You are expected to speak in class
Participation is often graded. Asking questions is not rude, it is how you show you are engaged.
🇺🇸 United States
Study in the USA, from I-20 to visa interview.
The American route runs through one document. Your school issues an I-20, you pay the SEVIS fee, and then you attend a visa interview at the embassy. The interview is short and it turns on one question: can you show you are a genuine student with the money to study and a reason to return home.
Next intake
Fall 2027
Applications close in
140 days
Applications close: 15 Jan 2027
Why students choose the United States
Classes are informal and you are expected to speak up. Asking questions is not rude, it is how participation is measured, and a large part of your grade often comes from it. Campuses are their own small towns, with housing, sport and societies built in.
More choice than anywhere else
Thousands of universities, from small liberal arts colleges to enormous public research universities.
Work experience after you graduate
Optional Practical Training lets graduates work in their field for a period after finishing, and longer in science and technology subjects.
Campus life is part of the degree
Housing, sport, societies and support services are all on site, which makes settling in far easier.
1M+
international students
The largest international student body
Over a million international students study in the United States each year.
What it is actually like
The parts of living abroad nobody puts in a brochure, the customs that catch people out and the ones that make it worth it.
Informal, but deadlines are absolute
Professors are approachable and often go by first names. Late work is still penalised without mercy.
Health insurance is not optional
Universities require it and healthcare without it is extremely expensive. Budget for it from the start.
On campus work first
F-1 students can usually work on campus with limits. Off campus work needs separate authorisation.
Where you could live
Where you study changes what you pay and how quickly your language improves. These are the places we place students most often.
Boston
Northeast
A true student city with dozens of universities packed together. Cold winters, strong academics.
Living cost / month
USD 1,800 to 3,000
Known for: Universities, history, research
Los Angeles
West coast
Warm all year, spread out, and you will probably need a car.
Living cost / month
USD 1,900 to 3,200
Known for: Weather, film industry, diversity
Chicago
Midwest
A big city with lower costs than the coasts, and excellent public transport.
Living cost / month
USD 1,400 to 2,400
Known for: Architecture, jazz, affordability
Austin
South
A growing tech city with a big university and a strong music scene.
Living cost / month
USD 1,300 to 2,200
Known for: Tech jobs, music, warm weather
What nobody tells you before you go
The practical detail behind each stage, how school actually runs, where you will live, what work is really allowed and the admin that catches everyone out.
The I-20 and the visa interview
One document, one fee, one short interview that decides everything.
On campus or off
First year students usually live on campus, and it is worth it.
Health insurance
Required by your university, and genuinely expensive without.
Working during and after your degree
On campus during, Optional Practical Training after.
Studying there
2
The I-20 and the visa interview
One document, one fee, one short interview that decides everything.
The I-20 and the visa interview
One document, one fee, one short interview that decides everything.
Your school issues an I-20 once you accept a place and prove you can fund the first year. You pay the SEVIS fee, book an embassy appointment and attend a short interview. The officer is deciding whether you are a genuine student with genuine funding and a reason to go home afterwards.
Answer briefly and honestly. Long rehearsed speeches make officers suspicious, not impressed.
The community college route
Two years at lower cost, then transfer into the third year of a degree.
The community college route
Two years at lower cost, then transfer into the third year of a degree.
Community colleges cost far less and have easier entry requirements, and credits transfer into a full degree at a partner university. Your final diploma comes from the university, not the college. It is the standard way to cut the cost of an American degree.
Confirm the transfer agreement in writing before you enrol, not after.
Living there
2
On campus or off
First year students usually live on campus, and it is worth it.
On campus or off
First year students usually live on campus, and it is worth it.
Dormitories cost more than a shared flat but include utilities, internet and usually a meal plan, and they put you next to everyone else who just arrived. Most students move off campus in their second year once they know the city.
Health insurance
Required by your university, and genuinely expensive without.
Health insurance
Required by your university, and genuinely expensive without.
Almost every university requires proof of health cover and will enrol you in their own plan if you have none. A single emergency visit without insurance can cost more than a semester of tuition, so this is not a place to economise.
Check whether the university plan is mandatory before buying your own. Many will not accept outside cover.
Working there
1
Working during and after your degree
On campus during, Optional Practical Training after.
Working during and after your degree
On campus during, Optional Practical Training after.
F-1 students can work on campus with hour limits. Off campus work needs separate authorisation and is not automatic. After graduating, Optional Practical Training allows a period of work in your field, and it is longer for science and technology graduates.
Apply for OPT well before you graduate. Late applications are refused, not delayed.
Culture and etiquette
1
How American classrooms work
Participation counts, and silence is read as disengagement.
How American classrooms work
Participation counts, and silence is read as disengagement.
You are expected to interrupt, question and disagree. In many courses a portion of the grade is participation, and staying quiet out of politeness will cost you marks. Office hours are open invitations, not a last resort, and using them is normal.
Practical matters
1
Your first two weeks
Check in with the international office, then a bank and a phone.
Your first two weeks
Check in with the international office, then a bank and a phone.
You must report to your school's international student office on arrival so your record is activated. Everything else follows: a student ID, a bank account, a phone plan and a social security number if you take an on campus job.
Never let your enrolment status lapse. It is what keeps your visa valid.
Choose your pathway
Most students take more than one of these in sequence. Pick the one you would start with.
Intensive English programme
Best if: Students who need to reach degree entry level
Full time English at a university language centre, often used as a bridge to a degree.
