Work & Travel USA student program. Get a job offer

The United States of America is the largest immigration country in the world. You are free to go to America. Economic development attracts many immigrants here, which contribute to the country's prosperity even more.

America's immigration system is based on legislation and the country's Constitution, which provides equal rights to immigrants. Thanks to the immigration opportunities provided by the United States, citizens are reunited with relatives, and employers can invite a highly qualified foreign specialist. The question of how to leave for America is no longer a problem.

In order to travel to America, you can take advantage of the possibility of direct and indirect immigration. Direct methods of immigration include obtaining an immigrant visa. Indirect immigration consists of obtaining a nonimmigrant visa.

You can leave for America in legal ways, which have their advantages and disadvantages.

The requirements for a migrant for different methods of immigration to the United States and the cost of moving are different.

Internship

An internship is a unique opportunity for immigration to the United States. As a result of the internship programs, you can gain international experience of professional practice, get acquainted with the peculiarities of doing business in America, and also improve the level of the language.

There are two main internship programs in America:

Internship Program

The target audience of the first is university students or young professionals who graduated from the university less than a year ago, their age is 18-28 years.

Trainee Program

The duration of the program is from 1 to 18 months.
Persons who have a diploma of education and work experience in the chosen profile for at least a year are allowed to participate in the program. If there is no diploma, five years of relevant professional activity is required. The age category of the participants is 20–38 years old. The duration of the internship is the same as in the first program.

To apply for an internship in the United States, you first need to select an employer representing the internship. You must also select a sponsor, which is an organization authorized by the US Department of State to issue a DS-2019 form document.

After that, the applicant undergoes an interview, which determines the level of professional knowledge and the level of language proficiency.

After successfully passing the interview, you need to complete the DS-2019 document. After completing this stage, it is necessary to obtain a visa. After completing all stages, you can go to America and undergo an internship.

The cost of an internship is determined by its duration and varies from $ 1000 to $ 2500.

You can go to the United States to work by applying for an H1B work visa, which allows an American employer to hire a foreign worker for up to 6 years.

This visa is for specialists with specialized knowledge. To obtain it, you need an employer's application for the employee to enter. Thanks to this visa, the candidate has a chance to obtain a permanent residence.

Persons who have a diploma of education and 3 years of professional experience can apply for a visa. After graduation, 3 years must also pass.

During the visa application process, the employer requests the job seeker's labor certificate and then fills out Form I-129. Further, the candidate receives a visa at the American consulate or visa status if he is already in the United States.

The cost of a work visa is quite high: from $ 1,500 to $ 6,000.

O-1 visa for talented people

If you are someone with special talents in the arts, sports and business, you can move to the United States with an O-1 visa, which is also a work visa.

The O-1 visa is perfect for persons with high achievements in the fields of business, science, education, art, sports, etc. Prizes, awards, important contributions to science, education, business, etc. will play in favor of the applicant.

Most often, the O-1 work visa is suitable for people who have achieved a lot in show business. In this case, a diploma of education is not required. With this visa, you can freely travel to the United States and work in organizations that require specialized knowledge.

The visa application process is quite complicated. This type of visa is not carried out on behalf of the candidate. First, you need the American employer to file a petition with the Migration Service. After that, you must submit the following documents to the American consulate:

• a work permit that was sent to the employer after a successful application;
• nonimmigrant Visa Application (Form DS-160)
• a copy of the passport, which is valid for more than 6 months after the end of the visa validity period;
• two identical photographs on a white background (color);
• documents included in the petition.

Investor visa E-1 / E-2

It is perfectly legal to leave to live in the United States by investing money in a business. The main requirements for obtaining a visa in this way are:

• opening your own business or buying out an existing one;
• business investment in the amount of USD 1 million;
• creation of 10 jobs.

student visa

How to go to the USA for training? Get a student visa! Anyone who wants to study in America can do this.

The main requirements for visa applicants are:

• nonimmigrant travel purposes;
• level of material security sufficient to pay for tuition and personal expenses;
• a ban on employment.

The procedure for obtaining a student visa provides for:

• search for an educational institution (university, college, language school) where training is planned, obtaining approval from there;
• admission to an educational institution in accordance with the admission rules and receipt of a document that confirms the fact of enrollment in the account. institution (Form I-20);
• adding a student to the SEVIS database;
• obtaining a visa at the US consulate.

When applying for a visa, you must also provide a passport, documents that confirm a sufficient level of material security of the applicant. We also need documents that contain evidence that the applicant has no immigration intentions.

The cost of a student visa consists of a consular fee ($ 160) and a SEVIS fee ($ 200).

Tourist visa

There are other ways to travel to America. One of the ways is to obtain a tourist visa B-1 / B-2. The B-1 visa is issued for the purpose of short-term business travel (visiting exhibitions, conferences, symposia, negotiations with business partners).

