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Affordable Universities in USA

affordable universities in usa
A Complete Guide To

Affordable Universities in USA

Chapter 1

Overview

Studying in the USA is a dream for many students, as a degree from the US has an excellent international reputation. Moreover, it is the ideal destination for many international students because of the diversity of cultures in the country. There are so many other factors as well that contribute to the USA being one of the best places to study. Let’s see what they are!

  • The USA has many public research Universities that offer various scholarships which are affordable to international students. 
  • They have numerous types of courses, leaving you with so many choices.
  • The USA has the largest population of international students in the world. 
  • The country boasts diversity, multicultural experiences, good education, and several other opportunities.
  • If you’re someone who likes to explore new things, then you can make use of the great environment.
  • Their academic standards are high. Hence, they outline rigorous conditions and requirements.

Studying in the USA is a dream for many students, as a degree from the US has an excellent international reputation. Moreover, it is the ideal destination for many international students because of the diversity of cultures in the country. There are so many other factors as well that contribute to the USA being one of the best places to study. Let’s see what they are!

  • The USA has many public research Universities that offer various scholarships which are affordable to international students. 
  • They have numerous types of courses, leaving you with so many choices.
  • The USA has the largest population of international students in the world. 
  • The country boasts diversity, multicultural experiences, good education, and several other opportunities.
  • If you’re someone who likes to explore new things, then you can make use of the great environment.
  • Their academic standards are high. Hence, they outline rigorous conditions and requirements.
Chapter 2

Eligibility and requirements to study in the USA

For students who want to pursue their higher education in the USA, there are certain requirements you have to look into. Let’s see what they are.

Admissions

The universities in the USA enroll students in three intakes:

Fall semester – August

Spring semester – January

Summer semester – May

Student Visa

  • An F1 student visa can be obtained by students who want to pursue graduate or postgraduate courses in the USA.
  • It is valid for five years.
  • F2 visa applies to spouses or children who accompany F1 visa recipients.
  • The spouses or children cannot work there with an F2 visa.

Work 

  • A student can work up to 20 hours per week, a limit which is extended to 40 hours per week during the holidays.

To pursue an undergraduate degree in the USA, you need:

  • Proof of secondary school education – a certificate of completion of your 12 years of schooling is required.
  • A letter of recommendation from your previous institute.
  • TOEFL scores – This test has to be taken.

TOEFL

  • TOEFL is a Test of English as a Foreign Language.
  • This test is accepted by universities in the USA and 150 other countries. 
  • This exam is meant for non-native speakers of English to prove their proficiency in the language. 
  • The TOEFL score is valid for two years.
  • The test assesses reading, listening, speaking, and writing of the English language.
  • A minimum score of 78 is required to get into universities in the USA.
  • You can register for this exam at any time of the day, seven days a week. Registration closes four days before the exam is conducted.
  • The exam fee is $185.

TOEFL Essentials Test

  • This is an alternative to the regular TOEFL test.
  • This test measures your listening, reading, writing, and speaking ability in the English language.
  • This test is much shorter when compared to TOEFL.
  • The duration of this test is 1 ½ hours.
  • Since August 2021, this has been available.
  • It costs $100.

To pursue a Postgraduate degree in the USA

  • GMAT –  The graduate management admission test is required if you want to pursue MBA. It tests your analytical, writing, quantitative, verbal, and reading skills in the English language. 700 is the minimum score you need to get into good universities. The fee is $250.
  • GRE – The graduate record examination is needed to pursue MA, MS, and doctoral degree programs. It tests your aptitude for abstract thinking in analytical writing, mathematics, and vocabulary. 140 is the minimum score you need. The fee is $213.
  • LSAT – The law school admission test is for students who want to pursue law. It tests logical, verbal reasoning, and reading comprehension. 150 is the minimum score required. The fee is $200.

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Chapter 3

Cheap Universities in the USA

University of Washington

This university is located in Seattle, Washington, in the United States and was established in 1869.

About

The University of Washington is a public flagship research university, and it is the oldest university on the West Coast. “Let there be light” is its motto. The university, which is committed to research, has over 47,571 students and 5,803 administrative staff. There are also two other campuses in Tacoma and Bothell. Moreover, the University of Washington is known for its competitive computer science course and has tie-ups with giant companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, and more. It is highly selective in its admission process, and its alumni include 21 Nobel prize laureates, Pulitzer prize winners, and Rhodes scholars. Some of the notable alumni are Joel McHale, Rainn Wilson, and Kenny G. 

Rankings: 

World rank: 16 

National rank: 3

Courses offered

UG: American Indian Studies, Computer Science, Dance, Architecture, Dental, and more.

