Get Ready for America
The Complete Guide To Studying In The USA

In our previous posts, we have exhaustively covered all aspects and procedures you need to follow to study in Australia, Canada, Sweden and New Zealand. In this post, we will look into what it takes to go to the Biggie in international higher education — the United States of America.
A lot of effort goes into planning your studies abroad. Your entire study abroad journey could get you stressed out if you haven’t planned well at every stage. Last minute hurdles and obstacles could dampen your spirits and leave you high and dry.
APPLICATION PROCESS
To begin with, every student needs to adhere to certain requirements that are mandatory for studying abroad in the US. The application procedure for schools in the US are usually tedious and demand a lot from the student.
The application process for the US undergraduate application is through the Common App which is a common portal for multiple institutions. Most of the institutions are listed on the Common App making it easier for students to make a single profile. For institutions that are not listed on the Common App, students need to submit their application online separately which is available on the respective institution’s official website.
In the case of a graduate application, applications can be sent directly to the respective institution. On BridgEd, you can find our partner institutions and apply directly for a program that meets your needs.
VISA APPLICATIONS
Before applying for a visa, all applicants are required to be accepted by an institution recognised by the US government. The student visas in the States fall under two categories, which are as follows:
F1 Visa
Being the most common type of student visa, it is mandatory to possess in order to engage in academics within the States. You will have to apply for this category of student visa if the classes of your program extend to over 18 hours a week.
M1 Visa
This visa is required when the course that you have applied for engages in non- academic or vocational studies at any US institution.
Now that you are familiar with the type of visas and the category under which your requirement falls, let us now proceed to actually applying for the visa. I have broken down this elaborate process into simpler steps in the form of a handbook, which will explain the steps efficiently rather than having a long monotonous monologue of information. These key points will help you feel on top of the situation rather than feeling stressed and overwhelmed by the proposition of studying in the States.
VISA APPLICATIONS MADE EASY: YOUR PERSONAL HANDBOOK
STEP 1: Determine your visa type.
STEP 2: Fill out the Non-Immigrant Visa Electronic Application (DS-160) form.
Please ensure that all the information that you provide is correct and accurate; once the form is submitted, you cannot make any changes, and this may create problems for approval of the application.
STEP 3: Payment of the visa fee.
As of now, the fee amount for the F1 category of visa is 160$ which roughly translates to about 10,880 INR.
Visa Fees are NOT REFUNDABLE. Double check the information that you have filled out in the various fields of the DS-160 form. If for any reasons your transaction was not successful, please do not make another transaction. It is advisable in this situation to mail the support centre.
Email ID: support-india@ustraveldocs.com
STEP 4: Schedule two appointments for interviews online: one with the Embassy or the Consulate and the other with the Visa Application Centre (VAC).
In order to confirm your scheduled appointment, you may have to provide the following information:
- Your Passport Number.
- Visa Application Fee Receipt Number.
- 10 digit barcode number from your DS-160 confirmation page.
Please note that for your interview at the Visa Application Centre (VAC), you will require the following documents/information:
- A passport valid for travel to the United States with validity dates for at least 6 months beyond the intended stay.
- Your DS-160 confirmation page.
- Your appointment confirmation page.
- One photograph as per US visa specifications.
For your appointment at the Consulate, the following documents are a must:
- Printed copy of your appointment confirmation letter.
- Current and Old passports.
- DS confirmation page stamped at the VAC.
Thus, please make sure that you get the required stamp while at the VAC or you may find yourself having to schedule another appointment.
In addition to these, you may have to fill in generic details about yourself like your name, date of birth and address proof.
If you are a registered student on Bridged and have any queries regarding the visa processes or any other procedure, please feel free to reach out to your BridgEd Counsellor. We will make sure that we assist you in every way possible.
Following these 4 steps religiously will find you breezing through the procedures and help you take better control in your decision to study abroad in the US.
Let us now get our calculators out to work out a budget — one which will help us outline our expenditures and cut down on the binge spending.
A disclaimer: the upcoming section may set hearts racing and can increase blood pressures. However, I urge you to stay put as I reveal ways in which you can curb down these expenses!
EXPENDITURES:
One of the major contributors to the total budget is ‘food’. Although a necessity, we sometimes tend to overspend in this field and end up with heavier stomachs and lighter pockets. In the States, you will have to curb down your inner cravings if you want to sustain to a monthly budget.
Below is an overview of the various prices corresponding to the various products that are on offer. The main intention of providing such a list is so that you as a student consumer can identify the areas wherein you tend to spend the most.
Food
Expenses incurred in cuisine forms a bulk of the total expenditure and it is a must for us to analyze this before we embark on our journey. Below, I have provided you with an illustration representing the various expenses corresponding to the food item. Please note that these values are monthly aggregates and may vary depending on your lifestyle.
Entertainment
Well, while in the States, how can you not visit the Times Square and the other iconic tourist attractions that are on offer! To incorporate that in your budget, I have included a section which gives you an insight on the kind of activities that one usually tends to indulge in.
With the list provided below, you can chalk out a rough estimate of the expenses that you can cut down on so as to accommodate for travel arrangements to tourist attractions.
Having mentioned all of the above expenses, you may now have a better idea of how your costs look like. Now, the only question is: Where will you stay as a student in the US? You have an array of options in front of you which you can choose depending on your requirements.
Accommodation
- ON CAMPUS DORMITORIES
Some American universities provide for accommodation for international students within the campus; the ‘International Student Office’ usually sends a pre-departure orientation packet which will provide you with the required information. This housing options possesses various advantages like their proximity to the campus which in turn will lead to the reduction in transportation costs. Also, the cultural diversity that these dormitories provide add to the overall experience of living in a foreign country.
Flexible meal plans-you can pay in advance for your breakfast, lunch and dinner or may deposit a certain amount of money depending on the norms of the university of your admission
2. Off -Campus Options
Depending on the locality of your choice, you can look to rent apartments which may be unfurnished or fully furnished. Accordingly the prices will vary too!
NOTE!
Before committing to a lease, please spend sometime in the locality and inquire about it with locals. After all the necessary inquiries, only then decide whether the area feels safe to reside in or not and whether there are convenience stores in the vicinity.
3. Homestay Or Private Boards
This option allows you to live among a host family from the States.You could forge new interactions and relationships that will last a lifetime, also giving you an opportunity to witness the American tradition and culture.
FINANCIAL AID
A lot of financial aid is provided for international students in order to establish and promote the spirit of learning. Check the institution websites for the scholarships and financial aid they offer and also recommend to international students.
But before scholarships, you ought to know which college or university you want to apply to! America has various institutes that are reputed and are world leaders in higher formal education. Apart from the Ivy League universities, there are many other state universities, liberal arts colleges and other private institutions that you must consider to figure out the one that would meet your needs.
Places to Visit in the US
Everyone knows America to be an iconic country and full of prime tourist attractions. Yes there are some you must visit, like the Statue Of Liberty, a walk through the Central Park or visiting the Empire State Building, one should digress from the usual and must visit the National 9/11 Memorial.

For those of you who like art and music, there is Broadway and the Madison Square Garden. You will be in awe of the modern style and contemporary architecture walking down the streets through Broadway. Madison Square Garden hosts some of the biggest concerts for the popular music artists from all across the globe.
I hope this post helped you understand more about the decisions you need to take to study in the US.
If this was helpful, do recommend it by clicking the heart or by sharing it in your social network. Follow us for more information on studies abroad and international higher education.
(BridgEd is a platform for students to independently find programs, communicate and apply directly to institutions around the world. Get awesome personal support for free and many other benefits for your higher studies abroad.)