The B-2 visa is suitable for personal travel, such as visiting relatives, receiving medical assistance, etc. Often, these two types of visas are issued simultaneously and for a certain period.

To obtain a visa, you need to answer the consul to such questions about the purpose of the trip, the presence of a permanent residence in your own country, the material security for living in the United States.

To apply for these types of visas, you must submit an application in electronic form, have a 5X5 cm photograph and a passport, the validity of which is six months longer than the duration of your stay in the United States.

Many do not know, but you can legalize in the country with a tourist visa, changing the tourist status to student, and student to working.

The cost of visas for business travel and tourist visas is $ 160.

All categories of citizens of any country can participate in the Green Card Lottery. This is a great way to go live in the USA.

Every year, the opportunity to apply for the next year's draw opens. The selection is made at random. The main requirements for participation in the lottery are:

• the candidate must be a citizen of one of the countries that are allowed to participate in the lottery;
• school education or two years of professional experience.

Political refuge

Immigration by obtaining the status of political asylum is possible in case of infringement of human rights and his positions. Although the review process can be delayed, after submitting the application, no later than 150 days, applicants will have permission to work legally and work. Application for changes in status must be submitted 6 months after the end of the visa duration.

Marriage to a US citizen

Another way of obtaining a residence permit is to marry a United States citizen. This visa is temporary. A K-1 nonimmigrant visa allows legal marriage in the United States. Both parties must have the right to marry and the intention to marry.

The main requirements for obtaining this type of visa are:

• an application for this visa must be submitted by an American citizen;
• meetings with the groom or the bride for 2 years;
• getting married no later than 90 days after arrival in the United States.

By becoming a member of the Work and Travel USA international exchange program, a student can live and work in America for 2 to 4 months.
If you are from 18 to 25 years old, study at a university or a secondary specialized educational institution (full-time and part-time (evening) forms of study), have basic skills of spoken English, you can safely go to work in the States for the summer.

The cost of the Work & Travel program ranges from $ 830 to $ 1850.

As you understand, there are many ways to get to the cherished States of America. But if you are not sure which way of immigration is best for you, take it.

VIDEO: 7 main ways to leave and stay in the USA from Timur Tazhetdinov:

Millions dream of a happy and comfortable life in the United States. Indeed, the distant and beautiful land of freedom, democracy and progress offers great opportunities. But going there and staying to live legally is not an easy task. Therefore, we recommend that you consider the option of immigration to the United States through study.

According to the expert on migration policy of the analytical center CEDOS Andriy Solodko, since 2015, regular emigration from Ukraine has increased by 30%.

Types of visas for students

It should be noted that student visa does not give the right to stay in the country longer than the allotted period and, moreover, is not a reason for obtaining a green card or citizenship. But it will be the first step in this process. After all, you can stay after schoolby extending your visa or getting one of the workers:

• for academic internships;
• for pre-planned work;
• for leaders from other countries;
• for persons who will occupy management positions in a company in the United States, etc.

This is a great way legally stay in the States for up to 8 years, make acquaintances, gain work experience and try to resolve the issue of citizenship on the spot.

Ukrainians who travel to the United States to get a university education or study English in courses fall into the category International Students... International students can apply for an F1, J1 or M1 visa. The first two give the right work while studying, the latter does not provide for such a possibility. Therefore, it is worth thinking about your prospects even at the stage of choosing a training program in order to understand what to expect in the future.

According to research by the agency GfK Ukraine, 41% of labor migrants from Ukraine work abroad illegally.

F1 Visa - study plus work

In our opinion, the best option Is an F1 visa. It is issued to students who plan to take academic training in accredited institutions:

• language schools (courses from 2 weeks);
• colleges (programs up to 2 years);
• universities (preparatory courses, bachelor's and master's programs);
• educational institutions with summer programs for schoolchildren and students;
• universities offering short-term professional programs.

To obtain an F1 visa, a student must have academic work 20 hours a week. One of the advantages of this type is permission to work on campus 20 hours a week during the semester and a full day during vacations (for students in programs of 6 months or more). After graduation, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) authorizes stay in the country for a year under the Optional Practical Training program. STEM students have a slight advantage over other students as they have the option of staying in the States for 24 months under the OPT program.

Read also:

Optional Practical Training is an opportunity for F1 undergraduate and graduate students to receive hands-on training in addition to their education. Language school graduates cannot participate in this program.

How to go to America to study

Each educational institution puts forward its own requirements for admission. But in any case, you will have to prove that the level of your education is suitable for studying in the United States on a particular program. The simplest example: you decided to go to an English course - provide documents that show that you have studied the language. For a master's degree, you will need a bachelor's degree and a certificate of knowledge of English at a sufficient level. You must also prove that you can pay for your tuition fees and cover your living expenses in the United States.

