Countries
The American Education System
International students who come to the United States might wonder how their American classmates reached that educational level. The American education system appears to be very confusing. This is a brief overview.
To begin, because of the country's history and cultural values, no national education system or national curriculum exists in the United States. The federal government does not operate schools.
Each of the 50 states has its own Department of Education, which sets guidelines for the schools of that state. Public colleges and universities receive funding from student tuition and the state in which they are located. Each state's legislature decides how many tax dollars will be given to colleges and universities.
Most of the control of American schools is in the hands of each local school district. Each school district is governed by a school board, a small committee of people elected by the local community. The school board sets general policies for the school district. Students do not pay tuition in grades 1-12.
Generally, school districts are divided into elementary schools, middle schools or junior high schools, and high schools. Elementary schools contain students in kindergarten and 1st through 5th or 6th grades. Many children go to kindergarten when they are five years old. Children begin first grade at age six.
Depending on the school district, students follow elementary school with either middle school or junior high school. Middle school contains grades 6-8. Junior high school contains grades 7-9. Following that, students go to high school. High school contains grades 9-12 or 10-12.
High school students take a wide range of courses. All students are required to take English, math, science, and social studies courses. They also might be required to take a foreign language and/or physical education. A course can be one semester or two semesters long.
In the United States, education is compulsory for all children until age 16 or 17. Usually, a student graduates after he or she has successfully passed all of the required courses. Grades are given to students for each course at the end of every semester or term.
Grades are:
A = Excellent
B = Above Average
C = Average
D = Below Average
F = Failure
(A student who fails a required course must take the course again.)
Accreditation:
Accreditation is a very important factor in deciding the college selection, since only accredited institutions and programs assure acceptance for transfer of credits an subsequent employment opportunities. There are several programs that require "professional education' to the concerned Accrediting Board, like Engineering,
Medicine, Law, etc. The Government does not directly govern the Education system in U.S.A. Alternatively, the Department of Education, under the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs oversees the working of Accrediting Agencies, which are the bodies that ensure quality of the institutions and programs.
Semesters:
1) Summer semester - Starts in April - Apply before November of the previous year.
2) Fall semester - Starts in August - Apply before end March.
3) Winter term - Starts in November - Apply before May.
4) Spring term - Starts in January - Apply before end September.
The above indicated application deadlines are applicable to most universities, if
one is applying in general, without a need for Financial Aid.
Applicants for Financial Aid need to need to apply another six months before the month indicated above. Please note that aid is usually considered for the fall semester applicants.
Many universities follow the rolling admission process, where they accept applications without deadlines and provide admission based on availability of seats with them for the semester applied.. Applications will be processed on a' First-come, First-Serve' basis. Else, they will consider for the subsequent semester. Normal duration of each semester is four and half months, followed by 4-6 weeks of holidays.
Encourage students to go to U.S to study programs starting from the Bachelor's degree, because of the ease of admission, costs, the flexibility factor and more importantly, the chance of getting a visa to study in the U.S. The first two years of undergraduate education (Bachelor's level) comprises study of a broad range of subjects for proper foundation. At the end of second year, students are advised to choose a specialized field of study, which would be the 'major' field of study for the last two years. For admission into Bachelor's level in U.S universities, international students need at least 12 years of formal schooling. The student is called freshman, sophomore, junior and senior in the respective four years of Bachelors.
16 years of formal education, is required for Master's level programs. However, there are universities, which do accept students with 15 years of education. Students who have 15 yrs of education without a recognized PG Diploma may not be accepted into masters directly at many universities. They have to go for a bridge program of around one year as a formality and then enter the masters program.
Students with an engineering background going for Management programs may be required to complete some prerequisites before they enter MBA.
The student is then informed regarding the ETS reporting. Some of our universities do not require official scores for admission; we can process with Xerox copies. Some universities require the students to send their official scores. Then it is the student's responsibility to send the official scores to the universities. We will assist in the score reporting by giving the institutional and departmental codes and in filling the Additional score reporting forms.
There is an advantage if students register with us before they have taken the ETS tests, because we can shortlist the universities beforehand based on tentative scores that they are getting in mock tests and they can choose the universities from the state wise listing given in TOEFL/GRE/SAT/GMAT where we will be finally applying and thus can save the additional scores expenses.
The US admission processing (from the time of applying to getting an I-20) usually takes a minimum of 6 to a maximum of 10 weeks. The universities will not issue the I-20 unless they receive the required scores through ETS or Xerox copies(that the student may submit later ).The universities may take a min of 3-4 weeks of evaluation time after they receive the scores to take a decision on the students admission and sending the I-20.
The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is a government, computerized system that maintains and manages data about foreign students and exchange visitors during their stay in the United States. SEVIS, for the first time, automates and centralizes this data. SEVIS allows for real-time access to this information and helps students comply with the terms of their visas.
SEVIS has become mandatory for all schools and organizations, which accept F-1, M-1, or J-1 international students. Under the proposed SEVIS regulations ALL schools and organizations, which accept F-1, M-1, or J-1 students or exchange visitors, have to be RE-CERTIFIED to accept F-1, M-1, or J-1 students or exchange visitors.