PG: Social Sciences, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Engineering, Business, Journalism, and more.

Website : https://www.washington.edu/students/crscat/

Acceptance Rate Average Tuition Fee Application Deadline
52% $12,001 avg February 15

CUNY Brooklyn College

This college is located in Brooklyn and was established in the year 1930.

About

It is a public college located in the beautiful city of Brooklyn in New York. The alumni of this college are federal judges, Olympians, Emmy award and Pultizer prize winners, as well as Nobel Prize winners. “Nothing without great effort” is the motto of this college. It has 15,000 students and 534 academic staff and is called “the poor man’s Harvard.” This college has over 75 programs, and some of the notable alumni are James Franco, Barbara Boxer, and more.

Rankings

World rank: 1634

National rank: 308

Courses offered

UG: Accounting, Sales, Biology, Greek, and more.

PG: Arts, Sciences, M.F.A, and more.

Research: Biochemistry, Computer, Earth and Environmental Sciences, and more.

http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/home.php 

Acceptance Rate Average Tuition Fee Application Deadline
45% $3000 (after aid) December 15

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Purdue University

This university is located in West Lafayette, Indiana, and was established in 1869.

About

Purdue University is a public land grant university. Initially, this university was started as a class of 39 students and now has over 49,639 students and 3,055 staff. It offers more than 200 major programs for undergraduates and 69 master’s degree programs and is the founding member of the Big Ten Conference. The alumni of this university are astronauts, Rhodes scholars, and others, including Neil Armstrong and Drew Brees.

Rankings

World rank: 109

National rank: 53

Courses offered

UG: Aeronautical Engineering, Aquatic sciences, etc.

PG: Nursing, Entomology, etc.

Ph.D.: Forestry and Natural Resources, Aviation technology, etc.

Acceptance Rate Average Tuition Fee Application Deadline
60% $12,527 (after aid) November 1

 

Site : https://www.purdue.edu/purdue/academics/index.php

University of Florida

This university is located in Gainesville, Florida, and was established in the year 1853.

About

The University of Florida is a public land grant university and is one of the three preeminent universities in Florida. It has the fifth largest campus in the USA and has more than 150 research centers. This university has 56,567 students and 8,231 administrative staff, and has 100 undergraduate and 200 postgraduate courses. The alumni of this university have won Olympic medals, and some of the notable ones are Erin Andrews and Emmitt Smith.

Rankings

World rank: 62

National rank: 38

Courses offered

UG: Accounting, Actuarial science, etc.

PG: Aerospace engineering, African languages, Agricultural education, etc.

Acceptance Rate Average Tuition Fee Application Deadline
37% $8,057 (after aid) November 1

Website : https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/courses/

Oklahoma State University

This university is located in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and was established in the year 1890.

About

The University is a public land grant research university. It offers more than 300 undergraduate and 200 graduate programs. The university has campuses in five locations, and there are over 24,041 students and 1,337 academic staff. The alumni of this university include Olympic winners, Truman scholars, and Fulbright scholars.

Rankings

World rank: 478

National rank: 187

Courses offered

UG: Acting, American studies, etc.

PG: Business management, law, accounting, etc.

Acceptance Rate Average Tuition Fee Application Deadline
70% $14,878 (after aid) December 1

Website : https://go.okstate.edu/undergraduate-academics/

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

This university is located in North Carolina and was established in the year 1789.

About

This is a public research university at Chapel Hill. The academic experience in this university is known for its similarity to an Ivy League University. This university also has its own hospital, UNC Health Care, which specializes in cancer care. Their Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center is one of the comprehensive national centers. This university offers 70 different courses, and its alumni include 9 Nobel prize laureates and Rhodes scholars. Some of the notable alumni are Mia Hamm, Stuart Scott, Andy Griffith, and others.

Rankings

World rank: 29

National rank: 20

Courses offered

UG: Aerospace, Biochemistry, Computer Science, etc.

PG: American studies, Biology, Dental Hygiene Education, etc.

Ph.D.: Communication Studies, Biology, etc.

Acceptance Rate Average Tuition Fee Application Deadline
23% $13,918 (after aid) November 1

Website : https://catalog.unc.edu/graduate/degree-programs/

California State University - Long Beach

This university is located in California and was established in the year 1857.

About

This is a public university in California and has tuition fees at an affordable price. It has over 485,550 students and 55,909 academic staff. They offer over 74 undergraduate courses,146 postgraduate courses, and 7 Ph.D. courses. There’s also a facility for students to complete their courses online and in hybrid formats. 