Immigration to the USA through education: the price of the issue

American education is considered one of the best in the world, but also one of the most expensive. On average, the cost of training is 30 thousand dollars per year, another 15 thousand will be spent on living. But this amount can be reduced thanks to scholarships.

There are several options scholarship programs:

• government (Fulbright and Global UGRAD Exchange Program);
• sponsorship (cultural foundations, religious communities, large employers);
• uS universities scholarships.

It is important to understand that this does not mean free tuition and monthly assistance. But you will be given significant discount, which will bring you one step closer to your dream - life and career in the USA.

Many students ask themselves: what to do in the summer? Where to work in the summer in order to get a lot of money and, most importantly, get a lot of impressions? Those. summer days should be passed with maximum comfort. The ideal combination would be work plus leisure. This combination is offered by the Work & Travel student program, according to which students from Russia have been traveling to the United States for a long time, where they work and travel at the same time.

About Work & Travel USA

Paperwork

There are more than 3.5 thousand colleges and universities in the USA. It should be noted that there is not much difference between the words "college" and "university" for Americans. Both of these concepts mean the same thing - an educational institution that provides an opportunity to get a higher education. Both university and college offer bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. The difference is that the university is much larger, has a larger number of students, and may be composed of several colleges. For example, Harvard University is comprised of medical, engineering colleges, business schools, etc.

There are colleges with two-year (junior, or community college) and four-year education. In junior college, as a rule, students who live at home study, and local authorities bear part of the costs of studying there. Therefore, training there is quite cheap for the "local population". For those who come there from another state or country, education is more expensive. For admission, it is enough to pass the TOEFL. Often, after graduating from junior college, a student goes to the third year of a 4-year college and, after completing it, receives a bachelor's degree. He is credited with all the credits and grades he received at the two-year college. We can say that studying in such a college is a kind of preparation for more serious studies in a 4-year college or university. After graduation, the graduate receives a diploma of secondary special education (associate degree), and can work, for example, a nurse (nurse), kindergarten teacher, secretary, etc.

The so-called "small" and "middle" colleges play an important role in the American education system. Small ones include universities, the number of students in which is no more than 1.5 thousand people, in secondary ones there are from 1.5 thousand to 5 thousand students. For example, Reed College in Oregon is small, with about 1.3 thousand students, while Pitzer College, a private small college in California, has only 880 students. Wittenberg University in Ohio is average (it has 2.2 thousand students) as well as Shepherd College in West Virginia, where there are 4 thousand. In small and medium colleges there are active assistance services for international students. It is in them that special programs of financial support for students from abroad are created, as well as programs that allow students to adapt to the realities of American life.

There are also specialized colleges in the United States, organized according to gender or religion. For example, Wabash College in Indiana and Deep Springs College in California are for men only; University of Dallas in Texas, University of Notre Dame in Indiana - for Catholics, etc.

The college can be both daytime and evening forms of study. The full-time department studies by semester: the first semester begins at the end of August and ends in December, the second semester lasts from January to April-May. In the evening department, the academic year is divided into trimesters, and there are no breaks between them. For example, after finishing the autumn term on November 16, on November 17, students switch to the winter term.

Before applying to a particular college, study several schools at once, check if they have a financial assistance program for foreign students, how much the tuition costs, what are the requirements for admission, and only then proceed to the choice. "

Student calendar, or the path to college

If you understand well why you want to study in the USA, if you finally chose a college (or several colleges), then it's time to start preparing the documents. Studying in almost all universities in America begins in August, and you need to start preparing for admission in 12-18 months. First of all, ask the colleges of your choice to send in brochures and catalogs containing information about the college programs, its location, conditions of admission and residence, traditions, achievements, etc. You will also be sent a form to fill out. It should be noted that the application form - one of the most important documents for admission - may include one or several thematic questions that need to be answered in the form of a short essay. For example, "The book I recently read", "Why I want to study at this college", "My future plans", etc. From these works, the selection committee draws conclusions about your personal qualities, abilities, ability to competently and clearly express your thoughts, etc. You can also fill out the questionnaire on the website of your chosen college.

At the same time, try to register for TOEFL or SAT tests, depending on college requirements. A document on the result of their delivery is also required for admission.

Towards autumn, by October-November, prepare a copy of the secondary education certificate translated into English and certified by a notary, a medical certificate, ask the headmaster and teacher of one of the main subjects to write recommendations.

So, the documents have been sent. Between January and April, try to find out if they are on time. The answer from college usually comes in the spring, in April-May. If you received several invitations to study at once, then select the most suitable college and ask for additional information.

Finally, in the summer, you will need to contact an "advisor" - an international advisor or assistant, which is available in almost every college and works with international students. He will tell you how to proceed, and under favorable circumstances, in August you will sit at your desk.

Don't forget the most important thing! If you ask a university to provide you with financial assistance (scholarship), then it is better to do this in the fall, along with sending documents. You can get a discount of, say, 50%. If the price still does not suit you, apply for financial support again in the spring, and the situation will clear up by the summer.

