MS in USA mostly refers to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Management) courses that are offered at the best US universities. It includes courses like MS in Engineering, MS in Computer Science, MS in Business Analytics, MS in Health Administration, and so on.
As promising as the MS courses in USA may sound, getting admission into them can be an exhaustive process. A long list of document requirements for masters in USA is mandatory for all universities. Hence, to give you a comprehensive idea about eligibility for ms in USA for Indian students we have curated this blog to clear all your possible queries. Here we have discussed everything about eligibility for MS in USA including academic and other requirements.
Overview of Eligibility for MS in USA..
USA continues to be the top choice of international students who wish to pursue masters degree abroad. From the top universities of the world, varied opportunities to the diverse experience offered by this country, the reasons to study in USA are plenty. Compared to other countries, the requirements for masters in USA have been seen to be more exhaustive and competitive, especially for its top universities.
It is to be noted that admission into US universities is not only based on merit. While your academic performance plays a vital role, there are other factors as well that are important and carry (if not more) but equal weight. Your GMAT or GRE Score, prior professional experience, etc. are some of them. Apart from them, your admission essays (LOR, SOP, Resume, etc.) also significantly impact your overall application process to study in USA.
Eligibility Criteria for MS in USA
To earn admission to the top and high-ranking MS universities USA you must fulfil certain criteria. In a nutshell, in terms of eligibility for MS in USA for Indian students, one should have decent grades, adequate financial support (either by achieving scholarships or merit-based financial aid), completed challenging coursework, and good command of the English language. There may be other requirements too as per your course. The basic list of requirements for MS in USA are as follows:
1) Undergraduate Degree
2) English Proficiency Test
3) GMAT/ GRE Scorecards
4) Statement of Purpose
5) Letter of Recommendation
6) Resume
7) Work Experience Certificate
8) Proof of Funds
9) Passport and Student Visa
Now let us dive deeper into all the MS in USA for Indian students requirements one by one:
Undergraduate Degree
The first eligibility to study MS in USA is a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in the relevant subject. Although the scores vary across universities, the minimum GPA required for MS in USA is 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Do check for the minimum GPA required for ms in usa on the respective university websites to know the exact information.
English Language Proficiency Test
There are English language proficiency exams required for MS in USA if you belong from a non-English speaking country. The scores again are different for different universities, but on a border level their score range are mentioned below:
IELTS – 6.5 – 7.5
TOEFL – 88 – 100
GMAT/ GRE Scorecards
GMAT and GRE are two exams required for MS in USA if you wish to pursue programs like MS in Finance, MS in Management, etc. While for some courses it is a must to have a decent GMAT score, for others it is not compulsory. Ideally, the GMAT score for MS courses in USA ranges from 600 to 740, and for GRE it is 318 to 329.
Statement of Purpose
A well-drafted Statement of Purpose or SOP is an important eligibility to do MS in USA. SOP is a letter of intent where you write about your aspirations and intentions behind opting for any program in USA. The admission committee closely evaluates your SOP to determine your admission.
Letter of Recommendation
A Letter of Recommendation or LOR is a document issued by your Professor, Project Guide, or Reporting Manager with whom you have been closely associated in the past. It can help your application stand out among other applicants, as it provides a holistic view of your persona, academic and professional performance.
Resume
Another requirement to pursue MS in USA is a resume. Make sure that your resume is up-to-date and contains all your academic and professional data. You may also mention any significant achievements that may help to attract the attention of the admission committee.
Work Experience Certificate
A minimum of 2 to 3 years of work experience is required for doing MS in USA. However, some courses do not ask for work experience as a mandatory requirement.
Proof of Funds
After having your admission letter from a particular US college the next step is to sort your finances. The visa officers ask for I-20 proof of funds for your F-1 visa to ensure that you have sufficient funds to bear your expenses during the course of your stay in USA. Documents like personal or sponsor’s bank statements, provident funds, fixed deposit, scholarship proof, loan sanction letter, etc can be used for the same.
Passport and Student Visa
All international students require an F-1 student visa to pursue MS in USA. for that, must receive an I-20 form from the university they have applied to. Apart from that, your passport must have a validity of minimum of 6 months after the completion date of the course in the USA. Do apply for your visa atleast 3 months prior to your date of travel to avoid any last-minute rush.
Document Required for MS in USA
Now that we have covered USA MS eligibility in USA, the documents required for the same can be summarized as below:
1) Transcripts of all educational qualifications
2) Scorecards of IELTS/ TOEFL/ GRE/ GMAT
3) Work experience certificate (if applicable)
4) CV or Resume
5) LOR
6) SOP
7) Proof of funds
8) Valid passport and student visa
Partnered List of Universities..
