How to apply for MS in USA?

MS in USA- With over 8,00,000 international students, the USA is the most prominent educational hub the world over. While the country is attractive across all fields and levels of study, international students are most drawn toward MS programmes. So, why is it that students prefer pursuing MS in US over most countries in the world? Well, one reason is that universities in USA have built a strong learning foundation in which research and practical experience go hand in hand.

One of the biggest questions that haunt aspirants who wish to pursue their MS in US, is how to apply for MS in USA? When does she start and what does she need? With a particularly large application package and steps involved, admissions for MS in US does sound intimidating in the beginning, but with proper planning and understanding of the required elements the process becomes very easy.

Here we have explained the entire process of applying for an MS programme in USA right from the time you need to research to finally submitting your application form.

Read ahead to know the exact steps to apply for MS in US:

1. Choose universities

The first step in applying for MS in US is to make a list of universities which offer your choice of programme. This should be done around the months of May or June of the previous year. Ideally, one should start the process of admission at least 15 months prior to admission. While, the US admission cycle has three intakes-Fall, Spring and Summer- majority of the programmes start in Fall i.e around September.

2.   Check deadlines

Once you have enlisted the colleges of your choice the next step would be to check the deadlines of the specific courses you are applying. Usually, universities in US do not a common deadline for all courses. So, you need to check the individual departments of the universities to know the opening and closing dates for applications to MS in US. Generally, applications for Fall start around September and close between December January, though some dates even continue till February.

Also, the flexibility offered by USA allows the student to apply for the course through three plans - Early admission plan, Regular admission and Rolling admission. Regular admission plan follows the same procedure of setting deadlines for admission by universities every year. On the other hand, early admission allows an aspirant to apply and fix his/hers admission before Regular admission starts while Rolling admission lets you to apply to your university anytime of the year , provided there are vacant seats.

 Apply for MS in US: Deadlines at the top 5 universities:

Institute	Level of study	Application start date	Application end date
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	UG PG	NA October	Early Action: 1 November Regular Decision: 1 January December- January (varies according to department)
Harvard University	UG PG	NA October	Early Action: 1 November Regular Decision: 1 January December- January (varies according to department)
Stanford University	UG PG	NA October	Early Action: 1 November Regular Decision: 3 January December
California Institute of Technology	UG PG	NA October	Early Action: 01 November Regular Decision: 03 January December  15- January 01 (varies according to department)
Princeton University	UG PG	NA NA	Early Action: 01 November Regular Decision: 01 January December

3. Eligibility: Before going ahead with the application process it is important that you check the eligibility requirements for the MS course in US. While different courses have different sets of requirement, here are some of the general eligibility criteria that you must fulfill:

16 years education: The first thing to keep in mind before opting for an MS in an US university is that majority of the universities in USA require the student to have a minimum of 16 years of education before applying for MS in US. So, you must have completed at least 4 years of education (graduation or diploma) after 10+2. However, some schools in USA do accept 3 year undergraduate degrees. Besides, students have the option of getting their academic transcripts evaluated by either the university or private organisations like WES which can then term your degree to be equivalent to a US four year degree. Of course, for that you have to fulfill certain criteria. WES demands that you should at least have a first class degree and your college should have a good accreditation. Students who have completed their Master’s degree are also qualified to apply for MS in US.

Standardised test: Admission for MS in US universities requires the aspirant to take certain standardized entry level tests. Some of them are GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, MCAT and LSAT among others.

4. Take required exams: As mentioned, entry into MS courses in US universities requires the aspirant to appear for standardised tests as set by the university. You should, ideally, register for you tests between July and August so that your test scores are ready by the time you apply. This also leaves room for retests if you are not satisfied with your test score. Many universities provide the average or minimum score required for entry into MS in US. So, you can decide to sit for the retest depending on the required score. Here are some of the common standardised tests required for entry into MS in US.

• GRE: GRE is mandatory for almost all MS level programmes in USA including management studies. While all universities require GRE general test score some also ask the student to take GRE subject tests.
• TOEFL: TOEFL is an English proficiency for students from non- native English speaking country students.
• IELTS: IELTS is also an English proficiency test for students from non- native English speaking countries.
• MCAT: Students interested in pursuing medical studies in US have to appear for MCAT
• LSAT: LSAT is for law aspirants

5. Arrange application package- This is one of the most important part in the process of applying for MS in US. Universities in USA put heavy weightage on the application of the student. Besides, academic transcripts US universities demand that the student introduce herself through intent statements and references. An ideal MS application package should have the following:

SOP: The Statement of Purpose is one of the most vital elements of the application package for admission into MS in US.It details your intention for joining the programme and your goals in life.One thing to remember while writing an SOP is that it should be brief and reflect clarity regarding what you want from the programme. Another important thing is to remain within the word limit set by the university or department.

LOR: Unlike the SOP, the Letter of Recommendation is an independent assessment of your potential. Most universities require at least two to three recommendation letters.  It is advisable to have your professors or employees to write the recommendation letter for you.

Essays: Essays depend on the university you are applying to. Some universities might give you a topic to write on. Others might ask you to write on a relevant topic of your interest. Besides, the number of essays to be submitted also differs. Generally, you are asked to submit 2-3 essays. 

Resume: Some universities require you to submit a CV along with the application. It should contain your basic information like date of birth, academic qualifications and achievements.

Academic transcripts: Academic transcripts include all the qualifications that you will list in your application form. Start arranging your transcripts from October itself.

Scores: Universities with a requirement of standardized score will ask you to send the results of the tests along with the application.

6.   Documents checklist for MS in US:

• Recommendation letters ( minimum 2-3 lectures)
• GRE/TOEFL/GMAT/IELTS score proofs besides reporting the test scores officially.
• Academic Transcripts for the qualifications listed in the application form.
• SOP
• Work experience certificates, if applicable
• Photo Copies of your passport
• Certificates for extra-curricular activities mentioned in the application form.
• WES Evaluation documents, if required by the University.

7. Apply: The first thing to keep in mind while applying is the deadline. As mentioned, most of the application dates close by January. However, it is advisable to apply early and not wait for the last date to avoid any last minute glitch.

While you can send the application and all the documents by post, most universities allow you to submit the application online. Also, some universities also require you to ask for the application via email.

8.  Offer letters: The universities usually take a few weeks to respond to your applications. Most applicants receive their acceptance or rejection letter between February to April.