Study in the Study in the

USAUSA

• Promoting peace and cultural understanding through educational exchange

• Awards for postgraduate study and research in the US and UK

• Fulbright Advisory Service offering information and advice on all levels of US study to the UK public

• Part of EducationUSA global network of more than 400 advising centres supported by US Department of State

US-UK Fulbright Commission:

President John F Kennedy signing the Fulbright-Hays Act; Senator

William J Fulbright (far left)

Terminology Differences:US UK

High school, grades 9 - 12 Years 10 - 13

College, university, institute, school

University

Class, course Module

Degree program, major Course

Public State-funded

US-UK Exchange

Trends

Open Doors 2011 Data

British Students in the USAmerican Study Abroad Students

in the UK

Key Facts UK Student Interest:

• Largest ever USA College Day fair with 165 exhibitors and 4,000 attendees

– Twice as many students as 2009 event– 50% increase in exhibitors from 2009– 43 new universities in 2011– Diversity of institutions

• 40% increase in web traffic over the last year

• 30% increase in SAT and ACT test takers in the last two years

• Some universities reported up to 50% increase in applications in 2010-11

Why Study Why Study

in the US?in the US?

1. Quality & Reputation of US Universities

2. Opportunity to Experience Campus Life & Activities

Alexandra Latham, Arizona State University

3. Liberal Arts + Focus on Teaching

4. Funding Opportunities

Joel Semakula, Morehead-Cain Scholar at UNC-CH

5. Internationalise Your CV

6. Learn About a New Culture & Expand My Horizons

Jorja Hudson, British student at San Jose State University

Overview & Key Differences:• Degrees on offer:

– Two-year/community colleges (Associate’s degrees)– Four-year (Bachelor’s degrees) – Law and Medicine studied at postgraduate level

• Less government control:– More institutional diversity and freedom– But no set fees or centralised admissions process

• Application process:– Slightly longer application form– Apply to the university, not the department– Holistic review of your application

Completing a Completing a

Successful Successful

ApplicationApplication

Typical TimeframeTime Before Enrolment

Notes

Spring / Summer - End of Lower Sixth

1 – 1 ½

Years•Learn about US higher education and application process•Begin researching and choosing universities

Autumn of

Upper Sixth – Before Semester Holiday

10-12

Months

•Finalise your selection of 4-6 universities •Register for admissions exams •Attend USA College Day (28, 29 Sept 2012)• Begin admissions and funding applications

Autumn of

Upper Sixth – After Semester Holiday

8-10

Months

•Submit admissions applications (Early deadlines in November; Regular deadlines in January – March)•Submit funding applications

Spring of

Upper Sixth

4-7

Months

•Receive admissions decisions (1 April at the latest for regular deadlines.)

Summer after

Upper Sixth

1-3

Months

•Notify universities by 1 May•Apply for your visa•Read the Pre-Departure Section of Fulbright website.

Aug. / Sept. -- •Begin study in the US!

Application Components:• Application form

• Admissions exam scores

• Transcript and/or school report

• 2-3 essays

• 2-3 recommendation letters

• Application fee

Selection Criteria:• Academics

– GCSEs– A levels

• Admissions exam scores

• Extracurricular involvement

• Personal Attributes– Interest in your academic field of choice– Character– Leadership abilities– Reasons for wanting to attend the university

Admissions Tests:• Options:

– SAT Reasoning & Subject tests

– ACT & ACT with Writing

– English-language proficiency exams

• What’s required

• Choosing between the SAT and ACT

– Taking practice tests

– Differences in format

– Test sites and availability

• How admissions tests used in admissions

• How to prepare

Essays:

• Importance of admissions essays

• Opportunity to set yourself apart and showcase your unique qualities as an applicant

• 2-3 essay questions per university

• Likely able to re-use elements of essays for different universities

Recommendations:

• Ask someone who knows you well, both in and out of the classroom

• Letter should be a marketing tool for you as an applicant

• Consider meeting with your referee to discuss letter

• Make sure referee is aware of deadlines and paperwork to complete

• Above all, encourage referees to be enthusiastic, positive, descriptive and anecdotal and avoid being restrained and too modest

Recommendation Letters (cont.):• UK: Joe Normal is a very likeable student with a solid future ahead

of him. He interacts well with his classmates and seems to be quite popular amongst his peers. Academically, he achieves decent marks and has good relationships with his tutor, although he could be more focused upon deadlines...

