How to pursue MS in US on a budget

Posted by Shalaka on November 4th, 2019

Paying tuition fees at a university is not the only expenditure you incur when you want to go study in the US, or as a matter of fact, any country. The US has a high two-year tuition fee if you are aiming for an Ivy League college or a top university. Apart from this, there are several other expenses that you will have to pay for if you want to do your MS in the US. 

But before that, you must know all the nitty-gritty of an MS in US. Here is a great article by Inspirus Education to help you out.

Now, let’s give you an idea about what all you will have to keep in mind in terms of expenses.

• GRE exam fee: To pursue an MS in the US, it is compulsory for every student to give the GRE exam. The fee is usually 5 in India. If you plan on giving the GRE exam more than once, the cost will obviously go up by the number of times you make an attempt at the exam. 

• IELTS/TOEFL: Usually, you are required to give either of these exams to prove your English Language credibility. Both these exams require a registration fee which is around a whopping Rs.13,000 per attempt. 

• Application fee: Every US university charges an application fee. It can range from to 0. 

• Visa: The visa fee will cost 0. Along with it, you also have to pay the Student and Exchange Visitor Program SEVIS fee which will cost 0.
  
  

All these are the compulsory expenses that cannot be avoided. However, there are other, equally important aspects of staying in the US which require you to remove money from your pocket. There are ways to bring these expenses down.

1. Flight tickets: One-way flight tickets to the US usually cost around Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 60,000. If you know the schedule of your college days for the entire year, are sure of when you are going to be returning, and your day of returning does not exceed a span of a few months, it’s probably best to book a return ticket. Return tickets turn out to be cheaper than one-way tickets for going and coming and can cost anything between Rs. 60,000 and Rs. 90,000. But this is a feasible option only if you are completely sure about the dates of your holidays.
   
   

2. Affordable universities: If you’re running very tight on your budget, it’s probably a good idea to consider studying at a university where the tuition fee is less and can be easily afforded. It is not necessary to study at a top university if you are aiming to study with a very limited budget. Also, lesser cost does not account for lesser quality of education. You’ll have to find out about that university and then make your call. Here is a list of some affordable universities, which provide quality education:

• Lehigh University

• Fitchburg State University

• University of Central Arkansas

• New Mexico Highlands University

• Mississippi Valley State University

• Loyola University of Chicago

• North Seattle Community College
  
  

3. Accommodation: All accommodation costs vary greatly depending on the area your university is situated in. Staying in Boston is going to be much more expensive than staying in some rural area. It also depends on whether you choose on-campus accommodation or off-campus. Usually, on-campus accommodation can cost you 0 per month for a shared room. If you choose to stay off-campus, it can turn out to be cheaper at 0.
   
   

4. Food: Food costs can go up to 0 per month depending on what you eat for your everyday meals. It will be the best idea to purchase things from supermarkets like Costco, Wal-Mart, Target if you’re living off-campus. On-campus may or may not have meals included and accordingly, you will have to pay extra for your meals if you decide to eat from the college canteen.
   
   

5. Transportation: If you are going to have to travel by vehicle to your university every day, make sure you buy a pass for public transport like the bus or the metro. Also, check whether there are student discounts on these passes. This will help you in cost-cutting. However, try to walk to places as much as you can.
   You must also take into account your traveling expenses if you plan to tour around a bit. Keep a fixed budget for the same and stick to it.
   
   

We hope these tips help you get through your MS in the USA within your planned budget, or help you minimize your expenditure. Happy saving!