Admission to USA universities and colleges can be very competitive. Each university / department has its own admission requirements of the course of study selected. Successful admission for International students to a top USA school requires ample amount of preparation & research. The admission process should ideally begin at least 6-18 months before your expected arrival in the USA. Organizing and planning are the two vital aspects as timely completion of all the necessary steps is the key.
All students must have the required English language proficiency with regards to the course. TOEFL score of 90 for Postgraduate and 80 for Undergraduate studies is a decent score. IELTS score of 6.5 for Undergraduates and 7.0 band for Postgraduate studies is required. Over 2500 institutions in USA recognize the IELTS exam including several top ranked institutions.
Associate Degree: It is an academic degree awarded by the community colleges, junior colleges, and business colleges. Usually for two years (60 credits). In USA, an associate degree is equivalent to the first two years of a four year college or university Bachelors degree. It is the lowest in hierarchy of post secondary academic degrees offered in USA.
Bachelors Degree: Commonly known as Undergraduate degree in India. The duration of the bachelors course is 4 years (120-150 credits). Students who have completed a part of their undergraduate degree and want to go to USA, can apply as a transfer student. There are two types of bachelors degree: B.A or B.S. Some universities in the USA offer either of the degrees in all fields and at times both the degrees in some field. Students need to appear for SAT & TOEFL/IELTS for admission.
Masters Degree: The duration of master's courses may range from a year or two depending on the university & your area of specialization (30-48 credits). The binding requisite for Masters is 16 year of education. Students with Bachelors in engineering are qualified whereas the students with B.Com, B.Sc, and B.A need to complete at least one year of Masters. Postgraduate diploma is also accepted by some specific institutions for specific programs. Some universities have started accepting 3 years Bachelors degree i.e. BCom, BSc, BA, etc into their MSc, MA or MBA degree. Exams required are GMAT for management related subjects / GRE for arts, science or any other subjects and TOEFL / IELTS for admission.
Doctorate: Commonly known as PhD. Duration may range from 3 years to 5 years. Students can take admission for a PhD after completion of their master's degree. PhD students need to submit a research proposal as well as have to appear for GRE/GMAT & TOEFL/IELTS for admission.
Summer Program: Are study programs during the months of summer vacation. They usually last from six to ten weeks depending on the school and the course of study. Most summer schools offer a wide variety of courses. Students, who wish to explore courses outside their major, or simply accelerate their degree program, attend Summer Program.