The USA is a major education destination for Indian students, with International Baccalaureate (IB) and Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) students viewing it as their primary choice for undergraduate studies. It is one of the most sought-after countries for higher education due to the quality of the education it provides and the perceived job opportunities after the completion of a degree. While visa regulations and chances of landing a job are changing regularly under the Donald Trump administration, education quality remains consistent and constantly innovative.
Current regulations give students a one-year stay-back option called OPT (optional practical training), which allows students to work for a year after graduation in a field related to their degree. STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students are eligible for two extra years of OPT for which they have to apply after the one-year OPT. There is also the option of CPT—curricular practical training—for certain courses, usually for postgraduate students, allowing them to work in a field related to their degree while they study, normally after their second semester.
The US is home to over 400 universities and many more liberal arts colleges. The following are a few well-known education hubs:
CALIFORNIA:
It is home to the University of California, including UCLA, UCB, and UC Davis, to name a few of its campuses, besides the Stanford University, normally ranked among the top five universities in the world for all its subjects. Hollywood makes California a hub of cinema, and Silicon Valley makes it a hub of entrepreneurship.
MASSACHUSETTS:
Rich in cultural history, it is home to some of the oldest and best universities in the US, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard and the University of Massachusetts.
TEXAS:
With a rich oil and gas sector and a large Indian community, it is regarded as a friendly state. It is home to the University of Texas-Austin and Texas A&M University, which are especially regarded for their courses in science, engineering and technology.
NEW YORK:
The financial heart of the US, it is also home to some of the finest universities, including Columbia, Cornell and New York University. It is a multicultural and vibrant, though expensive, place to live in
WASHINGTON DC:
The capital of the US is home to the George Washington University and the Johns Hopkins University, among others.
WASHINGTON STATE:
Washington state on the West Coast is a hub for start-ups and environmental technology, as well as home to Microsoft and Boeing. The key universities in this state are Washington State University and the University of Washington.
