yourown proessional contacts withU.S. aculty, you may be able to ar-

range a special invitational position.Under these arrangements, theU.S. university normally providesa salary and sometimes providesresearch acilities. In some coun-

tries, there are agencies that claim tobe able to nd invitational positionsor scholars, but these are rarelyeective.

Other Arrangements: Scholars

and researchers anticipating asabbatical or wishing to conduct

Obtaining Funding

Arrangements or unding visit-ing researchers and scholars varygreatly. Oten the scholar’s home

institution pays a regular salarywhile the scholar is on sabbatical.Occasionally, scholars come tothe United States using their ownunds.

Some oundations and organiza-tions provide grants to support scholarly research in the arts,sciences, humanities, and health-related elds. Although competi-

tion is intense, oreign nationalsas well as U.S. citizens are oten




awarded to you as an individual,or to the institution, which thenagrees to employ you with theunds rom the grant. I you leave beore the grant is com-

pleted and the grant is to the in-stitution, it will remain with theinstitution.

Perhaps an ideal scenario is to

nd an academic department inthe United States with a researchgrant allowing employment o additional researchers. Usuallysuch arrangements arise throughpersonal correspondence be-

tween the people involved. Thereis no central source or this type

In your preliminary correspon-dence, ind out how much time your main aculty contact, aswell as others in the department,will be able to devote to collabo-

ration or consultation with you.Find out how directly involved your aculty contact will be inthe speciic research project inwhich you are interested. Dis-

cuss what orm the collabora-tion will take. Request a copy o the curriculum vitae o the peo-ple with whom you will be work-ing so you can learn about theirwork’s scope and background,

as well as their individual edu-cational backgrounds, travel ex-




highly subsidized as they are inmany other countries. Funds orresearch must be careully bud-geted within the department orresearch program. I you need ac-

cess to a personal computer andparticular sotware, specic labo-ratory equipment, or specializeduniversity acilities, negotiate inadvance with the department or

the key administrators about how these resources will be providedand unded.

For reasons o national security,in a number o research areas

there are government restrictionson access to inormation. I the

Corresponding With theOfce o International Services

On some university campuses,particularly those o large research

universities, an Oce o Inter-national Services (which may usea slightly dierent name) oers a valuable liaison between visitingscholars, researchers, or aculty

and the campus community. Onother campuses, such an ocemay exist primarily as a resourceor students, but even so, it maybe a useul source o inormation.This oce can provide inorma-

tion about many aspects o livingand working in the United States




usually justiy the expense. I you have a grant or ellowship, ask i there is a provision or attendingconerences or or other proes-sional development activities.

Review

• The U.S. academic environ-ment and structure dier rom

those o other countries. Junioraculty members are likely tobe extremely busy with the de-mands o pursuing tenure. Inter-action with students tends to berelatively inormal.

• Many paths exist or arrang-

tional grants, or other means.Be sure to review the terms o grants careully.

• Obtain clear agreements in

writing rom the U.S. institu-tion you are visiting regardingthe terms o your stay.

• Seek out contacts such as the

Oce o International Servicesthat can provide inormationto help you prepare or your stay.

• Explore additional proessionaldevelopment activities that

may enhance your stay.



Glossary o Terms

Gl



Glossary o Terms

Assistantship: A study grant o nancial assistance to agraduate student that is oered in return or certain services in teaching or laboratory supervision, as a teachingassistant, or or services in research as a research assistant.

Audit: To take a class without receiving a grade or credit toward a degree.

Authentication: Process o determining whether some-thing is, in act, what it is declared to be. Incoming studentsare oten required to provide a document o authenticationor academic transcripts or previous degrees when applyingto a program o study in the United States.

Bachelor’s Degree: Degree conerred by an institution o higher learning ater the student has accumulated a certain

number o undergraduate credits. Usually a bachelor’s de-gree takes our years to earn, and it is a prerequisite or



Glossary o Terms

Course: Regularly scheduled class sessions o one to ve(or more) hours per week during a term.

Credits: Units that institutions use to record the com-pletion o courses o instruction (with passing or higher

grades) that are required or an academic degree. Univer-sity catalogs dene the number and the kinds o creditsrequired or its degrees and state the value in terms o de-gree credit — “credit hours” or “credit units” — o eachcourse oered.

DAT: Dental Admission Test required o applicants todental schools.

Degree: Diploma or title conerred by a college, university,or proessional school upon completion o a prescribed pro-

gram o studies.



Glossary o Terms

ECFMG: Educational Commission or Foreign MedicalGraduates.

ECFVG: Educational Commission or Foreign Veteri-nary Graduates.