If you are going to transfer from a Russian university to an American university, the order of admission does not change. But in this case, you must add to the package of documents a list of marks for the courses taken, which must be translated into English and notarized, and recommendations from university teachers. Some of the subjects in an American college can be credited to you.

When dealing with paperwork, try to fulfill all the requirements clearly and accurately, without adding too much, since Americans follow the "discipline" of the work performed, and if it says: "It is desirable to answer this question within one page", then do just that. After all, if the volume is larger, then your essay will simply not be read ... ".

Algorithm for admission to US universities and colleges

I. Get a consultation at the nearest information and educational center. During the consultation, be prepared to answer the following questions:

• What specialty would you like to study or internship in?
• Are you fluent in English?
• How long would you like to study?
• Is your goal for a diploma or degree or experience?

II. At the center, request a selection of materials describing various aspects of the admission process to American universities, recommendations and samples of documents, a list of additional literature.

III. With the help of reference books and electronic databases of the center, find universities that provide education in your specialty. If you are interested in an internship, look for internship programs in your specialty. Carefully write down the addresses and coordinates of e-mail and Internet sites. When selecting universities, pay special attention to the following factor: does the university provide financial assistance to foreign students (graduate students, etc.). If the university does not provide financial assistance for foreign students, then you will have to pay for education from your own funds. Financial aid decisions are usually made by HEIs in January-February of each academic year, and admission decisions are made in March.

IV. Send inquiries to the universities and organizations of your choice. Requests for Application Materials are available from the Centers. Answers will start to come in 3-4 weeks.

V. Immediately start filling out the documents required for admission and preparing for exams. All foreigners entering American universities take the TOEFL (exam in English for non-English speaking foreigners). Higher education institutions may also require other exams to be passed. In the centers you can get information on all tests and billets to register for testing. Below is an average statistical list of documents required by universities for admission and financial assistance.

Application Forms

Each University in the USA issues its own questionnaires containing numerous questions for prospective applicants. Carefully read all points of the questionnaire, as well as instructions for filling it out. Remember, the answers to the questions are best prepared in printed form. When indicating your name and surname on the questionnaire, use the same spelling as in foreign countries. passport. Attach all documents required by the university.

Certified copies of the Diploma in Russian

Make a copy of the original diploma and have it certified by the university office. Remember that the document must be certified by the official seal of the university and signed by the rector or vice-rector. In addition, you can sign a copy of the document to the dean of the faculty.

Certified translation of the diploma into English

Be sure to include in the package of documents sent to the American university, a certified translation of the diploma into English. Most often, students independently translate the diploma and certify the correctness of the translation at a notary office or at the English language department of their university. If you chose the latter, remember that in order to finalize the document, you need to put a seal in the university office.

Certified copies of the Certificate in English and Russian

If you are entering the first year, prepare copies of your secondary education certificate in Russian and English. Both documents can be certified either at the notary's office or at the school principal.

Certified copies of transcripts in English and Russian. (Transcript of Academic Records)

A transcript is a document that includes a list of courses, indicating the number of hours for each semester and grades for exams, credits, coursework. Since Russian universities do not issue official transcripts, you will need to prepare a replacement for this document. It is better to translate the “transcript of the record book”, as it contains more complete information than the “diploma supplement”. You do not need to translate both documents. Make a copy of the “extract” in Russian and repeat the same procedure as with the diploma. Certification of transcripts in English can be done similarly to certification of a diploma.

If you have not graduated yet, then your transcript should include all subjects and current grades received so far.
If you are entering the first year after school, you need to prepare a transcript of all subjects for the ninth, tenth and eleventh grades, both in Russian and in English. It is better to prepare your own trans crypt, because the certificate does not include all subjects. You need to put the school's seal and the school director's signature in Russian and English or use the services of a notary office.

Test results

Depending on the chosen specialty and level of education (first year of the university, postgraduate study, professional programs, etc.), universities ask you to write the results of TOEFL, SAT, GRE and other tests in the questionnaire. Please be aware that the data you provide on the questionnaire will not replace the official test results sent by the Educational Testing Center (ETS) in Princeton. If you have not taken the test yet or do not know your results, write down the date when you took or are just planning to take the exams. Even if you have not passed the exams yet, you can send the questionnaire to the university.

The provision of letters of recommendation (usually three) from the representatives of the faculty (professors and / or teachers) are an important part of the package of documents sent to the university. You need to send as many references as the university requires. Each letter must be signed and enclosed in a separate envelope. If the letter is written in Russian, an official certification by the notary office or the English language department of your university is required.

