USA is amongst the most prominent study destinations for students worldwide. USA houses some of the world’s best colleges with extraordinary science programs; making MS in USA a popular choice amongst students. Truth be told, the colleges in USA pride themselves on being at the front line of innovation, research and strategies. They ensure that the most ideal assets are accessible to their students. USA delivers not only an array of educational and work opportunities but also a wide range of cultural backgrounds.

Here we have clarified the whole procedure of applying for an MS program in the USA, right from the time one needs to examine all the way till the completion of the application structure.

Why study MS in the USA?

• USA is home to some of the top universities in the world. Being world renowned for academia, US universities boast of excellent support facilities. For decades, the US remains the top destination for MS amongst students. 
• The American education system also offers academic flexibility to its students. According to your suitability, you can choose to study either part-time or full-time.
• The US is also a very ethnically diverse nation.
• An MS from the US will open up various opportunities for you; not just in the US, but in other nations too.

The above are just a few of the many reasons why should pursue an MS in the US.

Exams for MS in USA:

When planning on MS in USA, you have to start by planning for taking up some basic eligibility examinations like GRE and TOEFL. You can also choose to go for IELTS instead of TOEFL, but TOEFL Exam is more accepted across Universities in the USA.

GRE exam assesses your critical thinking, analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning skills — all skills based on learning over the course of many years. Some schools may also ask for one or more GRE Subject Tests. The main motive of the GRE exam is for the graduate schools to test your skills before admitting to you in their college. The GRE test consists of three main sections. The first one being, the Analytical Writing section. The other two sections, Verbal and Quantitative sections include reasoning questions.

The test can be taken up on paper and also on the computer.

The TOEFL iBT® test combines your reading, listening, speaking and writing skills and measures your ability to use and understand English at the university level to perform academic tasks. TOEFL test sets you up for the basic English language necessities of a college.

Next, University selection and applications. The scores of these eligibility examination further qualifies you for enrolling yourself in a university. Based on these scores, you can get an idea of the range of colleges you can apply to. One of the alternative methods of choosing the right college for you is, Profile Evaluation. Profile evaluation for MS in the USA helps you finalize the right universities by going through your academic scores and work experiences. It gathers the results of all the academic examinations appeared and lists down the colleges that match with your score assessment. This develops a right approach to shortlist colleges rather than going through all and receiving rejections.

How Much Does It Cost To Do MS In USA?

Studying abroad is an expensive affair. Knowing the expenses required and planning them beforehand can solve the problem. A professional Study abroad consultant can guide you better on all the expenses you need to incur for an MS in US. When estimating the cost you should consider factors like accommodation, daily needs, travel, health coverage and food, that form a major chunk apart from the tuition fees.

Tuition Fees:

Colleges in the US are significantly separated into two classifications – Public/State and Private. The public colleges cost less than private colleges. Your educational cost relies upon the kind of program and college or school you choose. To cover educational cost charges, you will require $10,000 to $55,000 (USD) a year (approx).

Accommodation:

Most colleges in the US offer to stay at the campus for international students. Living in the college accommodation on campus can turn out to be cheaper and requires enrollment well in time to save a place.

You can also choose to stay outside campus wherein you can rent a place without expenses and living costs including communication, travel, stationery, transport and other daily needs, a single student budget in the US comes between US$ 10,000 and US$ 25,000 per academic year (approx.) depending on the choice of city.

Your arrangements to learn in USA depend altogether on your financial status as well. Before applying with any college, make a harsh estimation in regards to your everyday costs.

Looking for a degree from an American college is genuinely costly. Thus, verify that you can support your way of life while studying.

Once the colleges are shortlisted, you need to start applying to them.
The initial phase in applying to colleges is to fill the online application. In case the online application isn’t accessible for a specific college, it can be downloaded from the college’s site.Along with the accompanying documents, the application can be sent to the college’s office.You should check for the deadline for application for the respective college when applying to it.

Top Universities In USA For MS :

University	Location
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	Cambridge, Massachusetts
Stanford University	Stanford, California
Harvard University	Cambridge, Massachusetts
Carnegie Mellon University	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Princeton University	Princeton, New Jersey
University of California	Berkeley and Los Angeles, California
Cornell University	Ithaca, New York
Yale University	New Haven, Connecticut
University of Chicago	Chicago, Illinois
Columbia University	New York City, New York
Johns Hopkins University	Baltimore, Maryland
California Institute of Technology	Pasadena, California

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, Massachusetts)

It is ranked 1st in the world by the World University Rankings for the year 2019-2020 making it the most sought-after universities for the eighth straight year. It is the US government-funded university and offers more than 50 degrees in the Master’s course. Some of the MS courses it offers are Aeronautics and Robotics, Architecture Studies- Building Technology, Master in Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering Practice and Computation for Design and Optimization to name a few. It is highly selective and picks only the elite students with abundant grey matter!

