American dream
When we asked Americans how they would define the American way of life, they answered repeatedly: hectic, dynamic, fast, multicultural and full of opportunities. America is a land of world-known universities and business schools, such as Harvard and Columbia ; famous cities like the Big Apple and L.A. , natural wonder like the Grand Canyon and Yosemite national park. It is a place where excellent educational and job opportunities are at a student's feet. The land of opportunity, if you have the incentive and the will to work hard, the success is almost guaranteed.

Their liberal arts education is the very reflection of the American culture: a little bit of everything combined together to form a new culture - your culture. Life on campus and a plethora of extracurricular activities form a student world that one might see in the movies. Various associations give you the opportunity to have your voice heard and to gain some valuable experience. Educational options allow you to formulate your own curriculum by choosing classes that you wish to take, while living on campus allows you to meet new people and make great friends.

Studying in the USA brings you one step closer to living the American dream- achieving your goals and living your life to its fullest. Fluency in English, work experience from internships and on-campus work, and competence in multicultural environments are only a few valuable assets that you will attain while studying in the USA . You will meet new people and explore new places, giving you an experience that will always remain as an unforgettable adventure.

Local information
Culture and People: Covering a large part of the American continent, the United States of America shares borders with Canada to the north and Mexico to the south and has coasts on the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico . One of the largest countries in the world, the USA has an enormous diversity of geographical features.

The climate ranges from subtropical to Arctic , south to north respectively, with a corresponding breadth of flora and fauna. The continental United States can be divided into several regions based on climate. In New England, the Middle Atlantic, the Midwest and eastern regions of the West, as well as Alaska to the north, winters can be cold, with extended periods in which the temperature stays below zero degrees centigrade. In these regions, summers are mild. In the South and Southwest regions, summers may be hot, and winters mild. In the Northwest and Southwest year-round temperatures are more nearly uniform. Certain parts of the states of Washington and Oregon have a rainy season and a dry season. But no matter rainy or dry, American people are very friendly and extremely welcoming to foreigners.

Do not forget, America is a land of foreigners and immigrants. Thanksgiving and 4th of July are holidays when families get together and celebrate their union. Very soon, you will find that you also have your American family, be it the university family, your friend's or your host' family.

Country code (phone): +1
Dial access (to call abroad):011

Cost of living
The cost of living varies drastically from city to city, state to state and type of accommodation. In general, although exceptions are frequent, living costs are lowest in the South and Southwest regions and highest in large cities and in New England .
Urban, rural and suburban campuses offer different advantages and pose separate problems. Be sure to weigh advantages and disadvantages, and choose an area where you will feel most comfortable.

A student usually has an opportunity of on-campus housing accommodation that is convenient due to its proximity to school, facilities offered and an opportunity to mingle with other students. Living alone off-campus has its advantages as well: i.e. your own freedom and proximity to city. This freedom however has a price. It will usually cost more to live off-campus. Many students spend their freshmen year on-campus and later when they are already familiar with the city and people; decide to share apartments in the city with friends.

Since the cost of living varies from location to location, it is only possible to give you a rough estimate of what your stay in the United States may cost.

Personal expenses: about $1,500-2,500 per academic year

Room and board rent per academic year (usually 9 months): $2,200-5,500; some of these might require extra furnishing like lamps, sheet, towels etc. which might cost up to $100-150.

Housing off-campus
Hotel accommodations: $ 25-100 per night
Single furnished room: $150-350 per month
Furnished one bedroom apartment: $200-600 (depending on the size and area of the city this is for basic apartments with basic furniture and draperies; larger or luxury apartments cost much more)

Unfurnished Apartments: $150-500 per month ( but the cost of buying the furniture might well exceed the cost of renting furnished apartments)

Meals: students living off campus often purchase meal tickets for dining halls; these range from $1000-1800.

If you have your own kitchen, shopping for food is convenient and the food bill per month for one person runs from $150-250.
Bus/Metro Ticket: 80c to $1

Transportation cost varies; if you live on-campus, you may have fewer or no transportation costs. If you live off-campus you may budget for a bicycle or a car.

Price of gas: $1.45 per gallon, $15 to fill up the tank.
Hamburger: $1-5 in fast food restaurant, $5-10 in a normal restaurant
Coca Cola: $1.50 (but beware, medium Coke in the US is extra large in Europe )
Coffee:$1-$5 (with free refills in many cafés and diners)
Daily paper: 50c for local paper and up to $1.5 for national paper
Movies: $9
Nightclub: $20-50
Jeans: $15-40