Education System

 USA is one among est the safest country in the world which last ranking in the number of victims of crime per ca pita. The violent crime rate is very low with a minimum number of crimes per ca-pita. The country has the highest life expectancy as it has one of the advance healthcare systems. There are a great number of reasons that students choose to study in the United States. The United States has some of the world’s finest colleges and universities. Often looked up to as the leader of the free world, one can find numerous top-ranking educational institutions and universities in the USA that provide globally recognized degrees. In the United States, there are four (4) types of institutions each offering varied study choices and levels of affordability to suit every student. 

• State Colleges / Universities
• Private Colleges / Universities
• Community Colleges
• Institutes of Technology.

Prerequisites: Is U.S. Higher Education Appropriate For Me?

Studying in the United States is a big decision, and you must consider whether it is an appropriate one. Evaluate if you are a suitable candidate by considering the following factors which we call pre-requisites for studying in the USA.

Adequate funding
Studying in the U.S. is expensive. Colleges and universities in the U.S. cost between $12,000 and $65,000 per year. A bachelor’s program is typically a four year course of study, a master’s program is usually two years, and a PhD program is generally four to eight years. If you do not have this amount of money available, you will need to apply for a scholarship.

Strong academic background
If you have a strong academic record, your chances of admission and scholarship at U.S. colleges and universities increase.

English language skills
In order to succeed as a student in the U.S., it is integral to have a strong command over English.

Standardized exams
Most U.S. colleges and universities require TOEFL. Some undergraduate institutions additionally require SAT or ACT. Some graduate programs require GRE or GMAT.

Student visa
You’ll need this to travel to the U.S. Attend USEF’s ‘Student Visa Info Session’ to learn more about student visas and tips on visa interview success.

U.S. Educational System & Where You Fit In

There are over 4,500 institutions and universities in the USA, offering 10 times the number of tertiary-level study opportunities than any other country, making it much easier to follow your career aspirations with so many options to choose from.

And if you’d like to further your studies, you can take on a Master’s Degree (2 additional years) or Doctorate (1 – 4 additional years) in an incredible number of disciplines.

There are some similarities and a lot of differences between the education systems in Nepal and the U.S. For instance, we have 3-year as well as 4-year bachelor’s programs in Nepal. In the U.S., however, bachelor’s programs are no shorter than four years. Therefore, it is important to understand the education system in the U.S. and to know where you fit in.

High School

In Nepal, our education system uses ‘board exams,’ where students take the same set of exams administered by an educational or university board. In Nepal, we have the SLC board exam which is taken at the end of grade ten. Known as the ‘iron gate’, a lot of importance is given to the SLC. After SLC, students typically join a Plus Two, A-Levels, PCL or Intermediate Level program.

By contrast, high school in the U.S. is grades nine through twelve. Furthermore, each school is autonomous and students do not take board exams in the U.S. In general, a student who has successfully completed Plus Two, A-Levels, PCL, Intermediate Level, or a similar program, can be compared with a high school graduate from the U.S. system.

Undergraduate Studies

We used to have a 2-year bachelor’s program in Nepal. We now have many 3-year bachelor’s programs, 4-year bachelor’s programs, and some programs which are even longer in duration. In contrast, bachelor’s programs in the U.S. are no shorter than four years and are one form of ‘Undergraduate’ programs. Students who have completed twelve years of education are eligible to join undergraduate programs in the U.S. There is a name given to each of the four years of bachelor’s study – namely freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years.

There exists another form of undergraduate education in the U.S., which is the associate’s degree. An associate’s degree is a 2-year degree earned at a community college. Community colleges usually serve a small community around them. Per year college tuition is usually much less expensive than per year tuition at a 4-year college. Students who opt for an associate’s degree may choose upon completion to transfer to a 4-year college/university in the U.S. to continue studies for a bachelor’s degree.

Hence, students seeking bachelor’s degrees in the U.S. have two options. They can either directly join a 4-year bachelor’s program, or study at a community college and then transfer to a 4-year bachelor’s program. Students should carefully evaluate these two options. You may find that studying at a community college is less expensive, but then it is generally difficult to obtain scholarship when you transfer to the 4-year institution. Furthermore, community colleges may not have housing and students might have to live off campus.

Graduate Studies

We have M.Phil and Post Graduate degrees in Nepal that do not exist in the U.S. Both master’s and PhD level studies are referred to as ‘Graduate’ studies in the U.S. A master’s degree is usually earned after two years of study beyond a 4-year bachelor’s program and a PhD degree takes somewhere between four to eight years.