• US: It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Joe Normal who ranks amongst the top five percent of students within his classes. He is not only passionate about his field of study, but also about involvement in the community and school. I have no doubt he will be an asset to your programme…

Funding Your Funding Your

StudiesStudies

Source: NCES

Cost of Attendance:• Tuition and fees can vary significantly between universities

• May be a set semester/yearly rate or calculated on a per-credit basis

The average tuition and fees rates in 2011-12 are:

$20,770 (£13,100)/yr - out-of-state public four-year institutions

$28,500 (£18,000/yr - private four-year institutions

The average cost for all other expenses (books, room, board, travel, etc.) is $13,724 (£8,700) per year.

Source - College Board, 2011

Sources of Funding:

• Personal or family funds

• Loans

• Merit-based scholarships and need-based financial aid from US universities, as well as sports scholarships

• Scholarships from external organisations

Visas:• F-1 Student Visa or J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa (Fulbright and other

government-sponsored programmes)

• Generally, straight forward process in the UK: – Receive your I-20 (F-1) or DS-2019 (J-1) from the US university– Complete SEVIS application (I-901) and pay fee ($200) online – Complete visa application and pay fee ($131) online– Schedule an interview at the US Embassy in London

• Refer to US Embassy for visa enquiries:– http://london.usembassy.gov – 09042 450100 (Operator Assisted £1.20/min)

Ways Fulbright Ways Fulbright

Can Support YouCan Support You

Website on US-UK exchange: www.fulbright.o.uk - Quarter of a million visitors

USA College Day Fair – 28 & 29 September 2012

Webinars on Undergraduate Study (Recordings on our Website)

Resource Library + Phone & Email Enquiries

Social Media• Facebook Page

– US-UK Fulbright Commission– British Students in the US Group

• Twitter – Follow both our Feeds!- Advice: USAStudyAdvice- Commission-wide News: USUKFulbright- Awards: FulbrightAwards

• YouTube- Channel: USUKFulbright

• Flicker

– To view photos from our programmes and events.

Questions?Questions?

Choosing: Setting Your Goals:• If you definitely want to study in the US, select:

– Well-rounded list of 4-6 universities– 2 dream/reach schools (Your Oxbridge) + 2 match schools + 2 safety

schools (Think: Your UCAS insurance choice)

• If you need to get funding in order to go to the US:– Schools that offer financial aid to international students (many do, but not all)– Schools that offer the type of aid that best fits you: need-based, merit-based

or talent– 0-1 dream/reach school + 2-3 match schools + 2-3 safety schools

• If you are just throwing your hat into the ring, make sure you have a good back-up plan in the UK.

Choosing: Our Three-Step Process:1. Think before you search. Prioritise the factors that are

important to you.

2. Begin your search using online search engines, print guides and personal recommendations to narrow your search to 10-20 good options.

3. Do your homework. Roll up your sleeves and research these, narrowing the list to the 4-6 you apply to.

Factors to Consider:• Type of university

– Four year vs. two year– Public vs. private– Large vs. small– Ivy League (and other issues with prestige!)– “Public Ivies”– Association of American Universities or Carnegie Classification

of Very High Research Activity– Liberal arts colleges– Land grant universities– All-women’s colleges– Specialist institutions– US universities abroad

Factors to Consider:• Academics

– Competitiveness of admission– Majors offered– Enrichment opportunities: Study abroad, internships, co-ops, undergrad research, honours

programmes, etc.

• Location– Cost of living & lifestyle issues of being in urban, suburban or rural areas– Proximity to public transport / airports– Cultural differences– Weather and climate– Centres of excellence for certain fields

• Costs and availability of university funding– Reduce up-front costs– For university funding

• Campus life - atmosphere; activities; campus size; student body

Approximate Grade Conversions:GCSEs and A Levels:

UK Letter Grade

US Letter Grade

US Numeric

Value

A* A+ 4.3

A A 4.0

B B+ / A- 3.5 – 3.7

C B 3.0

Tips for Success:• Be strategic about your choice of essay topics and link to

admissions criteria

• Do not re-hash your CV or activities

• Use clear, concise language

• If you re-use an essay, be careful to double-check that all references within the text are to the correct university

• Proofread extensively

• Most importantly, be yourself! Don’t give the admissions officers the answers you think they want to hear; give them the truth.

Tips for Success - Funding:

• Start your scholarship search early

• Be willing to put in extra time and effort to seek out and apply for scholarships

• Be flexible in choosing universities

• Note you may need to ‘collect’ funding from multiple sources

• Other sources of financial assistance will likely be available once the student gets to the US, but these often cannot be taken into account in visa interview stage

Funding Resources:• US universities’ website

• Online scholarship searches - links on Fulbright website:– www.fundingusstudy.org

– www.iefa.org

– www.edupass.org/finaid

– www.globalgrant.com

• Fulbright monthly advising emails