1 University of North Texas Denton Denton – Texas
2 University of Houston Clearlake Houston Texas
3 Wichita State University Wichita Kansas
4 New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark New Jersey
5 University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Milwaukee Wisconsin
6 California State University Long Beach Long Beach California
7 California State University East Bay Hayward California
8 California State University Northridge Northridge California
9 Wright State University Dayton Ohio
10 University of Findlay Findlay Ohio
11 University of Maryland, Baltmore County Baltmore County Maryland
12 Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken New Jersey Partner
13 Duquesne University Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Partner
14 University of West Florida Pensacola Florida Partner
15 University of Nebraska Lincoln – UG Only Lincoln Nebraska
16 Florida International University – Only Business Programs Miami
17 Arizona State University Tempe Arizona Partner
18 Pace University New York New York
19 University of Connecticut – UG Only Storrs Connecticut
20 Simmon University, Boston Boston Massachusetts’s
21 San Jose State University San Jose California
22 University of Central Oklahoma Edmond Oklahoma
23 Mississippi State University Strakville Mississippi
24 Saint Leo University Saint Leo Florida
25 SUNY New Paltz New Paltz New York
26 Auburn University Montgomery Montgomery Alabama
27 Western New England University Springfield Massachusetts’s
28 Bradley University Peoria Illinois
29 Midwestern State University Wichita Falls Texas
30 Northwest Missouri State University Maryville Missouri
31 University of South Alabama Mobile Alabama
32 Westcliff University Irvine California
33 Wilmington University New Castle Delaware
34 Franklin University Columbus Ohio
35 Marist College Poughkeepsie New York
36 Troy University Troy Alabama
37 University of Texas Arlington Arlington Texas
38 University of Houston, Main Campus Houston Texas
39 University of Central Missouri Warrensburg Missouri
40 Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona
41 University of New Haven West Haven Connecticut
42 University of Bridgeport Bridgeport Connecticut
43 Kent State University Kent Ohio
44 California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks California
45 SUNY Albany Albany New York
46 SUNY Oswego Oswego New York
47 Mercer University Atlanta Georgia
48 DePaul University Chicago Illinois
49 Texas A&M University Corpus Chris Corpus Chris Texas
50 Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Florida
51 Long Island University Brooklyn & Post Campus Brooklyn & Brookville New York
52 University of Memphis Memphis Tennessee
53 Lawrence Technological University Southfield Michigan
54 California Baptist University Riverside California
55 Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau Missouri
56 Purdue University Fort Wayne Fort Wayne Indiana
57 Claremont Graduate University Claremont California
Youngstown State University Youngstown Ohio
59 Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City Oklahoma
60 Full Sail University Winter Park Florida
61 Murray State University Murray Kentucky
62 Southern Illinois University Carbondale Carbondale Illinois
63 University of Colorado Denver Denver Colorado
64 New York Institute of Technology Old Westbury New York
65 Sacred Heart University Fairfield Connecticut
66 Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado
67 Drew University Madison New Jersey
68 Fisher College Boston Massachusetts’s
69 George Mason University Fairfax Virginia
70 Hofstra University Hempstead New York
71 Illinois State University Normal Illinois
72 New England College Henniker New Hampshire
73 Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon
74 Saint Louis University Saint Louis Missouri
75 Suffolk University Boston Massachusetts’s
76 Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia Pennsylvania
77 University of Alabama Birmingham Birmingham Alabama
78 University of Arizona Tucson Arizona
79 Adelphi University Garden city New York
80 American University Washington, D.C
81 Auburn University Auburn Alabama
82 Cleveland State University Cleveland Ohio
83 University of Dayton Dayton Ohio
84 University of Illinois Springfield Springfield Illinois
85 University of Illinois Chicago Chicago Illinois
86 University of Massachusetts Boston Boston Massachusetts’s
87 University of Mississippi Oxford Mississippi
88 University of Pacific Stockton California
89 University of South Carolina Columbia South Carolina
90 Montana State University Bozeman Bozeman Montana
91 Alliant International University San Diego California
92 Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester New York
93 Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne Florida
94 Johnson & Wales University Providence Rhode Island
95 New York Film Academy New York New York
96 Northeastern Illinois University Chicago Illinois
97 Western Illinois University Macomb Illinois
98 University of Alabama Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Alabama
99 University of Alabama Huntsville Huntsville Alabama
100 University of Mary Hardin Baylor Belton Texas
101 University of Nevada Las Vegas Paradise Nevada
102 University of New Mexico Albuquerque New Mexico
103 Western Kentucky University Bowling Green Kentucky
104 Grand Valley State University Allendale Michigan
105 Arkansas State University Jonesboro Arkansas
106 Old Dominion University Norfolk Virginia
107 University of Tennessee Chattanooga Chattanooga Tennessee
108 Pittsburg State University Pittsburgh Kansas
109 University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Dartmouth Massachusetts’s
110 Texas Tech University Lubbock Texas
111 University of Colorado, Colorado Springs Colorado Springs Colorado
112 California State University, Channel Islands Ventura County California
113 Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania
114 Portland State University – UG Only Portland Oregon
115 Seale Pacific University Seale Washington
116 Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro Tennessee
117 Webster University Webster Groves Missouri
118 Concordia University, Chicago River Forest Illinois
119 Duke University – MIDP Program only Durham North Carolina
120 Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology-UG only Terre Haute Indiana
121 Rowan University Glassboro New Jersey
122 University of Tulsa – PG only Tulsa Oklahoma
123 Western Michigan University Kalamazoo Michigan
124 Kennesaw State University Kennesaw Georgia
125 University of Cincinna, Cincinnati Ohio
126 Southern New Hampshire University Manchester New Hampshire
Documents Required for a US Student Visa..
When applying for your student visa for the US, you will generally need:
1) A valid passport that is valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the US (unless exempt by country-specific agreements)
2) Acceptance at a SEVP approved school and your Form I-20
3) Application fee payment for the SEVIS
4) Non-immigrant visa application and the Form DS-160 confirmation page
5) Your photograph in the requested format, and number
6) If you are opting for Optional Practical Training (OPT), then in addition to the Form I-20, you must apply to USCIS for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
Some additional documents that might be required include:
1) Academic preparation documents such as transcripts, diplomas, degrees or certificates
2) Evidence that you have sufficient funds to maintain your living expenses throughout the period of your stay in the US. This may include:
a) Bank statements
b) Financial undertaking by a sponsor to cover your accommodation and living costs
c) A scholarship program
d) Evidence that you will leave the US once you have completed your course of study. This can be in the form of an air ticket out of the US to your home country
e) You may also have to appear for a personal interview at the US embassy or consulate.