New York · North America

United States

The widest choice of programs on earth, the deepest research funding, and the OPT work permit that STEM graduates can stretch to three years. Costs range from Ivy League to community college, and the right choice is rarely the most famous name.

Tuition / yr: $20k – $60k
Living / mo: ~$1,800
Work rights: 20 h/week on campus
After study: 1–3-year OPT
Intakes: August · January
Language: English

Why United States

The widest choice of programs anywhere.

01 Ivy League to community college
02 Research funding
03 STEM OPT extension

The honest take

What we tell our own families about United States.

Why students love it

Optional Practical Training: 1 year, plus 2 for STEM

Unmatched breadth: 4,000 institutions, every field

Research assistantships that pay master's and PhD students

Campus life with clubs, sports and internships built in

Merit scholarships at strong second-tier universities

What to plan for

Sticker prices of $30,000–60,000 a year

Visa interviews are strict; refusal rates vary by country

Health insurance and living costs are high

Off-campus work is not allowed in the first year

Gun and healthcare headlines worry parents; choose the campus and city carefully

Getting around

Leave the car at home.

Only New York, Boston, Chicago and Washington have real transit. Most campuses are self-contained with free shuttles; a bike covers the rest.

Subway and bus (NYC, Boston, Chicago)

Monthly passes; New York's is the most useful.

$132 / month (NYC)

Campus shuttles

Free at most large universities.

Free

Rideshare

Uber and Lyft where transit is thin; budget for it in car cities.

$12–25 per ride

Add University transit pass where offered to my budgetAbout $90 a month

Food & groceries

What a week of eating really costs.

Meal plans are convenient and expensive; cooking with Trader Joe's, Aldi and Costco is far cheaper. Portion sizes are famous for a reason.

Burger and fries

Campus classic; In-N-Out west, Shake Shack east.

New York pizza slice

$3 dinner, folded in half.

Tacos

Texas, California and everywhere else.

Dining-hall brunch

Sunday tradition on every campus.

Build your cart

Supermarket prices in New York, USD. Quantities per week.

Milk (1 L)$1
0
—
Bread (loaf)$3
0
—
Eggs (12)$4
0
—
Rice (1 kg)$3
0
—
Chicken breast (1 kg)$10
0
—
Pasta (500 g)$2
0
—
Apples (1 kg)$5
0
—
Bananas (1 kg)$2
0
—
Tomatoes (1 kg)$5
0
—
Cheese (500 g)$8
0
—
Coffee (250 g)$7
0
—
Yogurt (500 g)$3
0
—

Your weekly cart

$0 ≈ $0

Per month

Eating out

Pizza slice$4
Coffee$5
Fast-casual lunch$14
Restaurant dinner with tip$35

Where to live

Dorm, shared flat or studio: pick one and watch the budget.

First-year students usually live on campus; it is expensive but solves everything. After that, shared apartments near campus. Student cities like Austin, Ann Arbor and Madison are far cheaper than New York or Boston.

Where students actually live

Morningside Heights, New York
Columbia's neighbourhood; quieter than Midtown.
$1,400–1,900 room
Allston, Boston
BU and Harvard students, cheap eats, T access.
$1,100–1,500 room
West Campus, Austin
UT students; new buildings, walk to class.
$900–1,400 room
Kerrytown, Ann Arbor
Farmers' market, Michigan campus, small-city calm.
$800–1,200 room

Before you pay anyone

The university's off-campus housing office lists vetted landlords; use it before Craigslist
Leases are usually 12 months; sublet the summer to avoid paying for an empty room
A US guarantor or a guarantor service is commonly required
Renters' insurance is cheap and often mandatory

Student life as an international

American campuses are small cities: gyms, stadiums, clinics, career centres, a club for every interest.

International student offices handle visas, taxes and cultural adjustment; Muslim Student Associations exist on nearly every campus.

Orientation week and club fairs

College sports as a social event

Thanksgiving, spring break, road trips

Career fairs and on-campus interviews from year one

Work: 20 hours a week on campus during term; off-campus CPT internships after year one; OPT after graduation.
Healthcare: University health insurance is mandatory, $1,500–3,000 a year, and covers the campus clinic.
Safety: Campuses are secure and well patrolled. Research the city and neighbourhood; we advise on each.