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Application,
Preparation and Funding
Application
Do
I request application materials from the universities
directly?
Yes,
each university has its own application process and
you need to contact each university via phone, email
or fax to obtain this information.
Who
do I write to for applications?
Prospective
international graduates should write to two locations
1) graduate school admission office and 2) the particular
department where they wish to pursue a degree. The graduate
school will provide an application from and information
for international students and the department will be
able to provide the course offerings and institutional
financial aid details.
Can
I do a graduate degree in a field unrelated to my undergraduate
degree?
 An
undergraduate degree in your intended field of graduate
study is recommended and usually required. However,
if your undergraduate degree was in an allied field
or was interdisciplinary and you took, for example,
one third of your courses in political science, you
may be admitted into a graduate program for political
science upon the completion of a designated number of
undergraduate courses at the institution in which you
want to enrol. For graduates applying for professional
degrees in subjects such as business (MBA), education
or hotel management, the above rules may not apply.
Relevant work experience may be important for MBA admission.
When
am I too late to apply?
Application
deadlines at US universities range from November 3rd
to August 15th. If you start the process very late,
you may still be able to find a university that offers
your field of study and is willing to consider your
application. Whether or not this is the university you
really want to go to is another matter. If you have
not taken the necessary standardised tests for admission,
you may need to plan on taking the tests and submitting
the scores before the application deadline. You can
use the Peterson's Guide to find out about deadlines
at US universities.
Complete your Business degree at DePaul University. Our undergraduate program is ranked second among all those in Illinios.
What
if I have missed the university deadline?
US
universities, particularly the major ones like Harvard,
Yale and Stanford receive hundreds of applications each
year, so deadlines are firm and you will need to ensure
that the application form, test results and recommendations
have reached the University before the required date.
Other universities have rolling admissions which means
that the deadlines are flexible and students may be
admitted in the fall, spring or summer terms. In most
cases, though, early application is advisable.
Should
I type the application?
Although
it is preferable to type the entire application, many
times it is difficult to obtain a typewriter so neat
printing in black pen would be acceptable.
Who
should write my recommendations?
If
you are applying for a professional degree, you should
ask someone who knows you such as a supervisor in a
work setting as well as your professors. If you were
applying for academic degree, recommendations from individuals
who have extensive experience with your abilities academically
would carry more weight than someone you have worked
with.
Preparation
What
tests do I have to take?
If
English is not your native tongue and you have not completed
a degree in an English speaking country, you will be
asked to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign
Language) exam. If you are pursuing a graduate degree
in the Arts and Science, you will also be asked to take
the GRE (Graduate Record Examination); if you are pursuing
a graduate degree in a business related field, you will
be asked to take the GMAT (Graduate Management Admission
Test); for Law it is the LSAT (Law School Admission
Test) and for medicine it is the MCAT (Medical College
Admission Test)
When
should I take these tests?
The
US universities will not consider your application complete
until they receive your score report from the ETS. Since
it takes between 6-8 weeks for your scores to be reported,
and since many schools and departments have January/February
deadlines, you should take all tests one year before
your intended date of study i.e. October or November
of the year preceding your study in the US. You can
send your scores well in advance of the application
deadline date; the university will hold onto the scores
and will expect your application in due course.
Funding
What
are my chances of getting financial aid?
It
is to the universities that you must realistically look
for funding. Keep in mind, that about 30% of international
students in the US receive major financial aid from
university departments. Of the remainder, the majority
are self-financed, whilst a small percentage are recipients
of awards. The Directory of Graduate Programs should
indicate which departments offer scholarships to graduate
students
Can
I work as a graduate student?
International
students are not permitted to work in their first year.
After your first year, you can work on campus for up
to 20 hours per week as long as you do not displace
an American citizen or permanent resident. This work
would probably not be enough for your tuition and cost
of living so working whilst studying should be seen
as a bonus rather than a necessity even if in reality
this is not always the case. It is also important to
note that under the terms of the student visas, teaching
assistantships and research assistantships do not fall
under the category of work.
If you are a student from India who is interested in studying abroad
Study Abroad Guide on International Education for Indian Students
Remember
At any time you can click on our International Student Enquiry Service in order to have your details circulated
to multiple academic institutions so they can mail you
comprehensive further information and brochures. Remember
this service is completely free of charge.
If you have any comments or queries relating to this
site please email:
webmaster@internationaledu.net
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