Study Abroad

Study in United States

North America · F-1, M-1 & J-1

Education

There is no national system: every state and every private institution sets its own terms. The liberal arts structure lets a student choose their major after arriving rather than before applying. Computer science, business and research lead the world. Funding comes from the universities themselves — assistantships and merit scholarships — rather than government schemes, and OPT allows twelve months of work after graduation, thirty-six for STEM degrees.

Living there

Informal, direct and campus-centred, with a degree structure that lets students choose a major later than in Europe. Costs are the highest on this list, but so is the range — a state university can cost a third of a private one. On-campus work is permitted from the start; off-campus work is tightly restricted.

Work rights

20 hours per week on-campus only

After the course

OPT — 12 months, +24 months for STEM

Processing time

2–8 weeks after I-20

These three figures describe the F-1 academic route. M-1 (vocational study) permits no work at all during the course, and J-1’s rules depend on the sponsor — see each category’s own detail below.

Not sure where you fit?

Tell us your marks and your budget and we will shortlist the courses in United States you actually qualify for.

Choose your visa category

The USA splits student and exchange visitors into three visa types, each with its own rules and its own list of approved institutions or sponsors. Pick the one that matches your plans.

What it costs — F-1, M-1 and J-1 compared

The same figures shown inside each category’s own step-by-step process, laid out so the three are easy to compare. Tuition itself is never required before the visa is issued — it’s the school or sponsor’s own payment schedule that decides when it’s due.

Pay before the visa is granted

Expense	F-1	M-1	J-1
School/sponsor application fee	Commonly $50–$500 — set by the school, not standardised	Commonly $50–$500 — set by the school, not standardised	Varies by sponsor — no standard fee, some charge none
Enrolment deposit	Commonly up to ~$2,000 where the school asks for one	Commonly up to ~$2,000 where the school asks for one	Not applicable — no deposit step in the F-1/M-1 sense
SEVIS I-901 fee	$350	$350 — same fee, same rules as F-1	$220 standard; $35 for subsidised categories; $0 for official government-sponsored exchanges
Visa application (MRV) fee	$185	$185	$185 — waived only for official government-sponsored exchanges
Health/accident insurance	Not required by the visa itself — many schools require it anyway; check directly	Not required by the visa itself — many schools require it anyway; check directly	Mandatory minimum coverage set by federal rule (at least $100,000 medical, $50,000 evacuation, $25,000 repatriation) — premium cost itself varies by provider

Pay after the visa is granted

Expense	F-1	M-1	J-1
Remaining tuition balance	Paid directly to the school, on that school’s own schedule	Paid directly to the school, on that school’s own schedule	Paid per the sponsor’s own arrangement, where tuition applies

Loading the full institution list…