UK student curious on how to gain access to USA colleges/universities?

Question

Names Jack =] 16 year old student currently about to go into GCSE exams. Taking A-levels in my schools sixth form and subjects include History Maths Physical Education and Biology. Always wanted to take my future life into the USA and i was just wondering what a foreign student needs to apply for a US college or university? Are there additional courses or exams i will have to take to apply in the US?

And finally, if i get into or make it to that uni or college, what courses can previous US students reccomend to me that can lead to jobs that are needed in the US and what are reccomended part time jobs that i can work in alongside my education. A family friend who lived close to me went to the US and worked in a bar in NYC whilst he went to uni. However i'm not sure whether he began uni in the UK or not.

Can anyone give me some reliable advice for my future? =]

Jack

Answer 1

I'll start from the begining. To apply to a university in the United States as an international student you will need the following:

- Proof of a high school diploma, your GCSEs are sufficant for this purpose. Make sure you still have the orginal transcripts for them because you will need them.

- Proof of financial support (bank statements) which prove you have the funds available to pay for both your tuition and living expenses for the duration of your studies.

If you opt to study at a four-year college or university instead of at a two-year community college then you will also need to take the SAT I test. For competetive schools the SAT: Subject tests will also be required in addition to the SAT I.

The best source of information on how to apply to a U.S. university is the school's website. Here you will find the tutition costs, application forms, requirements and procedures to apply.

Once you have applied and been accepted the school will issue you with what is known as an I-20 and with this you needto pay the SEVIS fee and then schedule an interview for your F-1 (student) visa at the U.S. Embassy in London.

As for courses, you should study what you are interested in. It would be pointless to waste all that money to study a field which does not excite you because you will not be motivated to learn. Although fields which are in high demand and worth study for are the following; anything business related such as management, economics and finance, anything computer related and anything science or medical related which would allow you to teach or practice.

Regarding working part-time while studying. Under the United States immigration law you are only permitted to work 20 hours per week and this work must be carried out on-campus so working in the schools library, bookstore, parking or retail etc is allowed provided these services are on campus. What your 'family friend' did was illegal, working off-campus without authorization from the DOS is a big no, no and if caught or reported you risk one of or a combination of the following: jail, fine and/or deportation.

Check out the links below for more information.

Answer 2

Most US institutions will want SAT scores or in some cases, ACT scores. Depending on what schools you want, you should check to see if you'll need to take those or if your GCSE scores will be accepted. You might be able to find SAT info for international students at collegeboard.com. It's the site that organizes the SATs. It would be hard to know what courses you'd need to take to get you into a university but you could check the websites for the universities that interest you or contact their office for international students for specific information.

I don't know if there are any particular courses you can take that will help your employment situation. You'll have to see which courses your university will require you to take for your degree and whatnot. Your student visa may have restrictions or regulations on your employment situation so keep that in mind. There will probably be some employment and international student resources at your university to help you in finding a job, too.

Answer 3

I too am 16 years old and I currently reside in California, US and I was considering going to a university outside of the US. Since I was wondering the same thing, as in what it took for me to attend these out of country colleges, I took the time to look up what universities in other countries (well the ones I was interested in going to) were looking for.

This website can give you a few ideas and help you make your decision https://www.universitylanguage.com/

As for jobs that you can work whilie getting your education (part time jobs?) I think that will depend on where in the US you plan on going. Most places will have restaraunts, movie theatres, malls, and other places that you can work at part time.  I'm guessing that career wise you want to wait until you finish college to follow through on, but as for courses that is pretty important in determining what careers you are able to do. There are plenty of majors to choose from depending on where you go also, and if there is something that you are interested in you should choose that major and hopefully turn that into a career once you achieve your degrees.

Good luck!!!