I am a Norwegian citizen and student in a IB school. I want to know the process of applying to a US university. Do I need to apply for Visa or can I travel without visa, using just my Norwegian passport like I can in UK?
Is there anything I should prepare or starting preparing ahead of time if I want to go to US university being a non-US citizen? Anything I should know; any challenges, complications or disadvantages I might face being a non-US citizen?
My school also provides SAT exams. So I was wondering, lets say I qualify for a national merit status from my results for the SAT, but obviously I’m not a US-citizen, would I still get the scholarship or is it very hard, or absolutely not? If the answer is very hard, could you outline the process briefly.
If you were admitted to a US university, they would provide you with the forms to get a student visa for your attendance.
Be prepared to pay A LOT of money.
There are limited scholarship funds for international students and the competition is fierce.
It’s a long process, and many students begin preparations a year before they actually apply.
Basically, you will need to
Take the SAT or ACT exam(s)
Provide a transcript from your school (an official list of all the courses and grades)
Get letters of recommendation
Write essays
You apply September-December; universities let you know whether you got in in the spring, you commit to attend by May.
As aunt bea above said, American colleges and universities are very expensive for international students, and there is little financial aid. Your education could cost more than $70,000 per year. Below is a link with a bit more detailed information.
Good luck!
aunt bea already answered your direct questions, I wanted to expand on a few things.
Regarding financial aid and scholarship opportunities for international students: they do exist, if you are flexible about the university you wish to attend. Some of the top private universities and a few dozen liberal arts colleges offer need-based financial aid to foreign applicants. Less selective universities may offer you a merit scholarship based on your SAT or ACT score. It is possible to get full-tuition scholarships with an SAT score above 1,300 (verbal + math) or an ACT score above 30. The more you can pay, the more options you will have.
Be aware of application timelines. The application season for entrance in Fall 2018 will start this upcoming September, with the earliest deadlines in October. Most students would apply during their last year of high school, before they have their final grades. Being aware of the timelines is important because you will have to arrange taking the requisite standardized tests well ahead of the application deadlines. (Most international applicants would take the TOEFL and either the ACT or the SAT Reasoning Test. If you want to apply to very selective universities, you may also want to take the SAT Subject Tests.)
Most of the differences between US citizens and non-citizens would fall into one of three categories:
Financial disadvantages: you would have to pay higher tuition fees at public universities and you would not be eligible for most public financial aid programs. Many private scholarships are restricted to US citizens or legal permanent residents as well.
Employment disadvantages: as an international student on a student visa, you are severely limited in your ability to work in the US. Your visa allows you to participate in a limited number of off-campus internships that are directly related to your major, but many employers don't care to hire international students at all. You are not allowed to take a part-time job off campus for some extra spending money. You also need a social security number to start working at all, and you need a written job offer before you can apply for a social security number, which can turn into a catch-22 for some international students. Don't expect to get a full-time job in the US after college because there's a literal lottery for work visas and your odds of getting drawn are minuscule.
Other visa-related disadvantages: a student visa comes with a few restrictions that American students don't have to comply with. For example, you would need to maintain a full-time course load to maintain your student visa, whereas your American classmates could drop down to a part-time course load when they feel overwhelmed. In order to get your student visa, you have to prove ahead of time that you have the necessary financial resources to pay for your college education. American students can figure out the finances as they go.
Are you considering any Canadian universities? They are less expensive that US schools. Also international students are allowed to work part time during the school year and full time summers in Canada.