TRA bachelor's degree in the US usually takes four years, and students often choose their major at the end of the second year. In the first years, they take courses in English, math, science, humanities and social sciences. Common App is used to apply to many universities with a single form. The platform has more than 1,100 member universities.
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To study at a high school in the US, the student gets an F-1 visa. With F-1, a student can attend SEVP-approved private schools at any grade level. At a public high school, the stay cannot exceed 12 months in total and the student pays the full cost of the school. At boarding schools such as Phillips Exeter, applications close on 15 January and decisions are announced on 10 March.
Most bachelor's applications are made through Common App. The platform has more than 1,100 member universities. The new application cycle opens on 1 August every year. At Harvard, MIT and Yale, early applications close on 1 November. Early Decision is binding: if you are accepted, the student withdraws their other applications.
A bachelor's degree usually takes four years full-time, and the academic year runs from August to May. A student can enter a university without choosing a major and often decides at the end of the second year. In the first years, they take courses in English, math, science, humanities and social sciences.
F-1 students can work up to 20 hours a week on campus during term. During breaks, full-time work on campus is possible. Working off campus requires a separate permit.
F-1 students can get up to 12 months of OPT, meaning practical work permission in their field, for each level of education. Graduates in STEM fields can also apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension.
The universities are the country's top three schools according to the QS World University Rankings 2026. The boarding high schools are not ranked and are given as examples.
Examples from current fees for international students, as published on the schools' own pages.
Boston University, International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO) estimate, Boston, 2026/27
There is no fixed minimum amount in the US that applies to everyone. You are expected to show that you can cover the estimated costs on the I-20 issued by the school. The consulate may ask how you will pay for tuition, living and travel costs.
A month-by-month plan for 2027 entry. Official date Our suggestion
Building the school list and planning interview appointments. Choate holds interviews from September to February
Taking the TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo exam. Taft strongly recommends these exams for applicants whose first language is not English
SSAT paper exam (many schools ask for it). Later dates are 12 December 2026 and 9 January 2027
Application deadline for Phillips Exeter, Hotchkiss, Milton, Groton and Middlesex
Admission decisions are announced (Exeter, Taft, Hotchkiss and many other boarding schools)
Reply to the offer: deadline for the enrollment contract and deposit (Taft, Hotchkiss)
The school sends the I-20. Taft sends it by email in early June after receiving the contract and deposit. Then come the I-901 SEVIS fee (350 USD for F-1), the DS-160 form and the visa interview
Entering the US: with a student visa you can enter no more than 30 days before school starts
Choosing a program and planning the English exam
Harvard Secondary School Program 2027 applications open
Yale Young Global Scholars 2027 Regular Decision application deadline
Harvard Secondary School Program early application deadline
Columbia Pre-College NYC Residential Summer early enrollment deadline
Harvard Secondary School Program regular application deadline. For the visa process, it is a good idea to apply by this date
After acceptance: I-20, SEVIS fee, DS-160 and visa interview appointment
Harvard 4-week Term 1 starts (the 7-week term on 21 June, Columbia Session A on 28 June)
Common App opened for the new cycle
Early application deadline: Harvard and Stanford Restrictive Early Action, MIT Early Action, Columbia and Penn Early Decision
SAT exam (next date 5 December 2026). Whether a school asks for a test varies by school
Regular Decision deadline: Harvard, Columbia, Princeton (Yale 2 January, Stanford, NYU and Penn 5 January)
Regular Decision results, for example Johns Hopkins on 24 March 2027
Deadline to accept the offer and pay the deposit at most universities
I-20, I-901 SEVIS fee (350 USD), DS-160 and visa interview
Entering the US: no more than 30 days before the program starts
Stanford Computer Science MS applications opened
Sending the TOEFL or IELTS result. Stanford CS recommends sending it at least six weeks before the deadline
Stanford Computer Science MS application deadline
Harvard Business School and Wharton MBA Round 2 application deadline
Columbia Engineering master's programs regular deadline (priority deadline of 15 January for some)
Stanford Computer Science MS decisions
I-20, I-901 SEVIS fee, DS-160 and visa interview
Entering the US: no more than 30 days before the program starts
With Early Decision, you can apply early to only one university. If you are accepted, the student commits to enrolling at that school and withdraws their other applications. Early Action is not binding. The student has until 1 May to announce their decision.
Community colleges are mostly state-funded and offer the first two years of a four-year bachelor's degree. Their fees are usually lower than at four-year schools. After two years, the student earns an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree. Some universities accept students into the third year with this degree. Transfer rules vary by school.
Last checked: October 2026. Rules and amounts can change. We check the current situation together before you apply.
With an F-1 visa, you can study at private high schools at any grade level and with no time limit. At public high schools, F-1 students' study cannot exceed 12 months in total, and the student must pay the school district the full unsubsidized per-person cost.
A bachelor's degree usually takes four years. Applications are mostly made to each university separately. Common App lets you apply to several universities with one online form. Common App has more than 1,100 member institutions.
A master's degree is usually a two-year degree. MBA programs mostly take one to two years. Graduate applications are usually made to each program separately.
Universities in the US ask international students for an English proficiency exam result before admission.
F-1 student status is used for university and high school study.
In a student visa application, you must show that you can cover all costs for the length of study. Official sources do not give a fixed amount that applies to everyone.
F-1 students can work up to 20 hours a week on campus during term and full-time during breaks. Off-campus work needs a separate permit.
F-1 students can get up to 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) for each level of education. For graduates in STEM fields, there is a continuous 24-month STEM OPT extension.
The academic year usually starts in August or September and ends in May.
No, it varies by school. Phillips Exeter asks for the SSAT or ISEE Upper Level from 9th grade applicants. Taft expects the SSAT from 9th and 10th grade applicants. Choate treats test scores as an optional part of the application.
Most schools do not require it but strongly recommend it. Taft gives 105 for TOEFL iBT, 7.5 for IELTS and 140 for Duolingo as target scores. Exeter states that the exam is not a required part of the application.
It depends on the type of program. The B visitor visa covers only short courses that do not count toward a degree or credit. For credit programs such as the Harvard Secondary School Program, the school issues an I-20 and the student goes through the F-1 process.
A new student can be issued an F-1 visa up to 365 days before school starts. But you can enter the US with this visa no more than 30 days before the start. The I-901 SEVIS fee of 350 USD must be paid before the interview.
The school first waits for the enrollment contract and the deposit. Taft sends the first I-20 by email in early June after these arrive. This leaves time for the visa appointment.
120 subjects, 37 schools. Programmes were checked on the schools’ own websites. Tap a subject to see what you study, what graduates do and the options in other countries.
Steps, fees and the money you need to show for the F-1, the UK Student visa, the German national visa and the Canadian study permit (October 2026).
COUNTRIESCommon App dates, the place of the SAT in your application, examples of 2026/27 school fees and the current F-1 visa fees.
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