Find out fees and costs

Private universities in the US such as Harvard and Yale charge more tuition fees as compared to public and community colleges.

Public colleges receive funding from the state government and private colleges get their funding from private organizations and donations. Community colleges also usually get their funding from the government just like public colleges.

Subjects like the arts, education, and humanities tend to be less expensive than courses that require different facilities such as laboratories in the teaching experience such as engineering and  medical courses.

The cost of undergraduate degrees in the US varies greatly between institutions, and it is even higher for international students. International students pay $25,000-$35,000 per year at a public university and $30,000-$45,000 at private colleges on average. The cost can reach up to $50,000-$55,000 per year for some private colleges.

Postgraduate levels are usually more expensive than undergraduate courses. The college tuition fees depend on the college or course that you are planning to pursue. They differ from one institution to another. As international students, you are expected to pay more than the local students, thus you would have to refer to the international fee stated on the university website. Fees would generally be different due to the nature of the course. In general, a PhD or Master’s courses will cost less than the MBA, JD, or MD courses. International students usually pay $20,000-$35,000 for public colleges and $35,000-$50.000 for private colleges per year.

Most colleges offer their international students on-campus residence. The residence is often called a “dorm room” or dormitory. Students usually share a room with 2 or 3 other students. Colleges provide daily essentials like water, electricity, and the internet. Students also share bathrooms, showers, and so on. It depends on the college in terms of how much they charge for on-campus accommodation. On average, this is between $5000-$8000 per year. Some universities only offer student guaranteed on-campus accommodation for the first year, thus students would have to seek for private housing after the first year.

 

However, you can choose to stay at a non-campus residence as well. You can share an apartment with other students or you can live alone as well. The rent depends on the area you are staying in. The Midwest region is cheaper than the East and Northeast in the US. You have to pay your electricity, internet, and water bills along with the rent. The usual rate for a single bedroom apartment is between $6,000-$15,000 per year – depending on the apartment and location.

Read more about student accommodation in the US.

It will be a good idea to make some savings for your daily and basic needs like emergencies, weekend shopping, groceries, food, water, clothes, books, and study materials. When you live abroad, you should track even your smallest expenses. This will help you to keep an eye on your overall expenses and you can save or set a budget for a period. While some of the university’s accommodation usually covers room and board, a good estimate would be $10,000 to $13,000 per year for your pocket money as international students, the cost might be different depending on where you live.

While tipping is not mandatory in most of the US, it is customary in many circumstances for service, especially at almost all sit-down restaurants which offer table service and many food servers depend on tips as an essential part of their wage. So students must also consider the tipping when doing calculations for the living expenses especially to those who like to dine out frequently.

If you want to read more about U.S. Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid in 2020, read this in-depth study published by College Board.