Education system in the USA for Indian students is primarily divided into the public and private sector. Private universities are a bit more expensive than public universities due to which the cost of studying in the USA for Indian students is a little higher.
Pursuing education from tier-1 universities like MIT, Stanford and Harvard is quite heavy on the pocket and students must prepare a budget of 55,000 USD for annual tuition fees. However, there are also some affordable universities in the USA that can offer you education within 30,000 USD.
Apart from tuition fees, there are certain other factors that need to be considered while evaluating the cost of studying in the USA for Indian Students. Pre-arrival cost and post-arrival costs are the two major aspects for the same. The pre-arrival cost involves expenses incurred on exams, air tickets, application fees and visa. It will approximately cost a student 240 USD. Post-arrival cost is basically the living expenses in the USA, certain cities like New York and Boston are quite expensive and it can cost you around 25,000 USD to stay there.
Top Universities in USA
There are top 10 universities in the USA as per ranking by QS World Universities Rankings 2023. The top ranked universities with average annual tuition fees are tabulated below.
Cost of Studying in USA: Top Courses
Various courses in the USA have different fee brackets. Not only universities in the USA but courses can also affect the fees. Some of the top programs to study in the USA with average annual tuition fees are tabulated below.
| Top courses | Duration | Average annual tuition fees |
| BSc Nursing (BSN) | 4 years | $45,000/ year |
| MBBS (BS+MD+Residency) | 8-10 years | $40,000/ year |
| LLM | 1 year | $60,000/ year |
| MA Applied Economics | 2 years | $35,000/ year |
| MBA | 2 years | $70,000/ year |
| MPH | 1 to 2 years | $50,000/ year |
| MSc Computer Science | 1 to 2 years | $50,000/ year |
| MSc Data Science | 1 to 2 years | $70,000/ year |
Cost of Studying in USA: Pre-Arrival Cost
Apart from tuition fees, students are required to be prepared with various pre-arrival expenses like exams in the USA, visa and application fees. Some of the major factors affecting the same are mentioned below.
| Expense | Cost |
| IELTS exam fee | ₹15,750 |
| TOEFL exam fee | $190 |
| University application fees | $50 |
| Student visa | $160 |
| GRE exam fees | $213 |
| GMAT exam fees | $275 |
Cost of Studying in USA: Post-Arrival Cost
Once the student moves to the country, he is required to prepare a budget for living expenses. Living expenses to stay in the USA include health insurance, meals and more. The below mentioned table determines the same with average cost per year.
| Expense | Cost Per Year |
| Tuition Fee | Bachelors – $8,000 – $40,000 Masters – $10,000 – $60,000 |
| Health Insurance | $1,000 – $1,500 |
| Living Expenses | $20,000 – $22,000 |
Cost of Living in USA As Per City
The cost of living in the USA also varies as per city. Different cities in the USA have varying living standards and costs. A brief of the same is tabulated below for approximately a year.
| City | Average Cost of Living |
| New York | $21,000/ year |
| San Francisco | $20,000/ year |
| Los Angeles | $20,000/ year |
| Boston | $22,000/ year |
| Chicago | $20,000/ year |
Scholarships In USA for Indian Students
To pursue education abroad, especially in the USA, can be a little exhausting on the pocket. Especially when you are planning to study at some top university it gets way more expensive. However, it is always great to seek help from financial advisors. The financial assistance can be in any form like scholarships, assistantships, part-time work opportunities for scholarships. Hence, some of the popular scholarships to study in the USA available for Indian Students pursuing any of the bachelors or masters courses are tabulated below.
| Scholarship | Awarded to | Amount/Benefit |
| American University Emerging global leader Scholarship | International students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in an American University | $6000-$25000 |
| ICSP Scholarship at University of Oregon | International students demonstrating financial need and academic merit | Tuition fee waiver worth $7500- $30,000 |
| Clark Global Scholarship Program | International students pursuing a bachelor’s degree and demonstrating financial need. | $15000-$25000 of scholarship per year |
| United world colleges international youth scholarships. | International students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in the USA | Full or partial fee waiver depending on the funds available. |
| PEO International Peace Scholarship For Women | International women students pursuing graduate programs in the USA. | $12,500 |
| Obama Foundation Scholars’ Program | Individuals making a difference in civil society, in the private sector and public sector. | Full tuition fee, monthly living stipend, funding for books and course material. |
| Civil Society Leadership Award | Students pursuing masters’ degree in the USA demonstrating academic excellence. | Tuition and travel expenses, living expenses and a monthly stipend. |
| Fully Funded Rotary Peace Fellowships | International students pursuing a Professional Development Certificate Program or Masters’ Degree Program related to peace and conflict resolution. | Tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and all internship and field-study expenses |
Hence, living in the USA is not only dependent on the tuition fees but it also involves various factors like city, lifestyle, choices, etc. A student according to preference and budget can choose the suitable accommodation for himself. Furthermore, studying at the top universities in the USA will cost a little more but students can apply for scholarships in the USA and get waivers to cut down the high cost of studying in the USA.
