Study in the USA
Studying in the USA: what it takes, what it costs, and in what order
This page answers the practical questions before the question of which university. Every figure is sourced and dated — and where we are not certain, we say so.
What you need
There are four sets of requirements and they are independent of each other — a shortfall in one is fixed in that one; they do not offset.
Academic record
School or university transcripts converted to a 4.0 scale. Each university sets its own threshold; at A-State it is 2.3 for undergraduate and 2.75 for graduate study.
English
IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo. Falling short does not end it — see the section below.
Finances
Evidence of funds covering at least one academic year. This is what lets the university issue an I-20, and the I-20 is what lets you apply for a visa.
Immigration documents
A valid passport, the I-20 from the university, the SEVIS fee paid, the DS-160 filed, and a consular interview.
What it costs
There is no single figure for “America”. Cost depends on three things: whether the university is public or private, the rate it charges international students, and the price of living where it sits. The gap between a public university in a low-cost state and a private one in a major city can be three or four times over.
Every US university must publish its own Cost of Attendance. When comparing, take the international-student line from each and add all five components: tuition, university fees, housing, food and mandatory health insurance. Many comparison tables online quote tuition alone and drop the other four.
Source: astate.edu — Tuition & Fees (International) · astate.edu — Tuition & Fees · Updated Sep 2026
What if your English score is short
You can still go. This is where many applicants give up too early. Most US universities run an academic English programme on campus; you apply to your degree as normal, and if your academic record is strong but your English is not yet there, the university can issue a conditional admission letter together with an admission letter for the English programme. That package is enough to obtain an I-20 and an F-1 visa.
You study English on campus and move directly into your degree on completion — with no IELTS or TOEFL retake. What to verify is whether the English programme is accredited, because not every programme is accepted in place of a test score.
The four requirement sets
- Academic record
- English
- Finances
- Immigration documents
Can you do the application yourself?
Yes, and plenty of people do. No rule requires an agency. You submit the application on the university’s own website; you pay the SEVIS fee on the US government site; you file the DS-160 yourself; you book the interview on the consulate’s system. All of it works from a personal account.
The hard part is not the forms. It is three other things: getting transcripts translated and certified so the university reads them correctly; assembling financial evidence in the form the university accepts; and handling it when something goes wrong — an error on the I-20, a request for further documents, or a visa refusal and knowing what to do next. Those are the reasons people use a representative office, not the form-filling.
If you do it yourself, work from the official sites, and do not pay anyone who promises a guaranteed visa — nobody can guarantee the outcome of an interview, and the promise is itself the warning sign.
The order, from application to departure
No step can be skipped: each one is the condition for the next.
- 1
Choose a university and a programme
Match entry requirements against your record, and the published Cost of Attendance against what your family can fund.
- 2
Submit the application
The form, translated transcripts, an English test score if you have one, and the application fee.
- 3
Receive the admission decision
Either direct admission, or conditional admission with the English programme if your English is not yet at the threshold.
- 4
Provide financial evidence and receive the I-20
The university must see that you can fund at least one year before it will issue an I-20.
- 5
Pay the SEVIS fee
Paid on the official US government site; keep the receipt to bring to the interview.
- 6
File the DS-160 and book the interview
Complete the non-immigrant visa application, pay the visa fee, then book at the consulate.
- 7
Attend the F-1 interview
Bring the I-20, the SEVIS receipt, the DS-160 confirmation, your passport, the admission letter and your financial documents. Answer honestly.
- 8
Enter the US and enrol
Carry the I-20 and passport in hand at the port of entry, check your I-94 after arrival, then report to the university on time.
Choosing a programme for what comes after
Your programme decides two things beyond the studying: what work you can find after graduation, and how long you may stay to do it. Programmes on the US government’s STEM list carry a 24-month OPT extension — up to three years of post-graduation work instead of one. For many students that weighs more than a university’s ranking.
Read next
And what about Arkansas?
If low total cost is what you are weighing, our Arkansas page covers one state in detail: real costs, safety with published figures, weather, community — and an honest note on who Arkansas does not suit.
Open the Arkansas pageFrequently asked questions
How much does a year of study in the US cost?
It depends on the university. A public university in a low-cost state is nothing like a private one in a major city. A sourced example: Arkansas State University estimates about $29646 a year for an international student taking 12 credits a term, covering tuition, fees, housing, food and insurance. When comparing universities, add all five components rather than tuition alone.
Do you need IELTS to study in the US?
Not necessarily in advance. If your academic record meets the threshold but your English does not, a university may issue conditional admission together with its on-campus English programme; completing that programme admits you to your degree without retaking a test. What to verify is whether the English programme is accredited.
Can you apply on your own?
Yes. The application, the SEVIS fee, the DS-160 and the interview booking are all done on official sites from a personal account. The difficulty is not the forms: it is translating transcripts correctly, assembling financial evidence in an acceptable form, and handling problems — an error on the I-20, a request for more documents, or a refusal.
How long does it take from application to departure?
Four to eight months in practice, but the figure is not in your control: it depends on the university’s processing time and on interview availability at the consulate. Work backwards from the deadline of the intake you are targeting rather than forwards from today.
What happens if the F-1 visa is refused?
A refusal is not the end and you may apply again. What matters is understanding the reason so the next application addresses it. Nobody — including us — can guarantee an interview outcome; anyone promising a guaranteed visa is someone to avoid.
Which programmes allow a longer stay to work?
Programmes on the US government’s STEM list carry a 24-month OPT extension, giving up to three years of post-graduation work instead of one. The list is published by the Department of Homeland Security and is revised, so confirm the specific programme code with the university when you apply.
Not sure where you stand?
Free one-to-one advice: your record against entry requirements, a cost estimate for your specific case, and a timeline from application to departure.