Introductory essay (Statement of Purpose)

Writing a good introductory essay is extremely important because it helps the admissions committee to better evaluate you as a future candidate, and gives you the opportunity to introduce yourself as an outstanding person. How long ago did you choose the specialty that interested you? What are your motives for admission, why did you choose this particular program? Tell us about your academic background. Are your interests in line with those of the department or school? Do you have any qualities or qualities that would distinguish you from other students who submitted the questionnaires? How clearly and consistently can you communicate your thoughts? Why do you want to enter this particular university? What are your plans for the future? How will acquiring the knowledge acquired at the university help you to implement these plans? In our center you can get acquainted with recommendations and samples.

Financial Statement

Some universities may require you to provide real proof of your financial capabilities. Proof can be a letter from your employer and / or your parent's employer stamped and signed on your monthly salary and / or an official bank statement showing your account balance. If you are unable to pay for your tuition or can only pay partially, ask the university to consider all possible financial aid options for you. Rest assured, they will check all the information about study and research scholarships and assistance programs.

Document review fee

Most American colleges and universities will not consider your paperwork unless you pay a special fee, which usually ranges from $ 10 to $ 150. Place your receipt in the envelope along with your other documents. Keep in mind that if you are not admitted to the university, then this amount of money is non-refundable. If you do not have money to pay for the examination of documents, enclose a letter in the package explaining the reason for the lack of funds. In our center you can see examples of such letters.

Vi. After you have received answers from all the universities you have requested, carefully analyze the information received and compare the proposed conditions. Choose the universities that are most relevant to your goals and offer sufficient financial assistance. Carefully study all the requirements of universities, for example, when is the deadline for submission of documents for admission and financial assistance, which exams must be passed and how many points must be scored, which documents are included in the "admission package", etc.

Vii. Exams. Take and carefully study the informational bills of those tests that are required for admission to your specialty. Start preparing in advance and sign up for testing. Please note that many universities require test results to be sent to them directly from the ETS. Before starting testing, you have the right to indicate three universities to which your results will be sent automatically. For an additional fee, ETS can send your results to more universities.

VIII. Arrange the documents in separate packages, clearly sign the address and send. Please note that a letter to the United States takes at least 3 weeks.

IX. Of those universities that have accepted you, choose one, and immediately send messages to the rest that you reject their proposals.

X. To obtain a visa, the university will send you a Form I-20, which is the basis for obtaining a visa. Go through the visa consultation and pre-departure briefing at the educational center and make an appointment at the embassy.

How to find money to pay for education in the USA

One of the main obstacles that stands in the way of those wishing to study in the United States is the high cost of education there. American colleges and universities set prices based on the capabilities of the citizens of their far from poor country. On average, tuition for a bachelor's degree in the United States costs $ 8,000-18,000, but many colleges can cost you up to $ 30,000 per year. However, you can try your luck by contacting American foundations, which are ready to issue scholarships or grants to foreign students and graduate students under certain conditions.

According to statistics, more than 400,000 foreign students are admitted to all kinds of American colleges and universities annually. About 7% of them receive assistance from the educational institution itself, and 5-6% from a sponsor or some fund.

We are not suggesting that financial assistance is easy. This largely depends on what program and where you study (for example, it is much more difficult for undergraduate students to get money than future masters), what is your specialization, academic success, family financial situation, etc. But it is worth trying. And the more effort you put in, the more realistic your prospects are.

Scholarships

There are several types of scholarships you can apply for. Simply “scholarship” (scholarship) is the most coveted type of material assistance, since it usually does not imply any response other than gratitude. The scholarship usually goes towards the tuition fees, but sometimes it can include living expenses. It can be paid from state funds (for example, by an organization funded from the state budget), a separate state, the educational institution itself or its alumni fund, as well as any other fund.

Another type of scholarship is called fellowship. In this case, assistance is usually provided through informal scientific societies that offer scholarships to graduate students, candidates and doctors of science involved in special projects in a particular field. Often fellowships are paid to members of various minorities who are underrepresented in a particular field of research - including women.

For example, there is a special scholarship for female students - the Delta Gamma Fellowship. In many cases, these types of financial assistance programs are designed only for members of certain organizations - for example, the American Historical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, or the Association of American Geographers. It is very prestigious to be a member of such an organization, and foreigners are not always accepted there.

You can also get a grant. This is a scholarship, as they say, "the highest level". A grant is usually allocated for a scientific project (research) and covers the entire cost of its implementation. The grant can be paid by any organization that specifically hires a student to conduct research. In addition to the cost of the work itself, the grant, as a rule, includes expenses for transport, accommodation and other related expenses. Many grant programs fund doctoral dissertation work.

Another type of material support is “assistantship”. This is not a scholarship itself, since it requires the performance of a certain job in return: the assistant undertakes to assist the supervisor or professor in conducting research. The amount of work can be rigidly agreed - for example, 20 hours per week. As a rule, only graduate students can count on such assistance. Assistantship is useful in that the graduate student gains valuable work experience and it is easier for him to establish contacts with university professors. Most colleges employ “teaching assistants” to assist with seminars, exam counseling, credits, etc. this place.

