Undergraduate Study is one of a series of four introductory booklets produced by the U.S. Department of State to provide objective and practical advice to prospective international students and scholars on studying in the United States.

Introduction:

More than 3,600 colleges and universities offer undergraduate degree programs in the United States. This vast number means there are programs available to meet everyone’s needs, but how can you find the best program for you? This booklet aims to give you not only the knowledge you need to make the right choices, but also the confidence to prepare successful applications.

Why Study in the United States?

Here are just a few of the reasons why more than 500,0001 international students from around the world are furthering their education in the United States:

Quality: U.S. colleges are known worldwide for the quality of their facilities, resources, and faculty. Accreditation systems ensure that institutions continue to maintain these standards. Chapters 1 and 2 explain the U.S. system of undergraduate education. Chapter 4 highlights the type of accreditation you should look for when applying to U.S. colleges.

Choice: The U.S. education system is unrivalled worldwide in the choice it offers of types of institutions, academic and social environments, entry requirements, degree programs, and subjects in which you can specialize.  Chapters 4 and 5 explain the entry requirements and guide you through the process of choosing the right colleges for you.

Value: As an investment in your future, a U.S. degree offers excellent value for the money. A wide range of tuition fees and living costs, plus some financial help from colleges, have made study in the United States affordable for thousands of students before you. Chapters 6 and 7 offer information and advice on the costs and financing of your U.S. education.

Flexibility: One of the most distinctive features of U.S. universities and colleges is the flexibility in choice of courses within a college or university, but more importantly there is also the option for students to move between one institution and another. Completing the first two years of a degree at one institution, usually a community college, and then moving to another, is very common. Chapters 3 and 10 describe community colleges and explain the transfer system.

Within this booklet you will also find help with preparing successful college applications (chapters 8 and 9) and with the visa application process (chapter 11). Once you have an offer of admission, you will want to check out the tips on what to expect when you arrive in the United States (chapter 12). At the end of the booklet, a glossary explains some of the words and phrases you will come across frequently when applying to study in the United States.

U.S. Educational Information and Advising Centers

“It is difficult to overestimate the help and support I got from the advising center. The center was my first and primary source of information about the American educational system. The books, magazines, and the Internet access at the center proved extremely useful, and the staff assisted me very much in achieving my goals.”
— Business student from Russia

Choosing the best schools for you and preparing successful applications will require commitment and careful planning on your part, but in almost every country there are specialized advisers who understand your needs and can help you. Information and advice on study in the United States is available to you from a network of over 450 U.S. educational information and advising centers worldwide. Directories, guides, college catalogs, and admissions test information are all available at the centers, as well as trained educational advisers who want to help you and your family with the process of choosing and applying to U.S. colleges. Some centers also run events such as college fairs or seminars. Introductory information in the form of video or group presentations, Web site access, and independent resource libraries is available free of charge from information and advising centers, but payment may be required at some centers for additional services.

All U.S. educational information and advising centers are supported by the U.S. State Department, with the goal of providing objective information on the range of study opportunities available in the United States; however, the names of the centers and the organizations that run them vary from country to country.

To locate the center nearest you, contact your closest U.S. embassy or consulate, or consult the list available on the U.S. Department of State’s Web site at
http://educationusa.state.gov.

Good luck with your applications!

Useful Web Sites

On-line Version of the If You Want to Study in the United States Booklet Series
http://educationusa.state.gov
Directory of U.S. Educational Information and Advising Centers Worldwide
http://educationusa.state.gov

Visit If You Want to Study in the United States: Undergraduate Study Download Page

Booklet One: Undergraduate Study from the If You Want to Study in the United States series is currently available in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

This booklet is available in PDF format.

Download If You Want to Study in the United States: Undergraduate Study

ENGLISH, PDF format, 3.2MB, 62 Pages.

U.S. UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

Education in the United States will almost certainly be different from the system offered in your country. This chapter gives you an introduction to the degrees available in the United States, the different types of institutions, and some key terms and ideas you will come across if you want to study at a U.S. university or college.

Colleges, Universities, and Institutes: The Distinction

Degree-granting institutions in the United States can be called by any of these terms, and colleges and institutes are in no way inferior to universities. As a general rule, colleges tend to be smaller and usually offer only undergraduate degrees, while a university also offers graduate degrees. The words “school,” “college,” and “university” will be used interchangeably throughout this booklet. An institute usually specializes in degree programs in a group of closely related subject areas, so you will also come across degree programs offered at institutes of technology, institutes of fashion, institutes of art and design, and so on.

Within each college or university you will find schools, such as the school of arts and sciences or the school of business. Each school is responsible for the degree programs offered by the college or university in that area of study. ...

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