Admission to a College or University
Although admission policies vary from one college and university to the next, most determine admission based on several factors such as a student's high school course of study, high school GPA, SAT scores, written essay, and possibly a personal interview:
o The college or university admission office considers whether a student has taken courses in high school that have prepared him/her for the more difficult college courses. A student's high school grade point average (GPA) is also considered. A GPA is a quantitative figure representing a student's accumulated grades. Each letter grade is assigned a number of points: A=4 points, B=3, C=2 , D=1, and F= 0 points.
A GPA is calculated by adding all of the points earned for each course grade and dividing the total points by the total number of courses taken. For example, a GPA of 3.0 means a "B" average for all of the courses taken.
o Most colleges and universities set a minimum SAT score that a student must achieve in order to gain admission. The SAT is the Scholastic Aptitude Test, a standardized quantitative examination taken by high school students throughout the United States. Each college or university decides the minimum SAT score it will accept.
o Colleges and universities often require applicants to write an essay. The length and content of the essay is determined by each admission office. Depending on the college or university, applicants might also have a personal interview with a representative from the admissions office.
There are four types of degrees:
Associate's (completion of a program in a specific career field),
Bachelor's (conferred after completion of an undergraduate program),
Master's (first graduate degree),
Doctorate (second graduate degree and final degree).
At the college and university level, most courses are only one semester or one term long. Each course is assigned a number of credit hours. Credit hours are usually based on how much time is spent in class. Most courses are 3 or 4 credits. However, some courses may be 1, 2, or 5 credits. All degree programs require students to complete a minimum number of credit hours before graduation. Most Bachelor's degree programs in the United States don't require students to write a final thesis. A final thesis is required for most Master's programs and all Doctorate programs.
Selection for admission to a graduate program is similar to the factors used to determine admission to an undergraduate program. Instead of considering high school courses and GPA, an admissions office examines the student's undergraduate courses and GPA. Most Master's programs require students to have a minimum score on the GRE. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is similar to the SAT.
In most Doctorate programs, students continue to take courses until they have earned enough credit hours to attempt their qualifying examinations. After students pass the qualifying exams, they can begin to write his their final theses.
Because degree requirements can be very complex and vary from one program to another, all students should check with their departments and program advisors to make sure they are meeting the requirements of their particular program.
Studying in the United States of America can be a wonderful learning experience. Both in and out of the classroom you will learn and practice the English language. You will also learn much about American life and its sometimes confusing culture.
As you prepare to come to the U.S., it may help to know something about the values that shape U.S. Americans' attitudes and behaviors. As you consider these values it is important to remember that: 1) U.S. society is made up of a diversity of ethnic groups and cultures that have helped shape American values; 2) Some individuals and groups have a set of respected values that are quite different from those of mainstream America; 3) People's attitudes and behavior are based on their values.
Except during the year 2005-06, the number of Indian students going to USA has been increasing. During the last year (2006-2007) more than 83,830 Indian students went to USA for higher education, which is about 3% higher than the previous year.
Judging from the past data and the popularity of US as a study destination amongst Indian students, there is no doubt that USA will be the NUMBER ONE destination for studying abroad.
Required Documents for USA
Sl. Document How required
1. Degree certificate/Provisional/
course completion which is applicable to you In sealed envelopes to be attested by controller of exams/Registrar of University
*Provisional course completion reqd. for Final Year students.
2. Mark statements
a) IV year b) III year
c) II year d) I year
all memos reqd, including retakes. In sealed envelopes to be attested by controller of exams/or Registrar of University of Consolidated mark sheet not accepted
*equivalent certificate reqd for students holding diploma entering 2nd yr of 4 yr engg program
3. Inter/12th std/Diploma Xerox attested by college principal/Technical Board, cover sealed & signed
*Diploma holders have to provide all 3 yrs mark memos
4. SSC/ 10th std Xerox attested by school principal, cover sealed & signed
5. Recommendation Letters Minimum from three Professors (Pref:1 from project guide) Originals in sealed covers from three different professors attestation inside & outside
(On Original Letter heads)-3 Different formats
6. TOEFL Xerox (However. ETS reporting to be given by the student where required) Xerox notarized
7. GRE/GMAT/SAT Xerox notarized(However. ETS reporting to be given by the student where required)
8. BANK Statement All Originals, typed of Bank's Letter Head and signed by the Manager with a seal of his bank.
Approx Amount Rs.20-25 Lakhs
9. Statement of purpose or study objectives (Approx 500 words) To be prepared by the student on A4 Size Paper and signed. All Originals & Soft copy.