In addition to scholarships, there are loans. This is the most common form of receiving money to study at any university for citizens and permanent residents of the United States. Loans are government (they are called Stafford) and university. Such large and world-famous universities as Harvard University, Princeton University and others provide loans to prospective students from their budget. Loans are also divided into subsidiary and non-subsidiary. In the first case, interest begins to accrue after graduation, in the second - during it. Many graduates have been repaying loans to universities for ten or more years.

In any case, it will be useful on your part to inquire whether they are offering similar loans to foreign students. If this is not possible in the first year, do not be discouraged. Perhaps, after a year or two of studying in the United States, when you have a "credit history", when you "acquire" American acquaintances who are ready to vouch for you, you will be able to get a regular loan at a local bank.

Another type of financial assistance is sponsorship. It can be obtained from a company, charity or even an individual. For example, an acquaintance of mine who has diabetes has been studying at an American university for several years at the expense of a sponsor - an employee of an organization that provides insulin to diabetic Americans.

The scholarship can be obtained in a "hidden" form. For example, a university may, upon request, reduce the cost of education for you if you indicate in the application that you cannot pay for your studies and needs financial assistance. Some private universities offer discounts up to 50%.
Many colleges have a "gap" system. This means that there is a break in the payment of your financial aid, during which you must pay for your studies. One way to "get out" is to find yourself a job for this time on the college campus itself.

How to get a scholarship

To get money in America, desire alone is not enough. It is necessary to collect a whole package of documents, which will be considered by the fund only if the completeness is observed. The main document for obtaining a scholarship is a completed standard application form. It can be obtained upon request by mail or downloaded from the site.

The next important piece of paper is a bank form. It must confirm that you cannot pay for university tuition yourself. For a non-working Russian, it can be replaced by income declarations of parents, and if you are already working - a certificate of your income issued by your employer.

You will also need a certificate of secondary education and its certified copy in English, a transcript (if you have one), test results (for example, TOEFL) and recommendations. Some organizations require writing essays on different topics, such as “Why do I want to get an education?”, “My goals in life,” “Plans for a future career,” etc. A question may be asked about your favorite book or the person who has influenced you the most in your life. As a rule, the purpose of such questions is to find out what kind of person you are, what you want from life, in what area you want to make a career and why, etc. It is also important how you express your thoughts and how convincing they are.

It should be noted that some foundations and organizations offering scholarships to students require a fee for the application that you must submit to participate in the program. The price of this document can range from $ 25 to $ 45. So, before submitting your application, find out if you need to pay for it.
The administration of educational institutions usually tries to comply with the principle of social justice. Also, if you were denied a scholarship in the first year of study, then it may be given in one of the following years. If you have already been given a scholarship in some fund, you may not be given it again. In any case, each college or university has its own “policy” for granting scholarships to international students. Therefore, first of all, having chosen a college or university in the United States, study in detail its section “financial aid to foreign students” and find the most suitable option for you.

Many colleges grant scholarships to foreigners only on condition of excellent academic performance. Your other merits may also be considered: academic and other awards, gratitude, achievements in music or sports, social activities. For example, Rano Burkhanova, a student at the private Depaw University in Indiana (Depaw University), pleasantly surprised the dean's office with her active social activities and excellent grades at school. She was given a scholarship - but with the condition that during all four years of study, she will maintain her GPA at the proper level (Great Point Average, or GPA). Not the least role in obtaining a scholarship is played by the results of tests such as TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and SAT.

In any case, it is necessary to apply for scholarships of different types and apply to as many organizations as possible.

Chances of getting financial aid

Basically, financial assistance is provided to applicants for the Graduate Level, especially in the field of technical, computer and natural sciences. Private firms and US government agencies are interested in research in these areas, and provide significant funding to the university or faculty to conduct such research. These funds are provided to the best candidates in the form of Research Assistantship or Fellowship. You also need to know that in America 40% of Ph.D. in Engineering and Computer Science are assigned to international students. There are significantly fewer opportunities in the humanities and social sciences: only a few graduate students get the opportunity to work as Teaching Assistantships, which requires fluency in English.

Undergraduate Level study programs do not have such a narrow specialization and usually do not include research. Therefore, there is less opportunity to receive financial assistance from universities or private foundations. Usually small private (Liberal Arts) colleges can provide financial assistance to international students. Colleges accept students and provide financial assistance not only based on the level of knowledge, but also depending on other abilities (in music, sports, etc.).

It is sometimes easier to get financial aid if you are transferring to an American university as a transfer student. This means that students who study in Russia at the 3rd or 4th year of a university or institute complete their studies in the United States. It should be borne in mind that if you complete the 3rd year in Belarus, then when you transfer to an American university, you may be again enrolled in the 3rd year. Or, if a student in Belarus has completed the 4th year, then, most likely, he will be enrolled in the 4th year of an American university. The American side will carefully study the documents on the courses taken and decide which course to take the student to.

