Study in the United States

Why students choose the United States

No other country comes close to the sheer variety of institutions available in the United States. There are over 4,000 colleges and universities, including the institutions consistently ranked at the very top globally — MIT, Stanford, Harvard, Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, and dozens of others. Even outside the elite tier, strong state universities and liberal arts colleges deliver excellent education in specific fields, often at considerably lower tuition than the most famous names.

For students interested in STEM — particularly computer science, data science, electrical engineering, and biotechnology — the United States remains the primary destination. The Silicon Valley ecosystem, the concentration of technology companies, and the depth of research funding available at top US universities create opportunities that are genuinely difficult to replicate elsewhere. The Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension for STEM graduates — which allows up to 36 months of post-study work — reflects the country's genuine demand for technical talent.

The US experience also carries a global brand value. Across Asia, a degree from a recognised US university carries significant prestige, which matters in competitive job markets back home and in international companies recruiting globally.

Popular fields of study

• Computer Science & Software Engineering
• Electrical & Mechanical Engineering
• Business Administration & MBA
• Data Science & Artificial Intelligence
• Biotechnology & Life Sciences
• Economics & Finance
• Law (LLM for international graduates)
• Medicine (note: medical school in the US is postgraduate and extremely expensive)

What students should know

• Tuition costs are high — and financial aid for international students is limited. Unlike domestic students, international students at most US institutions receive minimal need-based financial aid. Merit scholarships exist but are competitive. A four-year US degree at a mid-tier private university can total USD 200,000+ in tuition alone. Budget carefully and research scholarship options before you commit.
• Healthcare is a serious expense. Unlike Australia, the UK, or Canada, the US does not have universal healthcare. Student health insurance through your university is mandatory and covers basics, but any significant medical treatment can result in substantial out-of-pocket costs. Understand your coverage before you arrive.
• The H-1B visa is a lottery, not a pathway. After your OPT period, staying to work in the US long-term typically requires an employer to sponsor an H-1B visa — and H-1B applications are subject to a lottery with no guaranteed outcome. Many highly qualified graduates from Indian and Chinese backgrounds face this uncertainty. Be realistic about this when planning.
• Campus safety varies significantly. The US has a more complex campus safety environment than Australia, Canada, or the UK. Research the specific city and campus you are considering — not just the academic rankings. Most campuses are safe, but location matters.

Scholarship opportunities

• Fulbright Foreign Student Program — The US Government's flagship international scholarship. Covers tuition, living expenses, and other costs for graduate students from eligible countries. Available in most countries Loft Learn serves. Highly competitive.
• University merit scholarships — Many US universities offer substantial merit scholarships to attract outstanding international students. Schools outside the Ivy League sometimes offer more generous awards to top applicants. Research individual university scholarship databases directly.
• Graduate assistantships and fellowships — At the graduate (master's and PhD) level, funded positions through teaching assistantships and research fellowships are common, particularly in STEM fields. These can significantly offset or eliminate tuition costs at the graduate level.
• AAUW International Fellowships — For women pursuing graduate study in the US. Available to international students.

Pathway to permanent residency

The United States does not have a structured student-to-permanent-residency pathway. The most common route for graduates who want to stay is: F-1 student visa → OPT/STEM OPT → H-1B work visa (employer-sponsored, lottery-based) → Employment-Based Green Card (EB-2 or EB-3).

This pathway works — but it is long, uncertain, and highly dependent on your employer and occupation. The H-1B lottery means there is no guaranteed route to a work visa after OPT ends. For graduates from India and China, the employment-based Green Card backlogs are severe: current wait times for EB-2 and EB-3 categories for Indian nationals can extend to many years or even decades due to per-country caps.

This does not mean studying in the US is not worth it — many students find exceptional career opportunities within the OPT period and plan accordingly. But if a clear pathway to permanent residency is a primary goal, the US is objectively the most difficult of these five destinations. It is better to know this now than to be surprised later.