• Stanford University (Stanford, California)

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, it is ranked as the second-best university by the QS World Rankings. The university is spread over 8,180 acres, the largest in the US. It consists of about 40 academic departments which offer MS in Physics, Symbolic systems, Statistics, Petroleum engineering, Medicine, Mechanical engineering, Mathematics, Management science and engineering, and such other integrated courses.

• Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts) 

It is a private Ivy League university in the US devoted to excellence in education, teaching and research at a global level. Established in 1636, it is the oldest university in the country having a magnificent campus. It has about 6,700 undergraduate students and more than 13,100 postgraduate students. Ranked third in the QS World Rankings, it has a world-class reputation for offering quality education.  The Master of Science degree at Harvard is called as the ‘MS’ and is a year-long for full-time candidates and two-year-long for candidates pursuing a part-time degree.

• Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

It is a private research university founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1903 as Carnegie Technical Schools. The university’s school of science was ranked 1st by the US News and World Report 2018 and was ranked 3rd in the world for Computer Science by the QS World Rankings. It comes in the top 10 global universities in the field of statistics and operational research. Francisco D’Souza, the CEO of Cognizant Technology Solutions is an alumnus of this University.

• Princeton University (Princeton, New Jersey)

Founded in 1746, it has been ranked 13 in the world by QS world rankings. It is one of the prestigious Universities of the country which is especially celebrated for offering premium education in various fields.

• University of California (Berkley, California)

It is a public research university and is the flagship institution of the 10 research universities affiliated with the University of California system. About 40,000 students and 3,359 faculties are part of this renowned University. Ranked 28th, It is the home to some highly acclaimed institutions including the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute and Space Sciences Laboratory where extensive researches are carried out. Berkley alumni includes about 99 Nobel laureates.

• Cornell University (Ithaca, New York)

The QS World Rankings has ranked this university in the 14th position. It is a private university equipped with world-class research facilities and is the partner of the State University of New York. It was the first university in the US to offer a major in American studies and is the pioneer university in the States to award a Veterinary Medicine degree. It is ranked 2nd in the world in the subject of Veterinary Sciences.

• Yale University (New Haven, Connecticut)

It is a private Ivy League Research University founded in 1701. It is renowned for its highly selective Law School. About 20% of its students come from outside of the US. It has well over 100 departments and programs in a wide range of disciplines. It offers courses in Geology and Geophysics, Health Informatics, Immunobiology, and Investigative Medicine to name a few.

• University of Chicago (Chicago, Illinois)

Established in 1890, this esteemed university is ranked 9th globally by the QS World rankings. A private, coeducational and ethnically diverse hub, it is renowned for its path-breaking research and quality education in the field of science and technology. The Physics Department of the university recently developed the world’s first man-made self-sustaining nuclear reaction.

•  Columbia University (New York City, New York)

Established in 1754, this university has produced many notable alumni including the three US Presidents: Barack Obama, Franklin Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt. It offers dual degrees and joint program engineering degrees through which students can earn combined degrees with business schools and the Graduate School of arts and sciences or the School of Journalism. It has the reputation of providing the best of opportunities and hands-on learning experience.  

•  Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, Maryland)

It has been ranked 17th in the world and is the first research university in the US. It is highly celebrated for offering one of the finest degrees in life sciences and medical subjects and has been ranked 6th in this field on the global level.  It has nine world-class academic divisions operating under its realm. 

• California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, California)

It is a private doctorate-granting university known for its superiority in the field of Natural sciences and Engineering. It has about 600 Research scholars and the student to faculty ratio being 3:1. The educational realm that it encompasses provides the students’ answers to complex questions and satisfies their thirst for knowledge. The specialization offers include Aeronautics, Material sciences, Applied physics and Computer Sciences amongst the others. 

Some other top-class universities for MS in USA are: 

1. University of Texas, Austin
2. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
3. Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
4. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
5. University of Pennsylvania
6. Carnegie Mellon university
7. Clemson University
8. Cornell University
9. New York University
10. Northeastern University 

And many more..

