Country guide

Study Abroad in The United States

The United States remains the most-chosen study destination worldwide, with unmatched programme breadth and research funding — at a real cost, both financially and in visa certainty after graduation.

Updated 2026-09-20

United States

Unemployment ~4%1
Cost of living
USD 18,000–25,000/yr (accommodation, food, transport, internet, misc.)2
Tuition (international)
USD 20,000–45,000/yr for master's at public universities; higher at top private universities.3
Work & internship access
On-campus work allowed during study (hour limits apply). CPT/OPT frameworks support internships and post-study work — a strong ecosystem, but rule-heavy.4
Post-study work visa
Optional Practical Training (OPT) up to 12 months; STEM OPT extension up to 24 additional months (up to 36 months total for eligible STEM programs).5
Work visa ease
H-1B is employer-sponsored and lottery-based — competitive and policy-sensitive.
Long-term settlement
Strong for in-demand STEM/tech profiles, but the path is uncertain, slow, and heavily visa-dependent.

Study specialisations seen as strengths

Computer ScienceData Science/AIEngineering (all branches)Business/ManagementBiomedicalRobotics

Highest job-market demand

Software EngineeringData/MLCybersecurityCloud/DevOpsProduct/Business Analytics
Figures above are illustrative starting points, not verified statistics — confirm tuition, visa rules, and processing times with the United States's official immigration and university sources before deciding.

Sources

  1. Unemployment rate — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — The Employment Situation (Tier 1, as of August 2026)
  2. Cost of living — NCES — Fast Facts: Tuition Costs of Colleges and Universities (Tier 1, as of 2022-23 academic year (most recent published))
  3. Tuition — NCES — IPEDS Data Explorer / Fast Facts (Tier 1, as of 2022-23 academic year (most recent published))
  4. Work & internship access — USCIS — Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students (Tier 1, as of current (accessed 2026))
  5. Post-study work visa — USCIS — Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 Students (Tier 1, as of current (accessed 2026))
Common question

How long can I work in the US after graduating?

How long can I work in the US after graduating?

Through Optional Practical Training (OPT) you can work up to 12 months after graduating; if your program qualifies as STEM, you can extend that by up to 24 additional months, for up to 36 months total.

Weighing up the United States? Before you commit, work through our checklist of questions to ask universities, advisors, and yourself.

Work through the checklist →

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