After successfully applying to study in the United States, the most important thing for everyone is probably the cost of living. Living expenses in the United States include not only housing, food, but also medical and personal expenses.One year's living expenses for studying in the United StatesLife as an International Student in the United States, ,Living expenses for studying in the United States, ,Studying and living experience in the United States, ,American students living on their ownThe problem.
1. Living expenses for one year studying in the United States
One year's living expenses, accommodation and food expenses for studying in the United States: an average of $19000-$26000.
Living expenses: about RMB 80,000 to 100,000 per year. Accommodation is the biggest part, which is about USD 3,000-7,500 per year for living on campus and about USD 3,600-7,200 for renting a house outside. Books are USD 500-1,000 per year. Meals are about USD 2,500 per year. Health insurance is USD 300-500 per year. In addition, there are travel expenses, transportation expenses, etc.
One-year meal and dormitory expenses in the United States: an average of $5000. Some schools require students to live in school dormitories, at least for the first year. There are also some schools where students can go to school as day students. Day students save money compared to boarding students, but they have to pay for transportation. One-year transportation expenses in the United States: an average of $600. Dormitory fees refer to double-occupancy in a room. You need to know whether the accommodation fee includes bedding (quilts, pillows, blankets) and basic dormitory services.
If you live on campus during the summer, you will need to increase your room and board budget by three months. In addition, the school's transportation budget usually does not include international travel between the United States and China, so you have to add the round-trip cost of this section. If you plan to change from living on campus to day-study, you will have to bear the local transportation costs.
One-year personal expenses for studying in the United States: an average of $1000, which includes basic living supplies, services, activities, such as laundry, movies, and exercise. Health insurance is also required. If you have dependents or special medical needs, your living expenses will increase significantly.
Miscellaneous fees generally include: comprehensive medical insurance fee $300-$500, student activity fee $100-$300.
The cost of living in different cities is definitely different. Here is a list of the normal living expenses for cities at different levels in the United States.
San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami, Hawaii, Chicago, Washington DC 1,000-2,000/month (RMB 6,800-13,6000 in total)
Pittsburgh, Seattle, Dallas, Atlanta, Austin, Detroit 0-1,000/month (RMB 5,440-6,800)
Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Utah, Colorado, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina 0-800/month (RMB 4080-5440)
Oklahoma, Missouri, Louisiana, South Carolina 0-600/month (RMB 3060-4080)
2. Preparations for applying to study in the United States
1. Prepare your passport
If you plan to study in the United States, you should get a passport before applying. Many schools require a passport when applying, especially for students applying for business. A passport is required for the GMAT. Every year, many students cannot take the GMAT because they do not have a passport and have to transfer to another school. Transferring to another school is very expensive. Therefore, before going to study in the United States, you must prepare your passport first!
2. Prepare proof of funds
When applying to American universities, you also need to provide proof of funds, which can be deposited in the name of the parents or the student. The amount is to cover the first year's tuition and living expenses. It should be noted that many banks can only open a bank account once. If you find that it is not enough after opening it, you need to return all the previously opened proof of funds before opening it again. So open more at one time in case of emergency. According to Yunxue Education Group, parents should pay more attention to the proof of funds. Don't block your children's path to studying in the United States because of one less proof.
3. Prepare a dual-currency credit card
When applying to most American universities, you need to pay an application fee, which can range from tens of dollars to hundreds of dollars. It is usually paid online. Generally, banks do not allow students to apply for credit cards, so before applying, you should remind your parents to go to the bank to apply for a dual-currency credit card. VISA or Mastercard are currently used internationally, and some schools only accept Mastercard.
4. Prepare transcripts
Recently, it has been found that many students' transcripts have some minor errors. Some students are careless and seal the transcripts without even looking at them. Little do they know that teachers in schools can also make mistakes. Therefore, after the school issues your transcript, compare the Chinese and English versions and correct any errors in a timely manner. At this stage, the fake transcripts of Chinese students have left a very bad impression on foreign universities, so you should be as careful and meticulous as possible in this regard. In addition, in addition to the accuracy issue, it should also be noted that the transcripts issued by the school should be sealed in an envelope and stamped on the seal of the envelope to be considered formal. American universities attach great importance to this. Before preparing to study in the United States, you may wish to check your transcripts to see if there are any errors so that you can correct them in time.
5. Prepare recommendation letters
Now many universities in the United States allow you to submit recommendation letters online. The specific method is that when you apply online, the school will send a link to submit the recommendation letter to the recommender, and the professor can open the link and upload the recommendation letter. This method does not require the teacher to sign the recommendation letter, and you can quickly get all the materials. But the premise is that your teacher needs to know a little English and computer. If some teachers do not understand English or cannot use the Internet, it is safer to use paper recommendation letters. Moreover, submitting recommendation letters online requires the cooperation of teachers, because if you apply to 10 schools, the teacher will receive 10 recommendation letter submission requests from time to time. It will be very troublesome if the teacher does not check the mailbox frequently.
3. Interview details for applying to study in the United States
1. First impressions matter
Arrive 10 minutes before the interview. If you are stuck in traffic, please inform your interviewer in advance. Being late is a very bad thing. The same is true for remote interviews. In addition, bring a copy of all your application materials in case the interviewer needs them. Of course, formal attire is also essential. These are the most basic requirements, but they are indeed very important.