Rankings

World rank: 38

National rank: 2

 

Courses offered

They have colleges with different streams, from the college of business to the college of engineering.

Acceptance Rate Average Tuition Fee Application Deadline
47% $4,175 (after aid) November 30

Website : https://www.calstate.edu/

Indiana University - Bloomington

This university is located in Indiana, Bloomington, and was established in the year 1820.

About

This public research university is the flagship of Indiana University, with a range of programs and several schools for different courses. There are 43,710 students and 2,194 academic staff. Furthermore, this university is a member of the ‘Association of American Universities,’ and the alumni include Nobel laureates, Rhodes scholars, and more.

Rankings

World rank: 311

National rank: 68

Courses offered

They have colleges for specific streams in this university, such as Kelly School of Business, College of Arts and Sciences, Hamilton Lugar School of Global, and International Studies.

Acceptance Rate Average Tuition Fee Application Deadline
76% $13,428 (after aid) November 1

Website : https://www.indiana.edu/academics/degrees-majors/index.html

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This university is located in Illinois and was established in 1867.

About

This university is a public land grant research university and has the highest number of enrollments in the US. It is a university with high research activity and classified as an R1: Doctoral University, having 16 colleges and schools with 150 undergraduate and 100 postgraduate programs. Max Levchin, Roger Ebert are some of the notable alumni.

Rankings

World rank: 38

National rank: 10

Courses offered

UG: Accountancy, Chemistry, Gender and Women’s Studies, etc.

PG: Aerospace Engineering, Latin, Linguistics, etc.

Acceptance Rate Average Tuition Fee Application Deadline
59% $17,302 (after aid) January 5

Website: http://catalog.illinois.edu/undergraduate/

University of California - San Diego

This university is located in San Diego, California, and was established in the year 1960.

About

This is a public land-grant research university and offers over 200 underground courses and postgraduate courses. This university is ranked as the best by major university rankings, with four academic institutions, namely Arts and Humanities, Biological Sciences, Physical sciences and Social Sciences. Moreover, there are over 40,473 students and 23,461 academic staff in this university, considered one of the country’s Public Ivies.

Rankings

World rank: 34

National rank: 22

Courses offered

They offer a range of courses in graduate and postgraduate programs, from Arts and Humanities to Engineering.

Acceptance Rate Average Tuition Fee Application Deadline
31% $13,318 (after aid) November 30

Website : https://extension.ucsd.edu/Courses-and-Programs

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Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis

This university is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and was established in 1969.

About

Indiana University has partnered with Purdue University and has established its urban research and academic health sciences campus in Indianapolis, Indiana.  This university has two schools—one is the Indiana University School of Dentistry, and the other is the Indiana University School of Medicine. This university also offers more than 200 programs.

Rankings

World rank: 235

National rank: 84

Courses offered

UG: Computer Science, Chemistry, Economics, etc.

PG: Computer Engineering, etc.

Acceptance Rate Average Tuition Fee Application Deadline
81% $10,987 (after aid) May 15

Website : https://catalog.pfw.edu/content.php?catoid=46&navoid=1282

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

This university is located in Edinburg, Texas, and was established in the year 2013.

About

This is a public research university and has multiple campuses in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. It is the ninth-largest university in the state of Texas, with over 32,419 students and 1,239 academic staff. Some of the notable alumni of this university are Jim Hickey, Otte Moore, Mire Chatman, and others.

Rankings

World rank: 759

National rank: 182

Courses offered

UG: Accountancy, Art, Biology, etc.

PG: Mathematics, Nursing Education, etc

Acceptance Rate Average Tuition Fee Application Deadline
80% $4,166 (after aid) March 31

Website : https://www.utrgv.edu/graduate/for-future-students/graduate-programs/index.htm

California State University - Fresno

This university is located in Fresno, California, and was established in the year 1911.

About

This is a public university and is one among the 23 campuses of California State University. It offers over 60 graduate, 45 postgraduate, and 3 doctoral degrees. It also has the third largest library in California, easily accessible to the 25,341 students and 1,194 academic staff. Some of the notable alumni are Jim Costa, David Carr, and Davante Adams.

Rankings

World rank: 1133

National rank: 247

Courses offered

UG: Interior Design, History, Graphic Design, etc.

PG: Biotechnology, Chemistry, Criminology, etc.

Ph.D.: Education Leadership, Nursing, etc.

Acceptance Rate Average Tuition Fee Application Deadline
58% $6,421 (after aid) November 30

Website : http://www.fresnostate.edu/catalog/index.html

University of Michigan

This university is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and was established in the year 1817.

