09 September 2008

US universities paying top dollar to entice top British students

American universities are now using financial tactics to encourage more British students to move to the country, reports the Times Online.

A world-wide competition to attract top overseas students to local universities has made American universities use generous bursaries to entice British students.  Britain currently attracts 12 per cent of the international student market, while America attracts more students than any other country in the world.  The new US tactics will involve recruitment agents, who will offer students considerable financial rewards on behalf of the top universities.

Harvard, Princeton and Yale have a combined pool of $75 billion which they can use to give grants to international students.  Last year, Yale offered 17 places to the 260 British applicants, across a range of courses.

For British students with an income of less than £34,000 per year, tuition fees are totally covered, while students whose family income ranges £70,000 to £90,000 are eligible for support.

The American Student (F1) Visa is a temporary visa which allows a person to enter America for the purpose of undertaking a full time academic program. Generally, obtaining an F1 Visa is a straightforward process although it can be difficult if the visa applicant is from a country with a history of visa fraud.  The visa remains valid for the duration of the educational course to be undertaken.

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The American Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in American visa and immigration services.

Article by Jessica Bird, American Visa Bureau.