United States Moving to the USA

Student visa

A valid passport and U.S. visa are needed to enter the United States.

An interview with a consular officer, as well as inkless fingerprint scans at the U.S. Embassy, are required for most visa applicants.

Your university will apply for your visa after you accept their letter of admission. So obtaining a visa is usually one of the last steps before you depart for the United States.

1. Apply online for your visa DS 160
2. schedule an interview at the consulate

Documents needed to complete your DS-160

• Passport
• Travel itinerary, if you have already made travel arrangements
  
• Dates of your last five visits or trips to the United States
  
• Résumé or Curriculum Vitae
• SEVIS ID, which is printed on your I-20 or DS-2019
• Address of the school/program at which you intend to study

Follow the procedure on the website of the U.S. Embassy

What is a form I-20A-B “Certificate of Eligibility”?

The I 20A-B is sent to you by a U.S. institution that considers you qualified for a full course of study.

Health insurance

Federal and state  laws require that those who are studying in the United States maintain adequate health insurance. The costs of the medical and hospital services can differ appreciably from the costs in Luxembourg. Its It is advised to sign an additional health insurance.

Ask your family insurance company in Luxembourg for more details.

Don’t forget: invoices are paid off by the CNS in Luxembourg following the rates and the Luxembourg price lists. To this end it is essential that invoices are acquitted and detailed.

Accomodation

There are 2 options for international students looking for housing in the US: dormitories on campus or apartments off-campus.

On-campus dormitories

Large buildings equipped with the latest and greatest facilities, where the majority of students share a room, bathroom and common area with a room-mate. On-campus housing, exercise and performance facilities,  and recreational activities are typical of American universities. The facilities and activities are available at little or no additional cost.

Off-campus apartments

Contact your university’s International Student Office and ask for their advice on how you should go about your search.

Living expenses

Depending on where you live and study, costs for housing and food vary greatly in the United States. Suburban or rural areas in the South and Midwest of the United States generally have the lowest cost of living.

Actual costs vary by institution too. Refer to each institution’s website for specific costs.

Estimated Living Cost

10.000 to 12.000 $ (per year). An average of 700 to 1.000 $ per month should be considered as safe.

This includes your accommodation (room and board), travel, food, some books, some clothing and may be some entertainment expense too.

Please find below a range of costs that have been considered while estimating the above listed living expenses:

• Books and study materials will cost 500 to 1.000 $ approximately per academic year
• Travel costs within the US will be between 300 $ and 700 $ approximately
• Room and Board will cost between 3.000 and 7.500 $ approximately per year. Allow an additional 1.000 to 2.000 $ for vacation periods when the dormitory might be closed

If you will be living off campus, the cost of renting an apartment will be between 300 and 600 $ a month, but could be much higher contingent on the location of the school. Meals should cost about 2.500 $ a year, assuming that you do not fancy too many outings

• Clothing will cost 500 $ or more annually (if you go to cold place, you better buy some clothes that suit their weather; otherwise you may shiver)
• Personal expenses will cost around 2.000 $ approximately per year

Financial aid

The  financial aid from the Luxembourg Government might not be enough to cover your expenses. Each year international students receive significant amounts of financial assistance for their studies. However, competition is high.  Applications for financial aid go together with applications for admission!

Fulbright grants

Fulbright awards fund Belgian and Luxembourgish citizens to study, research, or lecture at an accredited U.S. institution for a period between three months and one year. Grants are available for graduate study and research in all fields of study.

Application deadline: 1. December
Procedure: online application on Fulbright

Student job

As an international student in the USA, you are allowed to work alongside your studies : 20 hours per week while school is in session and full-time when school is out of session.

Contact the Foreign Student Advisor on your campus to get information and advice.

Internship

Practical training might be required in various study programmes. Please contact your institution of higher education in order to get more information about this and about the conditions to achieve such a training.

Current US internships are fashion internships, business internships, marketing internships, sports internships, magazine internships, accounting internships, journalism internships, public relations internships, psychology internships, engineering internships, government internships, advertising internships, music internships, graphic design internships, film internships, medical internships, entertainment internships, and journalism and law internships.  

Students with special needs

Students with disabilities are encouraged to apply to study in the United States.
US universities cannot discriminate against people with disabilities and universities must offer “reasonable” accommodations (e.g. adjustments) and services necessary for students to have equal access to learning and education. This applies both during the admissions process and while you are a student on campus. You will find nearly all US universities will be accessible and welcoming to students with disabilities. 

Contact the disability support services of the university to get more information and help.