Electives: Courses that students may “elect,” or choose,to take or credit toward their intended degree, as distin-guished rom courses that they are required to take.

ERAS: Electronic Residency Application System or ob-taining a residency position in the eld o medicine in theUnited States.

Faculty: The members o the teaching sta, and occasion-ally the administrative sta, o an educational institution.

The aculty is responsible or designing the plans o studyoered by the institution.



Glossary o Terms

Grade Point Average: A system o recording academicachievement based on the numerical grade received in eachcourse and the number o credit hours studied.

GRE: Graduate Record Examination; primarily multi-

ple-choice test o verbal and quantitative reasoning, criti-cal thinking, and analytical writing used or admission intograduate programs.

High School: The U.S. term or secondary school.

Higher Education: Postsecondary education at colleges,universities, proessional schools, technical institutes, etc.Education beyond high school.

International English Language Testing System

(IELTS): An English language prociency examination o applicants whose native language is not English.



Glossary o Terms

sciences, with the goal o developing students’ verbal, writ-ten, and reasoning skills.

LSAT: Law School Admission Test required o applicantsto proessional law programs and some postgraduate law

programs in American law schools.

Major: The subject or area o studies in which a student concentrates. Undergraduates usually choose a major a-ter the irst two years o general courses in the arts andsciences.

Major Proessor/Thesis Adviser: For research degrees,the proessor who works closely with a student in planningand choosing a research plan, in conducting the research,and in presenting the results. The major proessor serves

as the head o a committee o aculty members who review progress and results.



Glossary o Terms

Non-Resident: A student who do not meet the residencerequirements o the state. Tuition ees and admission poli-cies may dier or residents and non-residents. Interna-tional students are usually classied as non-residents, andthere is little possibility o changing to resident status at a

later date or tuition purposes. Also reerred to as an “out o state” student.

Notarization: The certication o a document, a state-ment, or a signature as authentic and true by a public o-cial — known in the United States as a notary public.Applicants in other countries should have their documentscertied or notarized in accordance with instructions.

NRMP: National Resident Matching Program.

Out-o-state Student: See “Non-Resident” above.



Glossary o Terms

Proessional Degree: Usually obtained ater completing abachelor’s degree; degree designed to lead into a specic pro-ession such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, or law.

Qualiying Examination: In many graduate departments,

an examination given to students who have completed re-quired coursework or a doctoral degree, but who have not yet begun the dissertation or thesis. A qualiying examina-tion may be oral or written, or both, and must be passed orthe student to continue.

Registration: Process through which students select courses to be taken during a quarter, semester, or trimester.

Residency: Clinical training in a chosen specialty.

Sabbatical: Leave with pay granted to give a aculty mem-ber an extended period o time or concentrated study.



Glossary o Terms

Student and Exchange Visitor Inormation System(SEVIS): An Internet-based system that maintains data onoreign students and exchange visitors beore and duringtheir stay in the United States. It is part o the Student andExchange Visitor Program (SEVP) managed by the U.S.

Department o Homeland Security.

Subject: Course in an academic discipline oered as part o a curriculum o an institution o higher learning.

Syllabus: An outline o topics to be covered in an academiccourse.

Tenure: A guarantee that a aculty member will remainemployed by a college or university until retirement except in the case o very unusual circumstances. Tenure is granted

to senior aculty members who have demonstrated a worthyresearch and publication record. Its purpose is to preserve



Glossary o Terms

Undergraduate Studies: Two- or our-year programs in acollege or university ater high school graduation, leading tothe associate or bachelor’s degree.

USMLE: U.S. Medical Licensing Examination.

VMCAS: Veterinary Medical College Application Ser- vice; a comprehensive service collecting data or veterinarymedical schools.

Withdrawal: The administrative procedure o dropping acourse or leaving an institution.

Zip Code: A series o numbers in mailing addresses that designates postal delivery districts in the United States.



Additional Resources

Contact your nearest EducationUSA advising center to nd

out more about these and other resources.

AdditionalResources




Peterson’s Colleges with Programs or Students with Learning Dis-abilities or Attention Defcit Disorders, Charles T. Mangrumand Stephen S. Strichart. 1997. Peterson’s, Princeton, NJ.

Peterson’s Guide to Graduate and Proessional Study. Published

annually. Peterson’s, Princeton, NJ. (6-volume set with in-ormation on a wide variety o programs)

Peterson’s MBA Programs 2009. 2008, Peterson’s, Princeton,NJ.

Your MBA Game Plan: Proven Strategies or Getting into theTop Business Schools, Omari Bouknight and Scott Shrum.2007. The Career Press, Franklin Lakes, NJ.