2. Keep it authentic
As we mentioned above, the purpose of the school interview is to get to know you as a person, so nothing is more important than being authentic. One of the most important things that attract applicants is their different backgrounds. So no matter what your background is, you can talk freely with the interviewer. Of course, you should not present a negative image, but your most natural side.
3. Be Prepared
Although the entire interview process is centered around your experience and ideas, it does not mean that you do not need to prepare. Good expression and communication, as well as your own outstanding deeds, all require good preparation to be presented. Because you must organize and express your important experiences from childhood to adulthood, the stories you are proud of, and your unique characteristics in a good language. Don't underestimate this process, it plays a vital role in the success or failure of the interview. At the same time, you also need to prepare your understanding and enthusiasm for the school. After all, the school also values the sincerity of the applicant.
4. Practice
The first step in interview practice should be to familiarize yourself with your own application materials, essays, etc. But when you are familiar with them, you should prepare one more part: think about the questions that people who read these materials may ask, and prepare answers to these questions. Then ask your teachers and classmates to help you do mock interviews. In fact, anyone who can give you honest feedback can do it. You can ask them some classic questions, such as what achievements you are most proud of, who is your leader in your mind, why did you choose to study at this time, etc.
5. Ask valuable questions
Interviewers always have different understandings of their schools and programs, so take the opportunity to ask questions during the interview. Some classic questions such as: Why did you choose this school, what is your favorite activity, what is your favorite class, are all good questions. If you can be more specific, it will be even better. These questions will not only give you a deeper understanding of the program, but also show your enthusiasm for the program.
4. Overview of medical examinations for applying to study in the United States
1. Physical examination materials
You need to make an appointment in advance to participate in the physical examination, which can be done online. After a successful appointment, you can directly print out the personal information form, confirm your identity information, and then prepare your identity proof (passport or ID card).
You also need to prepare your ID photo (4.8×3.3cm) and a form provided by the school that contains items that need to be inspected. If you have been vaccinated, you also need to bring the original record so that you do not need to repeat the vaccination.
2. Physical examination process
The day before the physical examination, you need to ensure a light diet, otherwise it may affect the results of the examination; on the day of the examination, remember to eat breakfast, try to choose separate tops and bottoms, do not wear jewelry, and go to the hospital on time.
The physical examination is usually scheduled from 8:00 to 11:20. The whole process takes about an hour. Everyone should complete each examination according to the instructions to avoid omissions, complete the process normally, and obtain the results smoothly.
3. Physical examination items
X-rays need to be done first to check everyone's health, including internal organs and bones. Then, B-ultrasound examination is required. It is very fast and you only need to expose yourself in front of the instrument to get the results directly. Electrocardiogram will also be tested simultaneously.
The earlier the blood is drawn, the less impact it will have on the result; a comprehensive examination including weight, height, vision, ENT, etc. is conducted together; the last step is a urine test. Before that, you can drink more water to ensure smooth progress.
4. Vaccination
The vaccines that students need to receive will be marked directly on the official website and the forms issued by the school. If you have received the relevant vaccines, you only need to show the official certificate of vaccination, so that you can get fewer shots.
If you have not been vaccinated, you need to go to the vaccination room to confirm the vaccines you need. Generally, you will receive two shots at most, which takes about 10-20 minutes. After the vaccination, you will need to be observed for half an hour before you can leave.
5. Issues to pay attention to when studying in the United States
1. Keep your distance when talking while studying in the United States
When talking to an American, you should keep a distance between your bodies. A distance of half a meter is appropriate. When you are chatting with an American, if he keeps moving forward, you may be too far away from him; if he keeps moving backward, you may be too close to him, so you should keep a proper distance.
2. Don’t speak loudly when greeting others while studying in the United States
According to experts who study in the United States, when Chinese people meet acquaintances, they greet them loudly to show their enthusiasm, while American public places are relatively quiet, people speak softly, and generally do not shout unless there is an emergency. When meeting acquaintances, they will greet them only when they are close to them.
3. Maintain eye contact when talking to others
When talking to Americans, you should maintain eye contact. A wandering gaze or looking elsewhere will give Americans the impression of being untrustworthy and arrogant. Therefore, it is important to maintain a smile and eye contact when dealing with Americans. If a stranger walks up to you and smiles at you, and you smile back at him, he will say "hello" to you, this is just a courtesy and does not mean that he will stop to talk to you.
4. Don’t joke with them when studying in the United States
Some Chinese students sometimes tell a white lie or a joke, and everyone thinks it is normal. However, in the United States, if you lie to him or joke that he is dishonest, these words will make Americans unhappy, because Americans are a nation that values credibility. Their economic and social status are based on personal credibility, and they cannot tolerate others without credibility.
Summary of living expenses for one year studying in the United States
After understanding the living expenses for one year studying in the United States, you will also need to prepare a VPN tool to bypass the firewall and return to China when studying in the United States.For many Chinese who go to the US to study and work, they still like to watch some Chinese TV series and programs in China, and they are more accustomed to use some domestic native apps to listen to music, watch videos, play games and so on. However, due to copyright reasons, most of the popular programs are only allowed to be accessed by mainland IPs. In such a big background, theVPN back over the wallQuickFox provides VPN services for more than 10 million devices. After downloading and installing QuickFox VPN, overseas users can solve the regional restrictions with one click, and the connection speed is fast and stable.