Master’s Degree Programs in the USA

Lets us help you get your graduate program started in the USA

Almost one million International students come to the United States to do their Master’s degree and you can be one of them. High academic standards, numerous research opportunities, globally ranked programs, and around 2,000 universities offering graduate-level degrees are some of the many reasons why you should consider studying for your Masters in the U.S.A

Nevertheless, we understand that doing your Master’s degree abroad can be extremely overwhelming and you might not even know where to begin. Studying in the U.S.A is very appealing to millions of International students overseas, and it can get exceptionally competitive. That is why EduBookings.com wants to narrow it down for you and guide you through the process. Answering any and all questions and concerns, the academic advisors at EduBookings are here to help!

First things first, studying for your Master’s degree in the United States is a big commitment and before you start a process, you need to understand that getting admitted into a graduate program in the U.S.A is a challenging process and requires your full attention. Tuition might be expensive, but various universities in the U.S.A have partial scholarships available to you. Also, your English level must be good to be able to succeed. However, numerous universities offer pathway or bridge programs in which you can improve your English while studying your graduate program abroad. Standardized tests such as GRE or GMAT are also requirements in many programs, but there are alternatives for International students. Yes, it all sounds exhausting, but it doesn’t have to be if you let the academic advisors at EduBookings, who have countless of years of experience working with and helping International students help. Book a free online consultation with one of our advisors by clicking on this link.

HOW TO DO YOUR MASTER’S DEGREE IN USA?

Plan ahead. Understand that you will need at least six months in advance to plan your studies abroad. You will need time to follow all the steps.
Determine costs and timing. A master’s degree abroad in the USA can cost between USD $10,000 dollars and $35,000 dollars a year, approximately. The majority of those graduate programs take two years to complete.
Get your documents ready. You will need to have a copy of your passport, as well as your undergraduate transcripts and diploma. Your advisor will need those in order to evaluate admissibility.
Take an English proficiency test such as TOEFL or IELTS. The university will require proof of your English knowledge. Don’t worry if you don’t get a good score such as 100 TOEFL or 7.0 IELTS. Numerous universities offer bridge or pathway programs that allow you to enroll in the master’s degree program while taking some English classes.
Get a credential evaluation. Most universities in the U.S required a credential evaluation of your transcripts and prior foreign degrees. What you need to request in most cases is a course-by-course evaluation of all your undergraduate degrees or studies. It is also important that you choose a NACES accredited evaluation company such as WES
Get your expectations right. Once you know which master’s degree you want to study, evaluate the entry requirements and make sure you are admissible in the university. Even though many international students want to join the Ivy League (Harvard, Brown, Princeton, Yale, etc.) only a few students meet their admission criteria. Fortunately, the U.S. has thousands of universities available to international students offering highly ranked and competitive programs. International students’ agencies such as EduBookings.com will only apply to universities that you are admissible to, so you don’t waste any time.
Contact an agency. Companies such as EduBookings.com will help with the entire admissions process and counsel you on which programs you are admissible to, the right university for your needs, and will help you get admitted. At EduBookings.com we have agreements with hundreds of top universities in the U.S, allowing us to help you with the admission process, directly with the university of your choice. This speeds the process tremendously, as opposed to doing it by yourself.
Understand the Visa process. Once you get admitted into your master’s degree abroad, you will obtain an I-20 immigration document from the university. You will need to request an appointment in your countries’ U.S Embassy and take this I-20 form with you to proves you are admitted to a U.S university. You also need to prepare several documents for your interview and they vary depending on the country you are from, so it is always good to get help from a qualified agency.

Looking for an easy way to find your master’s degree to study abroad?

Finding the right university to study in the United States can be quite difficult, which is why EduBookings.com has created this online search tool for International students looking to begin a Master’s degree abroad. Take a second to look at the video below and learn for yourself how easy it can be to find the right university that fits your needs, using the tool below:

WHY SHOULD YOU DO YOUR MASTER’S DEGREE IN THE USA?

The Education system in the U.S is traditionally prepared to receive international students. Even though the admission process is quite different for an international student, in relation to a domestic one, schools are ready to process your application and have entire departments dedicated just to international students applying to their master’s degrees abroad.
You can apply for your master’s degree in the U.S. with your undergraduate foreign degree. You will need to submit your transcripts (grades) to a credential evaluation and meet the program requirements. EduBookings will guide you on which agencies offer the process and are approved by the universities in the U.S.
International students can find on-campus jobs when doing their master’s degree abroad in the U.S. and work up to 20 hours a week. Teacher and offices assistantships are some of the options available.
American universities lead the global rankings. Out of the Top 50 Higher Education’s list, almost 30 are located in the U.S.
Diversity. Students from China, Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E, Kuwait, Mexico, Vietnam, South Korea, and India, just to name a few, are traditionally interested in doing their studies abroad and Edubookings helps hundreds of these students with the admission process to any of the universities in the U.S.A.You should check for universities accredited by ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology). This is a non-governmental organization that accredits post-secondary education programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology.
Diversity. Students from China, Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E, Kuwait, Mexico, Vietnam, South Korea, and India, just to name a few, are traditionally interested in doing their studies in the U.S. You will be able to learn in an inclusive environment and feel comfortable sharing your culture with students from all over the world.