* students applying for different programs should provide different SOPs
10. Passport size photo Preferably Colour
11. Affidavit of support Signed by sponsor and notarized on 20/- Stamp Paper (all originals)
12. Resume Signed in Original & Soft copy
13 Passport First 2 and Last 2 pages (Xerox)
14. Other certificated, if any (extra curricular activities) if any, No. Of Items……
15 Resume Education ,Computer skills ,job exp, GPA,signed in original
16 Experience letter Reqd if >6 months gap /showing exp in resume
Education Loans:
There are several banks and institutions that provide educational loans to students. The loan amount may vary from Rs. 50,000-Rs 20 lakhs. The interest rates for educational loans are generally low and may be spread over a period 20-25 years, thus making it very student friendly. The loan amount, EMIs (easy monthly installments), interest rates will vary from bank to bank.
Most nationalized banks require a guarantor and collateral security to give educational loans.
There are some private, international agencies that arrange educational loans. They do not require a guarantor or collateral security.
Financial Aid:
While it is easy for most domestic students to obtain some form of Federal (Government) Aid or university aid for their Bachelor's level education, it is most often very difficult for international students to obtain aid in any form at Bachelor's level. Hence, it is imperative that students who are financially sound or have brilliant academic background (including top-level scores in TOEFL/IELTS and/or SAT I and II) to consider further education at the bachelor's level.
However, at the Master's level, aid in several forms is available for international students. Almost 78% of students at the Master's level in US universities get funding in some form or the other.
Most Doctoral level applicants get a complete tuition waiver along with a stipend or scholarship while pursuing their PhD programs in universities abroad. It is also possible for some universities to provide just the admission and no funding at all, based on their financial constraints and funding availability.
Applicants looking for aid are required to apply well before financial aid deadlines, with proper application material, College Application Essays, Recommendations, transcripts and other specified requirements, as prescribed by universities individually.
Many students are concerned with the high costs of studying abroad. The cost of education could be anywhere between USD 10,000- USD 50,000 per year, depending on the program, level and country you choose. In addition to the tuition fee, students also need to plan for funds towards living expenses, books, health insurance, air tickets, transportation, etc.
Finances are a major source of worry for students who wish to study abroad and their parents. However, there are several funding options available to students these days. Some of the options are listed below:
Ø Scholarships/Fellowships/Grants
Ø Tuition Waiver
Ø Assistantships
Ø Administrative internships
Ø Program related internships
Ø Bank loans
Information on financial aid can also be sought from the following websites:
Ø Financial Aid Resources
1. Financial aid for international students - www.finaid.org
2. CREDILA - www.credila.com
3. International Education Loan Inc. - www.ieli.org
4. www.Studloans.org
Ø Resources for Scholarships/ Grants and Fellowships - www.fastweb.com
Recently the United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI) has announced the competition for Fulbright Fellowships for Indian academics, schoolteachers and professionals for graduate study, research, teaching and professional development in the US for the year 2008-2009.
From this year USEFI has also introduced the Fulbright Master's Fellowships for Leadership Development designed for outstanding Indians who are in the age group of 25-30 years, to pursue a Master's degree program in select US colleges and universities in the areas of Public Administration, Economics, Communication studies and Environment.
For more details visit www.fulbrightindia.org
It is important for students to understand that financial assistance for international students is often based on merit and rarely on need.
Scholarships/Grants/fellowships
Scholarships/Grants/fellowships are generally based on the student's academic ability and his performance through the years. Hence, only an academically outstanding student may be considered for this type of an award. These are awards where there is no repayment involved or work to be done in return. These can be Private or Public and research grants. This type of aid is usually in the form of money for any purpose.
A Scholarship can be of two kinds:
Ø Full - The Scholarship would pay for the student's entire tuition fee; living expenses his books, etc.
Ø Partial - Scholarship would pay only for tuition fee. The student will have to provide for partial funding through other sources.
Tuition Waivers
A tuition waiver is a form of aid where the student need not pay the tuition fee. Again, the tuition fee may be fully waived or partially waived, depending from university to university.
If the tuition fee is waived, the student has to still pay for use of other facilities like, library, computer Lab, Lab services, etc.
Tuition waivers are generally awarded along with /Grants/fellowships. Tuition waiver is provided by the college/university in the form of Institutional Aid.
Assistantships
Assistantship is a financial aid given by the college/university. It is usually in the form of a cash stipend, sufficient for the student's living expenses and/or tuition waiver, in return for which the student will have to work (generally not more than 20 hours per week).
There are two types of Assistantships:
Ø Research Assistantship - it is usually granted by the respective departments in the university. The student will be assigned to a professor who will give him/her tasks related to a research project he/she is working on.
Ø Teaching Assistantship - a student is asked to assist a professor in teaching. For this type of assistantship, the student should have good command over spoken English. Hence, his/her score in the Spoken section of the TOEFL is a very important criterion.
It can be understood that these types of aid are provided to students who have the requisite abilities in the respective areas of study/research.
This type of aid is provided to Master's and Doctoral level students who are expected to teach undergraduate students or assist their professors in research.
Administrative internships & Program-related Internships
Administrative internships - which are similar to Assistantships, where students are expected to work part-time under the university's Administrative officers.
Program-related Internships - These can enable a student either to earn money or gain academic credits for the work done.