- Typical duration
- 12 months
- Language requirement
- None to start, TOEFL or IELTS to progress
- Minimum age
- 17
- Education required
- 12 years
Community college
Best if: Students who want a degree at lower cost
Two years at a community college, then transfer into the third year of a university degree.
- Typical duration
- 24 months
- Language requirement
- TOEFL or IELTS, usually lower than university
- Minimum age
- 17
- Education required
- 12 years
Undergraduate degree
Best if: Students aiming straight for a US degree
A four year bachelor degree. Applications need test scores, essays and references.
- Typical duration
- 48 months
- Language requirement
- TOEFL or IELTS, often SAT
- Minimum age
- 17
- Education required
- 12 years
Masters degree
Best if: Graduates continuing their field
One to two years of postgraduate study. Needs a bachelor degree and usually GRE or GMAT.
- Typical duration
- 24 months
- Language requirement
- TOEFL or IELTS, plus GRE or GMAT
- Minimum age
- 21
- Education required
- 16 years
What we actually do for you
English from where you are now
Reach the level your school asks for, taught here before you go.
What this means in practice
Schools want evidence, not confidence. We teach to the level your chosen school actually requires and give you the certificate to prove it, on the timeline the intake needs.
Working out which route is yours
An honest talk about your goal, your budget and your timing.
What this means in practice
We would rather tell you now that a plan does not work than let you find out at the visa stage. That conversation changes which schools we shortlist and how much you need to save.
Choosing schools and applying
A shortlist you can realistically get into, then the application itself.
What this means in practice
We shortlist schools that will accept a student at your level, in a city you can afford. Then we prepare and submit everything with you, including the personal statement, which schools read closely.
The document and funding file
Every paper checked and formatted before it goes anywhere.
What this means in practice
Most refusals are about paperwork, not the student. Bank statements in the wrong name, a sponsor letter that does not explain the relationship, a translation nobody certified. We check the file against what the school and the authorities actually want.
I-20, SEVIS fee and the F-1 visa interview
We track the application and prepare you for the step that follows.
What this means in practice
This is the step everything else waits on, so we count backwards from your intake date rather than forwards from today. You always know what is outstanding and who is holding it.
Your first two weeks
Housing, registration, health cover, bank and phone, in the right order.
What this means in practice
Arrival admin unlocks in a sequence. Some things need an address, and the address needs a registration. Do it out of order and you lose weeks. We give you the order and stay reachable.
Your timeline
Every date below is calculated backwards from your intake. Choose a different intake to see how it shifts.
We do this
Legal deadline
Eligibility confirmed
We check your school record, language level and funding against what the school asks for.
We do this
School shortlist agreed
You get a short list of schools that will realistically accept you, in a city you can afford.
You
Document collection starts
Transcripts, passport, bank statements and any language certificate. Start early, some take weeks.
You
Legal deadline
All documents submitted
This is the deadline students miss most often. We send reminders a month out.
We do this
Application sent to the school
We submit and then chase the school until it is confirmed as received.
The school
Offer received
The school confirms your place. Tuition deposits are usually due at this point.
We do this
I-20 issued and SEVIS fee paid
This is the step everything else waits on, so it is tracked closely.
Embassy
Legal deadline
F-1 visa interview at the embassy
Bring every original document. We rehearse the questions with you beforehand.
You
Flights and housing booked
Book once the visa is in your passport, never before.
You
Arrival
You land, and we stay reachable through your first weeks.
You
Legal deadline
Local registration completed
Address registration, health cover and a bank account. They unlock in that order.
We do this
Check in after two months
We contact you to see how classes and housing are going.
What it costs
Estimates only, shown as ranges. Verify exact figures with your school.
Where will you live?
Estimated first year
USD 27,600 to 90,100
Excludes flights and visa fees. Schools set their own tuition; we confirm exact figures before you apply.
| Tuition, one year Public universities cost far less than private ones. | 12,000 to 55,000 |
| On campus housing Usually includes a meal plan. | 9,600 to 19,200 |
| Food and daily costs Varies enormously by state and city. | 3,600 to 8,400 |
| Transport Many campuses need a car, some do not. | 600 to 3,000 |
| Health insurance Nearly always required by the university. | 1,200 to 3,000 |
| Setting up on arrival Bedding, books, phone and a first shop. | 600 to 1,500 |
How we help
Essential
School application and document checking, handled properly.
Contact us for pricing
- One school application
- Document checklist and review
- Visa form preparation
- Email support
Most chosen
Complete
Everything from choosing a school to your first week abroad.
Contact us for pricing
- Up to three school applications
- Full document handling
- Visa interview rehearsal
- Housing arranged before you land
- Arrival checklist and support
- Phone support throughout
Language plus
The Complete package with the language course you need to qualify.
Contact us for pricing
- Everything in Complete
- Language course to entry level
- Progress tracked against the school deadline
- Certificate issued for your application
Questions students ask
What happens at the visa interview?
It is short, often only a few minutes. You will be asked why this school, how you are paying, and what you plan to do afterwards. Answer briefly and honestly.
How much funding do I need to show?
Enough for the first year of tuition plus living costs, as stated on your I-20. The exact figure comes from your school.
Do I need the SAT?
Many universities no longer require it for international applicants, but some still do. Check each school individually.
Can I work after graduating?
Yes, through Optional Practical Training, which allows a period of work in your field and is longer for science and technology graduates.
Find out where you actually stand
A short set of questions about your studies, your language level and your funding. You get an honest answer, including the parts that need work before you apply.
Check if you qualify