What to do if you have a 3-year bachelor’s ?

Since no bachelor’s program in the U.S. is shorter than four years, a student intending to join a graduate program in the U.S. should have at least sixteen years of education in the relevant field. Students who have 2 or 3-year bachelor’s degrees or who are currently enrolled in a bachelor’s program have three options to choose from:

Option 1

Complete a master’s degree in the relevant field and then apply for graduate study in the U.S. In some cases, students will apply for the master’s program again and in some cases, depending upon the institution, students can directly apply for the PhD program. Contact institutions directly to know which program you are eligible for.

Option 2

Transfer to an undergraduate program in the U.S. With this option, you can earn an undergraduate degree from the U.S. However, this option could be costly for some students as it might take between one to three years to complete the undergraduate degree. It can take up to three years because different colleges have different graduation requirements and you may not earn transfer credit for some of the coursework you have completed in Nepal.

Students are encouraged to weigh Option 1 and Option 2 and opt for the one that is best for them.

Option 3

A third option is available for students applying for an MBA in the U.S. You could apply for a bridge program (sometimes referred to as a pre-MBA) in the U.S. Very few colleges provide such bridge programs and you have to contact the college directly to find out the requirements for admission. A bridge program generally runs for one to one and a half years and you generally will need to complete your MBA at the same school.

How Much Does It Cost to Study in USA from Nepal?

Studying in the USA can be expensive. With state colleges charging upwards of USD$23,000 or more per year, and private colleges averaging USD$31,000 or more for an undergraduate bachelor’s degree, managing your costs can be challenging.

If you’re after an Associate Degree, you can gain one from a public college, starting at a much more affordable USD$ 3,300 per annum.

Total Cost to Study in USA from Nepal
s.no	Education Cost	Tuition fees in USD (indicative)
1	English language courses	$700 to $2,000 a month
2	Undergraduate courses	$20,000 to $45,000 per year
3	Graduate programs	$20,000 to $50,000 per year
4	Doctoral degree	$28,000 to $60,000 per year
s.no	Accommodation costs and living costs	expenses (approx)
1	a one-bedroom apartment in a built-up city	$3,500
2	On-campus rooms	between $5,304 and $8,161
3	Internet provision costs	$35-60 per month
4	household and monthly phone bills	around $50 per month
5	monthly public transport pass costs	between $50 and $60
6	Weekly groceries	between $20 and $70
7	average monthly gym membership	$58

How to apply U.S. Colleges and Universities?

The terms “college,” “university,” and “school” are used interchangeably when we refer to degree-granting institutions offering higher education in the United States. For simplicity, we’ll use the term “college.”

To apply to colleges in the United States, you should start 12-18 months in advance of when you plan to begin your studies. If you are an undergraduate applicant (applying for a bachelor’s degree), starting you application process by the beginning of Class 12 will help ensure that you do not have a gap year between Class 12 and the beginning of your undergraduate program in the U.S. Similarly, graduate applicants, those applying for a master’s or a PhD, should also start their application process 12-18 months in advance.

Why does it take so long to apply to American colleges? In addition to having to carefully research and choose colleges, prepare for and take the standardized exams, you will need to meet each college’s application deadline date. Some deadlines – especially for colleges that are competitive and colleges that offer good scholarships – are eight or nine months in advance of the start of class.

There are two semesters for which you can apply for admission, the fall semester (classes start in August or September) and the spring semester (classes start in January). All colleges offer admission in fall, as it is the beginning of the academic year. Not all colleges offer admissions in spring. If you are searching for a scholarship, the best semester to apply for is fall (generally, not much scholarship is available in spring). The application deadline date depends on which semester you apply for, and which college you are choosing.

Student Visa  Requirements to study in USA from Nepal

The student visa issued by the USA is of two categories. Category ‘F’ USA student visa is for students who attend school, college, university or other academic institutions including language program, and Category ‘M’ USA student visa for vocational and non-academic programs. 

Obtaining a US student visa will require you to follow these steps as per the order. 

• Apply to institutions with our help (We have a great working relationship with every one of them)
• Take an IELTS or any other accepted English test
• Receive an i20 document
• Collect student visa document
• Fill DS 160 form & book visa interview
• Attend visa interview
• Collect your passport