When it comes to financial assistance for the pursuit of advanced studies, the United States has plenty to offer
MORE THAN 1,700 universities and other institutions in the United States offer graduate programmes, each unique in its traditions, missions and the groups from which it draws students and support.
The more famous universities, such as Harvard and Yale, are highly selective and competitive, and have achieved renown chiefly for the high quality of their research and graduate programmes.
Universities are important because they set the intellectual atmosphere and provide study and research resources. But students should remember that their studies take place largely in a single department or programme, so the programme's reputation should take priority over that of the university. Each school has different entry requirements. The important step is for students to identify the institutions that offer the subject area or specialisation they are interested in.
For example, if a student wants to specialise in biomedical studies or bioengineering, he or she may consider the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of America's top engineering schools. But Johns Hopkins University offers one of the best biomedical graduate programmes in the US. The student has to decide which would be the better choice.
American educational institutions look for candidates with a strong academic background and English language proficiency. Scores on one or more standardised admissions test are required for many programmes. These tests include TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and GRE (Graduate Record Examinations), or GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) in the case of a Master of Business Administration.