How to Apply to Study in the US

8/9/2019 How to Apply to Study in the US

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How to Apply to Study in the U.S.: An Unofficial Guide Only

Rey Ty

I. General Note

a. This document serves as an unofficial guide only. Errors and

omissions are mine. The most accurate pieces of information come

from the original sources: Philippine American Educational Foundation

(PAEF) and each U.S. university, *not* this unofficial guide. Hence, read

this guide *at your own risk* as there are possible mistakes here.

b. This guide is only good for graduate studies, such as Masters degree

or Doctorate (*not* undergraduate studies). You are completely on

your own, if you go for undergraduate studies as there are rare

opportunities for undergraduate studies for non-U.S. students. For

undergraduate studies in the U.S., try applying for YES program (which

is a 6-month to one-year exchange program only).

c. Admission to U.S. universities is very competitive, whether you

apply directly to U.S. universities or through PAEF.

d. You have to take Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL),

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and other tests specific to eachdiscipline (such as Business, Law, Medicine, etc.).

e. Note that if you wish to study abroad, you need more than one year

lead time for your application process.

f. You can apply in two ways:

i. Through PAEF

ii. Directly to each and every U.S. university for which you wish to

be considered for admission.

g. If you apply through PAEF, you just submit one set of true copies of

documents, PAEF takes care of sending out your papers to universities.

II. PAEFa. PAEF is located at the Thomas Jefferson Cultural Center (TJCC) in

Makati. TJCC is part of the cultural office of the Embassy of the United

States in the Philippines. You can search for their contact information

from the Internet. Check which PAEF scholarship/grant you are

applying for, download the forms, fill out, and submit *before* the

deadline date. Make sure your papers are complete. One missing

document will make your application ineligible for competition.

b. If you are not from Manila, you have a geographic advantage, as

PAEF seeks to distribute scholarships/grants across different

geographic areas of the Philippines.

c. If PAEF selects you (from a pool of competitors), then PAEF takes care

of all your paper work.

d. PAEF pays for your testing fees (TOEFL, GRE, etc.). You can take these

tests as many times as you wish. There are testing centers in different

parts of the Philippines. I took my TOEFL and GRE exams at the

University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.

Rey Ty, Unofficial Guide to Applying for Graduate Studies in the U.S. Errors &

omissions are possible. 1


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e. Once a university offers you admission, PAEF will let you know.

f. PAEF will take care of your visa processing and fees.

g. PAEF will pay for application fees. Each application fee runs anywhere

from $40 to $100 or more.

h. PAEF will pay for your roundtrip airfare.

i. PAEF will give you monthly stipend, moving-in allowance, book

allowance, tuition and student fees, and fees for conference

attendance.

j. However, you still have to look for a place to live in the U.S. (with the

money you will receive)

k. Mandatorily, you will have to go back to the Philippines for two years to

serve our country.

III.U.S. Universities

a. In general, note that each faculty member, each department, and each

university are different.

b. Apply directly to U.S. universities of your choice. Go online to look for

their contact information. Download application forms, fill out, and

submit before deadline dates.

c. Each university is ranked yearly for its quality of teaching, research,and publication. Each department of each university is likewise ranked

yearly. Different universities become top universities in different

years.

d. You have to take care of your visa application and fees.

e. You have to pay for each application fee.

f. You have to pay for your roundtrip airfare.

g. You yourself have to pay for all tests: GRE, TOEFL, etc.

h. You have to prove you can afford to live in the U.S. while studying:

i. Plan A: Show the U.S. Consulate that you have money in the

bank.ii. Plan B: You get a graduate assistantship (GA) from the

university. There are many kinds of GA: research assistantship,

teaching assistantship, staff assistantship. Usually, if you are in

the hard-scientific field, your academic supervisor in the U.S. will

offer you an assistantship. In the non-hard-scientific field, (such

as education), you have to seek assistantship elsewhere (such

as work in the library, cafeteria, or general offices). You can

prove that you can afford to live in the U.S. if you can show a

contract from your U.S. university employer. Again, you need

one-year lead time to make all preparations, including seeking a

university-based job.

i. You might want to find out which faculty members share your interest

in teaching, research, or publication. Email them. If they are interested

in you, they will support your application from the U.S. side and offer

you an assistantship (for hard-science fields, especially).

j. You have to find your own housing in the U.S.




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k. There is no two-year home-country rule, if you are not sponsored by

PAEF.

Best wishes for your educational success!



How to Apply to Study in the US

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