About

This is a public research university and is the founding member of the Association of American universities. It is also ranked the best by major universities. It is classified as an R1: Doctoral university, i.e., a university with high research activity. Some of the notable alumni are Larry Page, Gerald Ford, and Tom Brady.

Rankings

World rank: 21

National rank: 23

Courses offered

UG and PG: Architecture, Business, Medicine, Law, Nursing, Social Work, etc.

Ph.D.: Humanities, Social Sciences, and STEM fields.

Acceptance Rate Average Tuition Fee Application Deadline
23% $16,010 (after aid) November 1

Website : https://umich.edu/academics/

University of South Florida:

This university is located in Florida and was established in 1956.

About

It is a public research university and is one of the members of the State University in Florida. It is the fourth largest University in Florida and the 11th largest public university in the United States. Moreover, there are 50,830 students and 16,277 academic staff. Some of the notable alumni are Roy Wegerele and Michael Rao.

Rankings

World rank: 300

National rank: 40

Courses offered

UG: Advertising, Art History, Biomedical Engineering, etc.

PG: Anthropology, Accountancy, Creative Writing, etc.

Ph.D.: Civil Engineering, Communication Sciences and Disorders, etc.

Acceptance Rate Average Tuition Fee Application Deadline
48% $9,838 (after aid) December 1

Website : https://catalog.usf.edu/content.php?catoid=15&navoid=2116

Chapter 4

Universities with Scholarships in the USA

  • Stanford University Scholarship

University: Stanford University

Eligibility:  Masters and Ph.D. students can apply for these scholarships. They offer scholarships that cover tuition fees, academic expenses, and others.

https://financialaid.stanford.edu/undergrad/how/international.html

  • Colby-Sawyer College Scholarships

College: Colby-Sawyer College

Eligibility: International students, who have merit-based marks, can get this scholarship which partly covers your tuition fees.

https://colby-sawyer.edu/apply/international-applications

  • Columbia College Scholarships

College: Columbia College

Eligibility: An award of cash grants or tuition fee reduction will be given for outstanding international students.

https://www.columbiacollege.ca/scholarships/

  • Dartmouth College Scholarships

College: Dartmouth College

Eligibility: For international students, scholarships and loans are available.

https://tdi.dartmouth.edu/education/admissions/scholarships-grants-loans#:~:text=We%20offer%20scholarships%20to%20U.S.,are%20enrolled%20as%20a%20student.

  • International Students Academic Merit Scholarship

College: East Tennessee State University

Eligibility: Offered to excellent international students who wish to pursue a graduate or postgraduate degree.

https://www.etsu.edu/international/student-scholar-services/internationalstudentscholarships/

  • International Excellence Scholarships

College: Concordia College

Eligibility: A merit-based scholarship for international students.

https://www.concordiacollege.edu/admission/international-students/costs-and-financial-aid/#:~:text=First%2Dyear%20international%20students%20who,is%20not%20a%20full%20scholarship.

  • Emory University Scholars Program

University: Emory University

Eligibility: A merit-based scholarship for international students.

https://apply.emory.edu/financial-aid/international.html

  • Illinois Wesleyan University Scholarship

University: Illinois Wesleyan University

Eligibility: This scholarship is for international students who score outstanding marks in the entrance exams.

https://www.iwu.edu/international/scholarships.html

  • Michigan State University International Scholarships

University: Michigan State University

Eligibility: For graduate and postgraduate students.

https://admissions.msu.edu/cost-aid/scholarships/international

  • Iowa State University International Merit Scholarships

University: Iowa State University

Eligibility: For international students based on their SAT and ACT scores.

https://www.admissions.iastate.edu/intl/merit_scholarships

FAQ

  • What is the average SAT score required to get a scholarship in the USA?

An average of 1200 and above in your SAT exam is ideal. To get into the best universities, a score of 1400 or more is required.

  • How much does it cost to study in the USA?

The tuition fee differs for every university and college. If you avail yourself of a scholarship, the tuition fee will be reduced. An average of $20,000 to $40,000 is the cost to study in the USA.

  • What exams are required to study in the USA?

There are several exams you need to take to get admission to a university in the USA. Apart from the entrance exam conducted by the universities, exams such as the SAT, IELTS, TOEFL, ACT can be attempted, depending on the university requirements. 

  • How safe is it to study in the USA?

Most of the universities and colleges in the USA are safe to study at. The campuses in the USA are incredibly safe.

  • Is studying in the USA easy?

It is not easy to study in the USA, as they have a rigorous regime to follow. They follow the principle of “Work Hard, Play Hard.”

Written by Anton Joesmiya

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