Financial Assistance

The College Board Scholarship Handbook. Published annually.

dd l




Graduate Admissions Essays: Write Your Way into the Grad-uate School o Your Choice, Donald Asher. 2008. Ten SpeedPress, Berkeley, CA.

Great Application Essays or Business School , Paul Bodine.

2006. The McGraw-Hill Companies, New York, NY.

How to Write a Winning Personal Statement or Graduateand Proessional School — 3rd Edition, Richard J. Stelzer.1997. Peterson’s, Princeton, NJ.

Proessional Programs

Dentistry

Ofcial Guide to Dental Schools. Published annually. Ameri-

can Dental Association.

Addi i l R




Nursing

Peterson’s Nursing Programs. Published annually. Peterson’s,Princeton, NJ.

The Ultimate Guide or Getting into Nursing School ,Genevieve Chandler. 2007. McGraw-Hill Proessional,New York, NY.

Veterinary Medicine

Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements in theUnited States and Canada, Lawrence Heider. 2008. PurdueUniversity Press, West Laayette, IN.

Law

How to Get into the Top Law Schools, 4th Edition, Richard

Addi i l R




Pre-departure Inormation

Getting Ready to Go: Practical Inormation or Living andStudying in the United States (Booklet Four o this series)

International Student’s Guide to the USA, Ian Jacobs and El-len Shatswell. 1998. Princeton Review Publishing, LLC,New York, NY.

NAFSA’s International Student Handbook: The Essential Guideto University Study in the USA. 2001. NAFSA: Associationo International Educators, Washington, DC.

The Ultimate College Survival Guide, Janet Farrar Worthing-ton and Ronald Farrar. 2009. Peterson’s, Princeton, NJ.

I d



Index

Index

Academic calendar 16Accreditation 3, 10, 18, 25-26, 28, 29, 73, 76, 95

I d



Index

Course load 16-17

Dentistry 69-72, 83, 84, 102, 107

Disabilities, students with 27, 29, 105

Distance education 3, 18, 19, 26

Doctoral degree 3, 13, 15-16, 19, 71, 78, 79, 81, 83, 102

DS-2019 orm 48, 60, 61, 63Educational consultants 24-25

EducationUSA advising centers 3, 11, 12, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26,

29, 31, 32, 33, 36, 37, 38 48, 50, 52, 54,

60, 65, 69, 70, 73, 76, 80, 83, 105

Employment 21, 55, 56, 92

English prociency 32-33, 34, 37, 70, 75, 79, 80, 83, 99, 103

F-1 visa 55, 56, 60, 61, 63

Fairs, college/university 13, 24, 29

Fees 10, 18, 25, 28, 37, 45, 48, 50, 54, 55, 60, 61, 62, 64, 102

Fellowships 28, 43, 54, 73-74, 76, 84, 90, 94, 98

Financial assistance 28, 36, 47, 52-56, 57, 58, 83, 96, 98, 102, 106Assistantships 54-55

I d



Index

I-20 orm 48, 60, 61, 62, 63

International English LanguageTesting System (IELTS)32, 33-34, 37, 39, 47, 54, 80, 83, 99

International student adviser 66, 67, 69

International student oce 27, 48, 55, 66, 93, 94

Internship 26, 90Interviews 44, 54, 60, 61, 62, 64, 76

J-1 visa 56, 60, 61, 63

Law 82-83

Loans 51, 56, 57, 98

Major 57, 62, 69, 82, 100

Master’s degree 3, 13, 14-15, 19, 26, 53, 71, 78, 81, 83, 97, 100, 103

Medicine 31, 69, 72-77, 83, 84, 88, 98, 102, 107

Miller Analogies Tests (MAT) 31, 34, 100

Money and banking 48, 67

Non-degree study 18-19, 71, 78, 103

Nursing 69, 78-80, 85, 96, 108Orientation 27, 48, 60, 66, 67

Index



Index

Teaching assistantships 32, 44, 54-55, 58, 87, 89, 96, 99

Technical education 14, 30, 60

Test o English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)32-34, 37, 39, 47, 54, 80, 83, 103

Test o Spoken English (TSE) 32, 33, 34

Transcripts 38, 47, 62, 74, 96, 103Tuition 10, 17, 18, 28, 50, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 102, 104

Types o institutions 17-18

Veterinary medicine 69, 80-81, 84, 85, 102, 104, 108

Visa application procedures 61-63

Visa reusals 63

Visa types 60

Visiting campuses 24

Vocational education 33, 60

Web-based search tools 23

Working in the United States 55-56

bk2 english

Documents