HOW TO GET ADMITTED INTO POPULAR MASTER’S DEGREES IN USA

The global demand for Computer Engineers and Business graduates reflects on the demand for these Master’s degrees abroad. The U.S.A is a very popular destination for International graduate students, especially the ones interested in Computer Science, MBA and Engineering programs.

Here are a few tips from EduBookings.com:

Engineering applicants should check for universities accredited by ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology). This is a non-governmental organization that accredits post-secondary education programs in applied and natural science, computing, engineering, and engineering technology. You should also have good grades in your math-related classes and chemistry.
Computer Science applicants should know that showing programming and coding experience is a big push on the application process. You should have also have extended knowledge in mathematics and programming languages in most cases.
Students need to take all the math courses required for admissions into their Computer Science and Engineering programs. Good grades on those Math courses are a big plus. We can not say this enough, having good math grades are a big plus in your application.
An internship, a project, or any work experience is always a big help during the admission process, especially when it comes to applying for an MBA.
A 500 score on the GMAT is the average minimum required for Business graduate programs. Prepare for this exam as it is required for most Business Graduate programs. EduBookings.com will be able to assist students in admission to some graduate business programs without the GMAT, please contact us for more information.
A 300 GRE is the average score within graduate engineering applicants. Quantitative scores on the GRE are especially taking into consideration for Engineering applicants. EduBookings.com will be able to assist students in admission to some graduate business programs without the GRE, please contact us for more information.
Work hard on your statement of purpose. You don’t want to be another student in a pile of statements. Unfortunately, most of these essays look almost the same. When you stand up and show real interest in the grammar, the story you are telling, and really explain why you are interested in the program, the admissions counselors take special consideration on your application. Letting the university know also why you wish to study with them, show you have done your homework.
Refine your resume. Prospective Graduate students should show their specific strengths on their resume and prove that they are in sync with their career goals. Showing academic achievement and potential employability are musts.

NO GRE OR GMAT? NO PROBLEM

Depending on your grades or your GPA, your English level, the program you are applying to or the university, EduBookings can help you waive the GRE or GMAT, which are very common test requirements for some of the Graduate programs offered in the U.S.A. We understand that those standardized tests can be extremely competitive and sometimes you are just a couple of points away from meeting the admissions criteria for your Master’s abroad.

In some cases, especially when it comes to a MBA or any Master’s in business, the GMAT is a requirement for admission; but if you have taken the GRE some universities accept one or the other. There are also instances in which work experience can help you waive these tests, and many International students don’t know this is a possibility. EduBookings is here to make sure that you know all your options, and guide you through your admission process; answering any and all questions and concerns.

Recommendation for applicants from different countries

Depending on where you are from your priorities are usually different so we have compiled some recommendations for graduate student applicants from different countries. Over the years we have noticed international students looking to apply for a graduate program have different challenges and we hope these tips can help you with some of those challenges. Here are some of the recommendations we have for the different nationalities:

Graduate Applicants from China

The majority of graduate applicants from China usually already have a bachelor’s degree from the US, UK, Australia or China. One challenge that Chinese applicants have is the fact that most universities will require higher GRE or GMAT scores from them since there is a large majority of international students applying from this part of the world and as a result, they are competing with each other when it comes to the GRE or GMAT. We recommend students from China to take GRE or GMAT preparation courses before taking one of these exams.
Students from China are usually interested in studying in the highest ranked university possible; however, many of them do not meet the admission criteria for the top 20, top 50 or even top 100 universities in the US. Keep in mind that graduate programs have their own ranking system and in some cases, the highest ranked program may not be provided by the highest ranked school. Take some time to review the ranking of the graduate program you wish to study and select 3 or 5 options that catch your attention.
In many cases we see Chinese students that have a difficult time with the GRE or GMAT and they feel that they can not succeed, please know that you are not alone and many students from all over the world struggle with both exams, we have helped hundreds of international students get accepted in highly ranked programs without the need to take either of these exams. Please contact us for more information.
One of the biggest misconceptions students from China have is, of course, the ranking of the universities. In the USA the universities are ranked as an overall institution but also their programs are ranked individually and it can be surprising to many students to find out that a university that is ranked 120 can have a program ranked as the number 1 in the US. It is important that you look for the best-ranked program and not necessarily the best-ranked university.

