U.S. Study Basics
Top U.S. Study Web Sites
Below are a few of the most essential Web sites for students from the Middle East/North Africa considering U.S. study. See other sections of this site for additional useful links.
U.S. Life for Arab Students
How many international students are in the United States?
Open Doors, a survey published annually by the nonprofit Institute for International Education, reported that approximately 723,277 international students were enrolled in U.S. institutions of higher education in 2010-2011.
What types of support services will be available to me on campus?
Your college or university international student adviser will be your first stop for many types of questions. Part of this adviser’s job is to serve as a liaison between international students and other resources in the campus and community—if your adviser can’t answer a particular question themselves, they can probably refer you to someone who can.
Applying for a U.S. Student Visa
When should I apply for a student visa?
You will want to apply as soon as you can. Generally, this means as soon as you have decided which school you want to attend and have received the official I-20 form indicating academic acceptance at that institution. (If you are a sponsored student, you should receive the DS-2019 from your sponsoring agency showing that you are participating in their program instead of an I-20 from your university, and the DS-2019 is the form that you should use in applying.)
Under U.S. visa regulations, visas cannot be issued more than 120 days before whatever program start date is indicated on your form I-20 or DS-2019—however, you will want to apply for your visa as soon as you have your I-20 or DS-2019. If you complete the visa process more than 120 days before your program the U.S. consulate or embassy will hold your visa and issue it to you once you have reached the 120 day date.
U.S. Admissions: Testing
When I apply to universities, what admission tests may I be expected to take?
TOEFL®. If English is not your native language, you must submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score. Many institutions require a minimum score of about 80 on the Internet-based (iBT) TOEFL, about 213 on the computer-based version of the TOEFL (a version of the test no longer offered), or about 550 on the paper-based version for both undergraduate and graduate students to enter their academic programs. A few schools may not require the TOEFL if you completed high school or college in the United States or if you graduated from a four-year, degree-granting institution where English is the language of instruction.
SAT® Reasoning Test®. The SAT Reasoning Test may be required of undergraduate applicants. No standard score is required; results are weighed with secondary school grades and other elements of the undergraduate application.
SAT® Subject Tests. Each SAT Subject examination tests knowledge in a specific subject area. One or more may be required of some undergraduate applicants.
GRE®. Most graduate applicants are required to submit results on the Graduate Record Examination general test and sometimes subject tests as well. Some graduate programs require a minimum 450 verbal score on the general test; others may also have a 420 minimum required on the quantitative section. Minimum scores will vary from university to university. Some do not have minimums but will weigh scores with undergraduate grades and other elements of the graduate school application.
U.S. Admissions: Choosing and Applying to a University
How do I choose a college or university?
With over 4,000 accredited institutions in the United States, there is much to consider. Some particularly important factors include—
Undergraduate Study in the U.S.
These articles for students from the Middle East/North Africa focus specifically on undergraduate study in the United States and the U.S. application process for undergraduate students.
Be sure to also visit our Fields of Study section and see what information we have related to your planned career and study area.