US funds

Each of the foundations specializes in one area - for example, humanities or natural sciences. However, the number of the funds themselves and the scholarships they provide is not the same for different specialties. For example, in America there are a lot of funds for architecture, art, aviation, biology, chemistry, engineering, but they either have very few scholarships (from 1 to 4 per year), or they are intended only for US residents. There are many funds in medicine - 20 organizations allocate money for students of bachelor's programs alone - but it is extremely difficult for a foreigner to enter this specialty. But marketing and business are among the most popular specialties: there are more than enough people who want to study in them and for money, therefore only nine funds provide support in these areas at the undergraduate level.

There are very few scholarships available to undergraduate or graduate students studying finance, accounting, economics (only two foundations offering one scholarship per year) and law (four foundations, three of which are for US residents only).
If you would like to study business, contact the APICS Education and Research Foundation. It offers up to 164 scholarships per year, ranging from $ 100 to $ 1,700. Scholarships are awarded to students in two- and four-year college and university programs. An applicant for such a scholarship must submit a written paper on a topic from the field of marketing. It must be written in English and sent by May 15th. You also need to fill out a questionnaire and attend the competition, the date and place of which you will be notified.

The IMA Foundation also specializes in this area (business), providing 20 scholarships ranging from $ 2,000 to $ 5,000 for freshmen who intend to pursue a career in financial management and accounting. Applicant must be a student of a four-year program and have strong leadership ability. It is required by February 15 to send a resume, fill out a questionnaire, write an essay and submit recommendations.

Senior students (3-4 courses) and graduate students specializing in accounting are ready to help the Robert Kaufman Memorial Educational Foundation. He awards 25-30 scholarships annually, each of which can range from $ 250 to $ 3,000. But if you are distinguished by special knowledge and abilities, then, perhaps, you will be treated with more attention and will be given more money to study. The deadline for applying for the scholarship is February 28th. Requirements: fill out a questionnaire, attach a bank form, recommendations, test results and a blank envelope with a stamp for your answer.

Foundations in the field of communications are very common. For example, the Society for Technical Communications is offering 14 scholarships of $ 2,500 each to those studying communications and computers. Seven of them are for graduate students or candidates working on a diploma in communications. The other seven are for 2-4 year students specializing in technical communications. All candidates must complete at least one year of study. Requirements: application form, recommendations, translation of documents into English. Documents are accepted until February 15.

The very generous foundation of the Rotary International Business Club is specialized in foreign languages. The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International awards 150-200 scholarships per year. The size of each is from $ 7,000 to $ 17,000. The applicant must complete two courses at the university or intensively study the language during the year. Applications can be submitted through local Rotary Club offices. Requirements: application form, autobiography, essays, interviews, recommendations, translation of documents. Applications are accepted throughout the year.

Journalism is one of the most popular areas, so not many foundations work in this area. One of them is the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which offers 21 scholarships annually ranging from $ 500 to $ 2,000 to students who study mass communication, television and related fields. You must submit a cassette with your video to the competition. The Academy awards three places in categories: Comedy, Drama, Music Programs, Documentary, News, Sports, Animation, etc. Documents can be submitted until December 15. Requirements: application form, personal presence at the competition.

Numerous foundations sponsor graduate or senior students who study pedagogy, child and youth education and conduct research in this area. In particular, the Grant Foundation will be able to help you if you study the processes of development and behavior of children, adolescents and young people, the impact on them of the social environment and methods of preventing problems in their behavior. Along with the application, you must submit a cover letter, where you explain how and why you work in a particular field. This should be accompanied by a description of the project you are about to carry out. Grants are issued only to those who graduated from the university, there can be up to 35 of them per year. The amount of the grant is from $ 100,000 to $ 500,000. The deadline for submission of documents is not limited.

As noted above, medical funds help only residents of the United States and Canada (and in some cases, even specific states), members of certain groups, organizations (fellowships). Only the American Heart Association, which provides a grant in the amount of $ 25,000- $ 30,000 for research in its profile, is taken to help foreigners. The grant is issued for two years, it can be extended for another year. For all questions, you need to contact the association.

What to do

First of all, you will need information on where to go. To learn more about this and other programs, you need to personally visit the office of the organization you are interested in or seriously surf the Internet. On the websites of many educational institutions there are special sections "Financial aid for international students" (Financial aid for international students or Scholarships). If you have any questions during the reading, write them down so that you can then ask the representatives of the university by e-mail.

