1. Tuition:
I think my family will never have enough money to pay for this, so I have ruled it out of my thoughts. But what is noteworthy is that one day, I just looked straight at the tuition of a university and realized that studying abroad in the US is not impossible. I started to prepare myself for this.
When preparing mentally, we need to set some minimum assumptions. For example, one person wants to study from the first year and does not care about which school to attend, while another wants to find ways to save costs as much as possible. It is important to clearly define your goals and not be too demanding. Ultimately, studying abroad does not necessarily have to be at prestigious schools, but can also be at universities in your hometown. The most important thing is your spirit and determination.
And the most important thing is that you must be an optimistic person and always look forward to the day you graduate, because what you envision below is entirely possible. So, we can start. First, we need to eliminate some ideas that many people think of, but are not true. One is that studying abroad is only for the extremely rich, two is that studying abroad is only for the extremely talented, or you must go to the US to be hot and receive scholarships, only the extremely poor can get study abroad scholarships, study abroad scholarships are only for the extremely talented, or studying abroad is only for those who have relatives in California. Six is that studying abroad is always more expensive than studying domestically, and you have to rely on study abroad centers to help you apply for scholarships.
2. Studying Abroad:
Eight, studying abroad is something you must prepare for before you are in high school. Studying at school is not important, and scholarships are not in the billions as some people discuss on VNExpress. Ten, scholarships will be achieved based on your academic performance in Vietnam.
When you start to flash the idea of studying abroad, it may take up to 12 years until you actually take off to study. However, your personal circumstances, who you are and what you do, are not very important. Who your parents are and what they do is also not important. What your school is like is not important.
The costs of studying in the US can be very expensive, but if you start to think about whether you can study abroad with your conditions, I will list below the costs of a school I previously attended, based on 2019 data, and ways to save on these costs.
If you are a foreigner and in a dormitory without a scholarship, you will have to pay $24,000 for each academic year, $45,000 for 2 years, and ideally $140,000 for 4 years.
However, is there a way to save more? I hope you won't have to pay this price. Usually, public schools called "state schools" or Japanese schools will offer about 50% tuition for foreign students.
If you have a GPA of 3.3, you will get a reduction of about $8,000 on a total tuition of $15,000 per year. Usually, schools have a rule that you must stay in the dormitory for the first year, then you can move out.
From now on, miscellaneous fees such as cleaning and other costs can add up to about $2,000 per year, totaling $8,000 over four years of study, if you do not work part-time.
For example, in the first year you will have to pay $8,000 for tuition, $2,000 for books, and about $25,000 for living expenses, totaling $35,000. The total cost for a bachelor's degree is about $75,000. At this price, you can stay in the dormitory for two years, but it is unclear whether meals are included.
3. Optimization:
Optimizing expenses is something you need to consider. Is there a way to reduce the $75,000 figure?
Working on campus is one option. I have a university in the US that allows international students to work legally on campus. If you are willing to work, you can earn minimum wage. This is not easy, but it is not too difficult either. If you work hard, you can work 20 hours a week on campus and earn about $8.6 per hour. Each month, you can earn about $688. This amount is equivalent to the cost of living in the dormitory for one month. So if you work on campus, you can cover this part of the cost.
With summer jobs, there are many opportunities. You can look for a job instead of returning to Vietnam or doing an internship. Finding a summer job is not difficult. You may not find a job right away, but if you are patient and persistent, you will have opportunities. This can also help you gain experience for the future.
If you can work on campus, you can work 39 hours a week and earn $1,500 per month. If you do well, you can earn more. With 3 months of summer, you can earn enough money to pay for the next semester's tuition.
If you are an outstanding student, you may have the opportunity to intern from your first year. Usually, students in their third or fourth year receive better opportunities.
So if you are an outstanding student and have the opportunity to work a summer job at Google in your final year, you will have an additional $3,000, plus $10,000, totaling $76,000.
With this, your costs in the first year will be $8,000 for tuition, $2,000 for books, and $9,000 for living expenses, totaling $52,000. In the second year, the costs will be $8,000 for tuition, $2,000 for books, and $30,000 for living expenses, plus the money earned during the year, without a summer job, totaling $33,000. My parents never calculated, but I think that is a relatively similar amount to what they spent to buy my degree from a university.
4. Quality:
Compared to Vietnam, this amount is much less, and parents in Vietnam are willing to spend large sums to ensure their children get into university. However, for me personally, the $33,000 to buy a degree is a better choice to invest in myself than to spend on other things.
In conclusion, what you gain from studying abroad in the way I have described is independence and freedom in life. You will not have to worry about when to go home, finding out who does what, drinks what, or smokes what. Your time for personal hobbies will not be interrupted by things like having to attend funerals, weddings, or going back to your hometown.
The quality of education will be better if you are willing to study hard. You can always find good professors in every field. You will truly live abroad, not just in a half-Western half-local environment. Your English will improve significantly, and you will learn a lot from Americans. The US is a country that values people based on their abilities and has a relatively open social government, welcoming everyone.
Later, when you graduate, if you want to continue studying, universities in the US are the easiest choice. If you want to pursue research, studying in the US will open up many opportunities. You can choose any field you want, and universities in the US offer many options, while in Vietnam, schools often restrict choices, and you may find yourself not suited for that field.
However, what you have to trade off is the $33,000. You will be away from family, may feel lonely, and your student life will lack material and spiritual wealth. You will have to live in a place that is not crowded or bustling like the big cities in Vietnam.
Studying for a university degree in the US is an important and challenging decision for many students around the world. One of the most important questions they ask is: "How much does it cost to study for a university degree in the US?"
Calculating the costs of studying for a university degree in the US does not stop at tuition fees but also includes many other factors such as monthly living expenses, textbooks, accommodation, health insurance, transportation, and other costs.
First, let's talk about tuition fees. Tuition fees at universities in the US can vary greatly, from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars per year, depending on the type of school and program you choose. Public schools usually have lower tuition fees compared to private schools, but sometimes private schools offer more financial aid for international students.
In addition to tuition fees, monthly living expenses are another important factor. You need to calculate costs for rent or dormitory, food, mobile phone, internet, public transportation or car, and recreational activities. Large cities often have higher living costs compared to rural areas.
Textbooks are an unavoidable expense when studying for a university degree. The cost of textbooks in the US can be very high, especially for technical or medical fields. Some students also need to buy computers and other specialized software, increasing this cost.
Health insurance is also an important factor when studying in the US. Although some schools may provide insurance for international students, this cost is often not cheap. Having a good health insurance plan will help protect you from health risks and unexpected medical costs.
Finally, transportation is also an essential part of calculating costs when studying for a university degree in the US. The cost of airfare between your home country and the US, as well as transportation costs within the US, need to be considered.
In summary, studying for a university degree in the US can be expensive and requires careful preparation in calculating costs. However, with a reasonable financial plan and smart spending management, this can become a valuable experience and provide many opportunities for personal and professional development.