How To Apply For Scholarship For MS In US ?

1. When applying for scholarships for MS ensure that you stick to the deadlines and not miss out on them. A lot of people who wish for a scholarships fail to plan them early and later miss the opportunity as no scholarships are left.

In many cases, the colleges have two different deadlines for admission and scholarship application. To be able to be eligible for the scholarship, plan well in advance and look carefully for the deadlines.

2. There are plenty of scholarships made available for the students applying globally, each with its very own qualification criteria and necessities.

Only if you meet the necessities, you can apply for a scholarship. Go through the requirements of scholarship at your target colleges and see if you meet the qualification criteria.

3. Most of the US universities only consider your undergraduate – B.Tech or BE degree – marks. Some Universities might ask for your 11th and 12th-grade scores, but very few actually consider these scores while making a decision.

Academics play a very important role in making scholarship decisions. If you have a high GPA but a comparatively poor performance in your GRE or GMAT, you still have a decent chance of getting a scholarship. Most universities emphasize undergraduate GPA. They asses your GPA across every semester/year and total aggregate GPA (or percentage) throughout your undergrad. Moreover, the application is always judged as a whole when coming to a decision on whether the scholarship is awarded.

1. Other than your academic scores, it is essential you demonstrate your ability to be considered for the scholarship in the college. You need to mention skills that make you a better candidate than other applicants. Leadership skills, volunteering in organizations or being involved in any such social or academic organization add up to your application.

2. Mentioning about any competitions that you have been a part of or won, or any other achievements, recognitions and work experiences add value to your application.

These are just some of the general documents that are required by the majority of colleges when granting scholarships. Colleges can ask for more added documents if they find a need for them.

The college confirmation is followed by the Visa formalities that need to be done well in time. As a prerequisite, you need a student visa to be able to study in the country. The visa you need will depend on your age and the type of study you wish to pursue in the US.

Once you receive an acceptance by a US school or university that is certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), you will receive a Form I-20 from the institution’s international student office, which is a paper record of your information in the database called the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

Documents Required For US Student Visa

1. When applying for your student visa for the US, you will need:

2. A passport with a validity for at least six months beyond your course tenure in the US (unless exempt by country specific agreements)

3. Acceptance at a SEVP approved school and your Form I-20

4. Application fee payment for the SEVIS

5. Non-immigrant visa application and the Form DS-160 confirmation page

6. Your photograph as per the requested format, and number

Some Additional Documents That Might Be Asked For

1. Academic documents such as transcripts, diplomas, degrees or certificates

2. Evidence of having sufficient funds to keep up with your living expenses throughout the period of your stay in the US. This may include:

a. Bank statements

b. Financial undertaking by a sponsor to cover your accommodation and living costs

c. A scholarship program

3. Assurance that you will leave the US once you have completed your course of study. This can be through an air ticket from US to your home country.

You can also be called for a personal interview at the US embassy or consulate post submission of your documents, if required.

F-1 Student Visa

Most students opt for the F-1 Student Visa when choosing to study overseas. You’ll have to apply for your visa application through the internet from the US Embassy and Consulates India website. You can apply as long as 120 days before your course begins.

We hope that this information about MS in USA with respect to Universities, cost required, eligibility, scholarships, Visa, admission requirements and other details essential when considering MS overseas, helps you with your process.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about MS in the US-

1. What is the eligibility for MS in the USA?

• Make sure you maintain a good GPA. Higher your GPA, better your chances of getting admitted to top US universities. Along with your GPA, also pay attention to your GRE score. Aim for 165+ in your Quants. 
• Do projects, internships and publish papers in your area of interest.
• Write a proper statement of purpose and get strong letters of recommendation from your employer or your professors who know you well.

2. What GPA is required for MS in the USA?

Most universities require students to have a GPA of at least 3.0 while some universities also accept students with a GPA below 3.0. So, it’s best to keep your GPA above 2.5.

3. I am an EE student. But I want to do MS in CS from US, is it possible?

Yes, the USA has an open education system. Even if you are an EE or ECE graduate, you can still pursue your MS in CS from the USA. However, you need to specify your reason for doing so in your SOP.

4. Is job experience compulsory for MS in the USA?

No, it is not compulsory to have job experience for MS in the US. But, having job experience can prove to be advantageous.

5. What are the GRE and TOEFL score requirements for top US universities?

For your Master’s in the US, you need to have a good GRE score. Try to keep your GRE score 325+ (Quants 165+). And keep your TOEFL score above 100.