How to Calculate the Living Expenses and Tuition of Studying Abroad in the United States

So you got into Columbia University, Princeton, Stanford or your dream college school, and now you are finally going to make your dream come true and move to the United States. You say goodbye to your friends, kiss your parents goodbye and you are ready to pack your bags and get on the first flight to New York, San Fransisco or Boston. Just as you are about to walk out the door, you realize there’s only one question that’s holding you back. How much is it going to cost and how will you pay for it?

Whether you want to study law, engineering, mathematics, science or art, it is no secret that studying in the United States isn’t very cheap. On the positive side, international students can apply to student grants and scholarships that can cover these expenses or use other tricks to save money while studying abroad. 

   

How much will it cost to Study in the States?

American schools can be divided into three main categories according to the cost of their tuition and living expenses.  

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1. The Ivy Leagues: 

These are considered some of the best universities in the world because of their excellent study facilities and professional reputation. MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Princeton and Columbia University are just a few famous names that fit into this category which attract thousands of international students from China, India, Europe and basically everywhere in the world. If you are not sure which one would fit you best, take the personality test to find out. These universities have the highest tuition costs, but also offer their students, the best financial aid. So if you rocked your GRE tests, you have an impressive statement of purpose and you are talented enough to get accepted into one of these schools, the tuition costs shouldn’t hold you back.

Let’s take Harvard for example. According to them, their yearly standard student budget for 2016-2017 is estimated to be around $63,025 without taking personal spending into consideration. This includes $43,280 for tuition, $3,794 for additional fees, $9,894 to rent a room at the university and $6,057 for the board. But don’t let these numbers scare you. Talk to former international student at the university of your choice to figure out how to get a fully funded scholarship at the top university of your choice. 

2. State Universities:

As their name suggests, these universities are usually public institutions that are funded by the state or district which they are located in. To study in one of these universities costs less than in the ivy leagues because they get subsidies from their state to encourage students to enroll, making the tuition significantly less. Some of the top public schools that attract international students from all over the world include the University of California (Berkeley), University of California (Los Angeles), University of Virginia, University of Michigan and the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill).

The tuition at these universities vary according to the applicant's background, study program and the school of choice. The University of California for example, requires a student to have a yearly budget of $32,384, which includes $13,518 tuition, $14,992 room and board costs, $2,612 for a student health insurance plan and $1,262 for books and supplies.

3. Community colleges:

These colleges offer students an associate’s degree which is a two-year program, counting as the first half of the bachelor’s degree. Students can later complete the degree after transferring to a university. Out of the three categories, this is the easiest to get into as well as the cheapest option. Some of the best community colleges include the Gordon Cooper technology center, Knox County Career Center and Charles A. Jones Career and Education Center.

At the Gordon Cooper technology center for example, the average yearly study budget is $23,247, which includes $5,697 for tuition, $300 for books and supplies and $17,250 for room and board costs.

Now that you have an estimation of how much it will cost to study in the States in different universities, find out how you can study for free by reading our blog and talking to a coach who will help you get all of the information about getting a scholarship, a grant or a loan.