The main thing is to prepare in advance. Do not postpone asking for financial aid until you enroll in a university. It makes sense to request applications for financial assistance along with applications for admission, so that if you are accepted, you do not have to worry about where to get the money.
If you feel that nothing is working out, no university is responding to your pleas for “financial aid,” then go the other way. Do not be afraid to look for information in a variety of sources. Contact the American Education Center at the Foreign Literature Library, call the embassy. I know a girl who accidentally met a professor of higher education, where she wanted to study, and ... convinced him of how talented she is. As a result, she was given a scholarship for four years of study. You can even contact university teachers via the Internet. Write them letters, tell them why you need to study with them and get an education in that given educational institution.

There is an interesting statistic: 18% of all people in the world who receive education outside of their country choose the United States for this. In second place, but almost two times behind, is the UK (source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics and OECD). Today in higher educational institutions in the United States studying (drumroll) 21.6 million people, and almost a million of them are foreign students. And if from Russia, in connection with the well-known events of 2014 and the almost two-fold drop in the national currency rate, they began to go abroad to study less often, then the rest of the world, which is indifferent to the "old dispute of the Slavs among themselves", demonstrates stable economic growth, and growth the number of students is quite stormy. Only from India in 2015, 29% more students came to the United States to study than a year earlier. Many countries in Asia and Latin America show annual growth of 10-15%. As in that joke: "One and a half billion Chinese cannot be wrong ...".

And how many students from Russia study at US universities? We emphasize: it is in universities, and not in all kinds of very popular language courses. In the absence of more recent data, we present the figures for the "pre-war" 13th year. By the way, I remember that in Soviet times everything was always compared with 1913, and now we are increasingly comparing all the numbers with the relatively stable 2013 ...

So, in 2013, university students with Russian passports accounted for only 0.6% of the total number of foreign students.

How to stay to work?

What attracts young people to the United States if we leave politics and ideas of libertarianism aside? As a rule, this is not a hypothetical, but a real (enshrined in laws) opportunity to stay to work and live in the United States after receiving an education.

If a person has completed the Associate Degree, Bachelor, or Master program, he or she is eligible to stay to work in the United States for 1 year under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program. In fact, such work can be equated with professional development and obtaining professional practical skills. \\

OPT is a temporary job directly related to the specialty that the student received at an American university. OPT is granted by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and only applies to work related to the acquired specialty.

However, there are a number of specialties in which the US labor market is very interested. Such specialists are allowed to work in the country (note, without a work visa) for another two years. These highly demanded specialties are abbreviated as STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics. Such specialties are published in the official Designated Degree Program List. These now include:

• actuarial sciences;
• biology and biomedicine;
• information Technology;
• engineering;
• engineering technologies;
• mathematics and statistics;
• military technology;
• physical sciences.

In other words, if you graduated from a community college or university in the United States with a degree in business / management or something creative, then you can stay in the United States for one year in your specialty, but if you are a young engineer, then You can stay for three years (1 year of "regular" OPT + 2 years of STEM programs).

And why is this program so good?

What does it give graduates? To understand the answer to this question, you need to take the position of an American employer. Here is a young foreign specialist who has just graduated from a university in front of him at an interview. What does the employer know about him? Objectively, almost nothing. Resume and personal impressions of the interview. And if the person is not as good in fact as he made an impression on the interview, or it did not appear immediately (during the trial period), but later? But the employer must issue a work visa for his foreign worker. Not everyone is ready to take on this responsibility just once or twice with a person in an interview. By the way, even the youngest specialist may not like the place of work. And both sides should be able to disperse amicably without prejudice to each other's interests.

What do we get? The employer has not issued a three-year work visa, and the foreigner still has time to find another employer. Everyone is happy! And after the time allotted for OPT work runs out, the foreigner is free to apply for a work visa to stay in the United States. And there it is not far from the green card.

About prices

Now, briefly about what stands for the majority on the way to study in the USA - finance. Let's give an outline of the cost of education in the United States.

• Community colleges. This is analogous to our professional colleges. They give a two-year education, after which you can either go to work on the OPT program, or go directly to the third year of undergraduate studies at universities. The cost of training in such colleges is on average from 6 to 9 thousand US dollars per year. A list of colleges is available.
• Bachelor's degree. An ordinary student completes a bachelor's degree in 4 years. Tuition fees depend on the prestige of the university, on the "luxury" of the university campus and on other circumstances. One year at the university will cost from 12 to 45 thousand US dollars. Options for obtaining a bachelor's degree in the United States can be viewed on this page.
• Master's degree. In the case of a master's degree, it is better to talk not about the cost per year, but for the entire course. Since the training system is "credit", the number of "credits" subjects required to obtain a master's degree can be acquired in a year (with all the effort) and in two years. The entire master's degree, depending on the specialty and prestige of the university, will cost from 35 to 50 thousand US dollars. But in this case, we leave out the MBA - the cost of these programs, depending on the rating of the school's business and the "show-off" of university marketers, may exceed 100 thousand for the entire program.