There are so many things wrong out there when we talk about doing postgraduate studies in the USA. Today, I’m going to talk about the 5 main myths about doing postgraduate studies in the USA, and I’m going to explain everything you need to know to never believe these stories again!
There are many people who dream of doing postgraduate studies in the USA. After all, countless of the best universities in the world are there, and the choice of master’s and doctoral programs that the country offers is almost infinite. There are courses for everything you need, for everything you are interested in.
But there are a lot of people who are hesitant about doing postgraduate studies in the USA because, at some point, that person believed in some myths that go around about doing a master’s or doctorate there. Press play to find out more:
There is no scholarship for postgraduate studies in the USA
I would say that this myth is the biggest and best known of all: “there are almost no scholarships to do postgraduate studies in the USA!” This myth is very common, and perhaps the most harmful, as it ends up discouraging many people from considering the USA when looking for postgraduate options.
And there is a reason this myth exists. Unlike Europe and other places, where there are many large scholarship programs, such as the Chevening in England , the Orange Tulip Scholarship in the Netherlands, or the GKS in South Korea , there are almost no such scholarship programs in the US .
There’s even the Knight-Hennessy at Stanford University and the occasional postgraduate scholarship program, but, in general, universities in the US don’t offer many merit scholarships. Furthermore, merit scholarships in the US rarely cover all costs, i.e. tuition and living costs.
But the USA has a lot of job vacancies within the departments of American universities that are exclusive to Masters and Doctorate students. These opportunities are not exactly a scholarship but rather a job position within the university in exchange for this, these students do not pay tuition and still receive a salary that usually covers living costs.
But these vacancies do not function as merit scholarships, they do not open calls or notices, and, therefore, they are not as famous. Furthermore, they are offered by each department, so in the same university, one department may offer several vacancies while another, none.
For this reason, many people think that there are not many scholarships for postgraduate studies in the USA, or that in Europe the chances of scholarships are greater, but this is a MYTH! And if you need help finding these opportunities, take a look at Duplichecke mentoring to study in the USA. Here, we accompany you throughout the application process to increase your chances of success and a scholarship to pursue a master’s or doctorate in the USA.
The United States is a closed country to immigrants
It is very common for us to hear people here who do not consider the USA because they think it is not very receptive to international students, and this is a big myth.
Between 2019 and 2020, more than a million international students went to study in the USA, whether to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate, English courses or specialization courses.
International students are essential to the US economy and are very, very important for universities, so all universities in the US have their own departments to receive students from outside the country, and university cities are very used to receiving international students , since a large part of the population is made up of people from the most diverse corners.
Furthermore, the USA is a country made up of immigrants, and its culture is to welcome people from other places. But it is important to highlight something here: being an immigrant is not easy, and there will always be difficulties, and you may encounter people who will treat you badly because you are an immigrant. But this can happen in the USA or any other country. Unfortunately, ignorance and prejudice exist everywhere.
But it’s a myth that the USA is closed to immigrants, especially if you go there to study with everything legal.
“Working in the USA is impossible”
The third myth about doing postgraduate studies in the USA is that it is difficult to get a job in the United States after finishing your studies.
There is a US government program that guarantees that anyone who completes a course of at least nine months in the US can stay there and work legally for a period of time.
This temporary work authorization is a way to enter the job market and then obtain sponsorship for a permanent work visa, for example.
So if your goal is to work in the USA after studying, it is possible to do that, yes.
The US student visa is very difficult to obtain
The fourth myth about postgraduate studies in the US is that it is very difficult to get a student visa.
Everyone has heard a story about someone who was denied a visa to the US, and that sometimes scares us when we think about going to study in the United States.
But the truth is that obtaining a student visa is usually a very smooth process. By doing everything right, proving your income as requested by the university and collecting all the necessary documents, the chances of success are very high.
Only Ivy League universities are good
Another myth that people repeat a lot about studying in the USA is that it’s only worth it if it’s at an Ivy League university. Look, I’m not going to argue with anyone that Ivy League universities are good. Everyone already knows this.
But the truth is that, when talking about postgraduate scholarships in the USA, the majority of opportunities are not in the Ivy Leagues. People sometimes turn their noses up at these public universities because some are not very famous. People even know about UCLA and such, but they don’t know that the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor is one of the best universities in the USA, for example.
And when looking for options for postgraduate studies, it is VERY important to open your mind and be more flexible, just forget about the Ivy League story and look at these public universities without prejudice, especially because the vast majority of them are universities of the highest quality!