The most sought after destination it may be, but
beware of the hidden costs of applying to the US for higher education, says
our Career Counselor
Students applying to US are often surprised by the 'hidden costs'. Usually you are told what the course will cost, and are given an estimate of living expenses in the US. But you are surprised about what you have to shell out even before you leave India, during the course of the application process - a process that for some spreads over at least a year.
First, before you can get going on the selection process, you need to take standardised tests. These tests are expensive. All students have to take TOEFL, which currently costs $130. The cost for the new SAT (required for undergraduate admissions) is now $81.50. For the GRE (for postgraduate admissions) you will have to spend $140, and for GMAT (for business school applicants) you will have to pay a mammoth $225. At least you can now register for these examinations online and can save postage and fax costs!
Once you get started on the application process proper, you will need to send out the scores on the above-mentioned tests to the universities you are applying to. You cannot send photocopies of your scores as this is considered unofficial. You are required to get official score reports sent directly from ETS (Educational Testing Service, the body that administers the tests). Each time you send out a TOEFL or GRE score you will need to pay $15; for each SAT score report you will pay $7, and once again GMAT tops the range with a fee of $28 per score report.
Once you have taken the tests and selected the universities to which to apply, you will need to pay a fee when you submit your application. The application fee ranges from $30 to $100. Some MBA schools like Columbia University charge as high as $215 per application. You might be able to save some money here if the family income is low: some private liberal arts colleges and MBA universities grant fee waivers. You will need a letter from your college counsellor stating that you require a fee waiver.
For example if you are an undergraduate student and are applying to six universities in the US, following are the approximate costs you will incur:
Application fee
$40 X 6 = $240 or Rs.10800
Registration for standardised tests
$81.50 (SAT) and $130 (TOEFL) or Rs.9517.50
Official score reporting fee
($7 + $15) X 6 = $132 or Rs.5940
Courier costs
Rs.690 X 6 = Rs.4140
SEVIS fee
$100 or Rs.4500
Visa fees
Rs.5000 (kindly Check The Latest Changes in The Visa Fees For above)
You can choose to prepare for the examinations at home, or you can decide to join a test preparation class. Even at home you will need some books, and unless a friend donates his old books, you will find yourself paying out an average of $20 for each book you need. (The official guide to the new SAT is priced at $19.99). If you join a class for SAT, GRE or GMAT, the fees range from about Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 depending on the course. And don't forget the 10.2 per cent service tax that you will pay for the privilege of joining the class.
The application process can be very tricky if one of the members of your family has not gone through it before, and so most students take help from a professional counsellor. The counsellor guides the student though the whole process from course selection, application forms, financial aid applications (you are going to need that one!) to visas. Counselling fees start at about Rs 12,000, but a good counsellor can be a good investment because you will avoid applying to unsuitable places and will maximise your chances of acceptance and getting scholarships or aid.
It is always advisable to send your application by a reliable courier. Various courier companies offer student concessions and allow you to track your application packets online and deliver your applications within 48 hours.
Once the acceptance letter arrives you have to start thinking about the visa. When you apply for your student visa, the US consulate will charge you approximately Rs 5000 for issuing your student visa. The US government requires that all foreign students pay $100 as a SEVIS registration fee. This fee must be paid before you apply for a student visa.
Costs for applying to US universities
Application fee
$30 to $100 (some programmes are higher)
Registration for standardised tests
$81.50 $ 225 depending on the test
Official score reporting fee
$7 to $28 depending on the test
Courier costs
Rs 690 to Rs 1000 depending on courier
Counsellor costs
Rs 12,000 to Rs 20,000 depending on the counsellor
Classes fee
Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 depending on course
Visa fees
Rs 5,000
SEVIS fee
$100
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