Graduate applicants from the Middle East

Students from the middle east have the advantage that most of their documents are already in English since many of the universities in the middle east countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait or UAE issue the documents in both languages or in English.
Students from the middle east are usually sponsored by one of the many available scholarships from their countries. Countries in the middle east invest in the education of their people with the promise that they will come back to their countries of origin to teach or use all of the knowledge they learned during their education in the USA. For this reason, the biggest concern they have is for the university that they would like to study to be part of the approved US universities that their scholarship has. EduBookings.com has agreements with many US universities that are approved across the board by all the scholarships offered in the middle east countries.
One of the biggest issues we see from some of the students from the middle east is low GPA (Grade Point Average). It is very important to note that most universities in the US do not accept students for their graduate programs if the applicant’s GPA is below 2.5 on a scale of 1 to 4. If your GPA is below 2.5, it will become almost impossible for you to get admitted to a graduate program unless you can get a high GRE or GMAT exam. Most universities like students to have a 3.0 GPA on a scale from 1 to 4.
GRE vs GMAT. Many students from the middle east usually opt to take the GRE since they find it easier and tend to get better scores on this exam; however, keep in mind that some business schools will only accept the GMAT as part of the application, so its important you speak with an education counselor about which options will work if you decide to take the GRE exam instead of the GMAT.
Graduate applicants from the middle east usually have work experience and in some cases, this can be a solution to waive the GMAT or GRE as part of your application. However, it is important for students from the middle east to know that in the USA, work experience for admission purposes is usually accounted for after you have completed your bachelor’s degree. many students from Saudi Arabia tend to have many years of work experience before they complete their bachelor’s degree and some universities may not consider those as professional experience since at the time the applicant was not a bachelor’s degree graduate. You should speak with an EduBookings.com education counselor to find out what programs will accept your work experience in lieu of the GMAT or GRE.

Graduate applicants from South America

Students from South America will need to get official translations of all their academic documents, please note that the university will require official translations from an ATA translator or an official translation service in your country. Once you have all your documents officially translated, please make sure you scan the original document in Spanish or Portuguese and scan the official translation in the same file. Once you have all the documents ready, please make sure you contact us.
Students from countries from South America such as Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil or Peru tend to do well in the GRE or GMAT exams and many of them have great work experience. It is important that you include all your work experience as part of your resume or CV since in many cases you can avoid taking the GRE or GMAT.
Students from South America don’t often have any type of scholarships from their governments to study abroad and as such, we provide several opportunities for partial scholarships. Some universities also offer assistantships or other ways to assist the students with some funding.

Recommendation for all countries

Resume. As a graduate applicant, you need to present yourself as a professional that is applying to further their education and as such you need to make sure that your resume or CV reflects exactly that. Many graduate applicants do not pay enough attention to their resume or CV and write a resume that is not professional. Many students forget to focus on the job responsibilities they had in previous jobs which in many cases can be an item that makes an application get or approved or denied. Please make sure you write a professional resume that is grammatically correct. If you do not know how to write a professional resume, please contact an EduBookings.com education counselor and he/she will be able to guide you.
Statement of Purpose. The majority of graduate programs require some type of personal statement or professional statement and in many cases, they have specific guidelines on how long they need to be and what topic needs to be written about or answered. It is very important that your statement of purpose does not have grammatical errors. The statement of purpose plays a big role in the admission process and it should always be written by the applicant. You can always ask for a professor or friend to give you recommendations but the document should represent your ideas and values. The statement of purpose is a great opportunity for you to show why you are a qualified applicant for the program you are applying. Universities give great emphasis to the statement of purpose and its a big portion of your graduate application.

Glossary

Don’t get lost in translation. Many expressions and acronyms are used in the U.S higher education, and EduBookings wants to help you understand:

Affidavit of Support: It’s an official document required by all universities for you to prove you have the funds for your studies abroad. It is normally signed by the person or organization that will cover your tuition expenses.
Assistantship: international students can serve as an assistant to the teacher and get some financial aid for it to pay for tuition.
Conditional Admission: It’s an acceptance to the university dependent on something, especially for international students, achieving a certain level of English proficiency that doesn’t meet the minimum required for admission or pending a GMAT or GRE exam result. EduBookings can help you get conditional admission for your master’s degree abroad.
Curriculum: It’s the program of study for your master’s degree which means all the classes you will need to take during your graduate studies.
DSO (Designated School Officer): it refers to the university employee in charge of maintaining the legal status of the international students. They are available to you to answer questions regarding traveling, working permits, visa information, and more.
Financial Aid: It’s all types of help offered to students to help pay for tuition and university fees. Financial aid is very limited for international students looking to study in the US.
GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test): this is a standardized graduate business school entrance exam.
GRE (Graduate Record Examination): it’s a standardized graduate school entrance exam required for certain masters such as Engineering.
Internship: It allows students to practice their skills in a work environment.
Letter of recommendation: This refers to a statement written by a teacher, counselor, or the previous employer assessing the student’s qualifications. It is a requirement in most cases when applying for a master’s degree abroad.
MBA: A master’s in business administration
OPT (Optional Practical Training): This is a form of work authorization that allows international students to get hired in a job related to their field. This permit can go up to 24 months. Students should apply for this permit 6 months before their graduation.
Scholarship: It’s a type of financial aid that consists of an amount of money to help pay for your tuition or fees. EduBookings can help you get partial scholarships with many of the universities we have partnerships with.
SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System): This is the computerized database the U.S Government uses to track international students in the United States. Once you are admitted into a U.S university, the school will mail you an I-20 Form which contains all your information in SEVIS.
TA: It’s a short way of saying teacher assistant.
Transcript: This is an official record of your grades and coursework.
Transfer Credit: When you move from a university to another to complete your degree and the new university grants you some of the credits you have taken already.