United States

At a glance

Who it suitsStudents who want to explore subjects before choosing a major and can plan for high costs.适合想先探索多个学科再选专业、并且能规划较高费用的学生。

Early decision and early action

Apply in October or November, answers in December or January十月或十一月申请，十二月或一月出结果 [1]

Reply to your offers

By May 1 at most colleges多数大学为 5 月 1 日前 [2]

Private college tuition

US$45,000 a year on average (2025-26)平均每年 45,000 美元（2025-26 学年） [3]

SEVIS fee

US$350 for F-1 studentsF-1 学生 350 美元 [4]

Work during term

On campus, up to 20 hours a week仅限校内，每周最多 20 小时 [5]

Work after graduating

OPT: up to 12 months, plus 24 more for STEM degreesOPT：最长 12 个月，STEM 学位可再延长 24 个月 [6]

Which qualification leads where

• AP and a US high-school diplomaGood route

  The standard route: colleges read your transcript, AP scores and activities together.常规路径：大学综合看成绩单、AP 成绩和课外活动。

• A-LevelGood route

  Accepted: colleges read your predicted grades with your school record and activities.接受：大学结合预估成绩、在校记录和课外活动一起评估。

• IB DiplomaGood route

  Accepted: predicted points are read with your school record and activities.接受：预估分数与在校记录、课外活动一起评估。

• GaokaoPossible

  Some universities consider Gaokao results; check each university's admission page.部分大学参考高考成绩，请逐一查看各校招生页面。

• Chinese high-school diplomaPossible

  There is no national entrance exam: colleges read your transcript with English test scores.美国没有统一入学考试：大学看你的高中成绩单和英语考试成绩。

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Choose and apply

• Build a balanced list of colleges and read each one's admission requirements.列出一份均衡的大学清单，逐一查看招生要求。 [7]
• Check whether your colleges want the SAT; the test takes 2 hours 14 minutes.确认目标大学是否要求 SAT；考试时长 2 小时 14 分钟。 [8]
• Take an English test your colleges accept and note the score each one asks for.参加目标大学认可的英语考试，记下各校要求的分数。
• Start your personal essay and each college's own essays early: they take many drafts.尽早动笔写个人文书和各校的补充文书：要改很多稿。
• Ask your teachers and school counsellor for recommendations well before the deadline.在截止日期前尽早请老师和升学指导老师写推荐信。
• Decide on early decision, which is binding, or early action, which is not.决定是否申请提前决定（有约束力）或提前行动（无约束力）。 [1]

Money

• Work out what your family can pay each year: aid is based on the gap between the cost and that amount.算清家里每年能负担多少：资助按大学费用与家庭负担能力之间的差额计算。 [9]
• Plan for limited aid: most scholarships cover only part of the cost.资助有限要有准备：多数奖学金只覆盖部分费用。 [9]
• Prepare the financial documents your college asks for.准备好大学要求的资金证明材料。

Visa

• After you accept an offer, get your Form I-20 from the college.接受录取后，向大学领取 I-20 表。 [10]
• Pay the SEVIS fee of US$350 using the details on your I-20.用 I-20 上的信息缴纳 350 美元的 SEVIS 费。 [4]
• Apply for the student visa at a US embassy or consulate and bring your original I-20 to the interview.到美国使领馆申请学生签证，面签时带上 I-20 原件。 [10]
• Apply early: a student visa can be issued up to 365 days before your program starts.尽早申请：学生签证最早可在开课前 365 天签发。 [11]

Before you fly

• Apply for campus housing as soon as you commit to a college.确认入读后马上申请校内宿舍。
• Book a flight that arrives no more than 30 days before the start date on your I-20.订机票时注意：入境时间不能早于 I-20 上开课日期前 30 天。 [11]
• Keep your passport, visa and signed I-20 in your hand luggage.护照、签证和签好字的 I-20 放在随身行李里。 [10]

1. Aug 2025 24 months before passed

   Take challenging courses and keep up activities you care about: colleges read your whole school record.选有挑战的课程，坚持你真正投入的课外活动：大学会看你整个高中阶段的记录。

2. Feb 2026 18 months before passed

   Research colleges and start a shortlist.了解大学，开始列清单。

3. Jun 2026 14 months before passed

   Prepare for the SAT, if your colleges want it, and your English test.准备 SAT（如果目标大学要求）和英语考试。

4. Aug 2026 12 months before passed

   Draft your personal essay over the summer and ask teachers for recommendations.暑假写个人文书初稿，并请老师写推荐信。

5. Oct 2026 10 months before

   Early decision and early action applications are usually due in October or November.提前决定和提前行动的申请通常在十月或十一月截止。 [1]

6. Jan 2027 7 months before

   Regular applications are due; each college sets its own deadline.常规申请截止；各校截止日期不同。

7. Mar 2027 5 months before

   Regular decisions arrive in spring: compare offers and aid.春季公布常规录取结果：比较各校录取和资助。

8. May 2027 3 months before

   Reply by May 1 at most colleges, then get your I-20.多数大学需在 5 月 1 日前回复，之后领取 I-20。 [2]

9. Jun 2027 2 months before

   Pay the SEVIS fee and apply for the student visa.缴纳 SEVIS 费并申请学生签证。

10. Aug 2027 At the start

    Arrive no more than 30 days before the start date and join orientation.在开课日期前 30 天内抵达，参加新生入学培训。 [11]

Money

Private nonprofit colleges

US$45,000 a year on average in tuition and fees (2025-26)学杂费平均每年 45,000 美元（2025-26 学年） [3]

Public universities, out-of-state rate

US$31,880 a year on average (2025-26)平均每年 31,880 美元（2025-26 学年） [3]

Living costs

Extra to tuition; each college publishes its own estimate不含在学费中；各校公布各自的估算

Financial aid

Limited: most scholarships cover only part of the cost有限：多数奖学金只覆盖部分费用 [9]

SEVIS fee

US$350350 美元 [4]

Visa

• Once a college certified by SEVP admits you, it sends you a Form I-20.被 SEVP 认证的大学录取后，学校会发给你 I-20 表。 [10]
• You need the I-20 details to pay the SEVIS fee, and you pay it before applying for the visa.缴纳 SEVIS 费需要 I-20 上的信息，并且要在申请签证前缴纳。 [12]
• Apply for the visa at a US embassy or consulate and bring your original I-20 to the interview.到美国使领馆申请签证，面签时带上 I-20 原件。 [10]
• A student visa can be issued up to 365 days before the program starts, but you may enter only in the last 30 days.学生签证最早可在开课前 365 天签发，但只能在开课前 30 天内入境。 [11]

Work during and after studies

• On campus: no more than 20 hours a week while school is in session.校内打工：学期中每周不超过 20 小时。 [5]
• OPT gives up to 12 months of work linked to your studies, before or after graduating; time used before graduating is taken from the time after.OPT 提供最长 12 个月与专业相关的工作许可，毕业前后都可使用；毕业前用掉的时间会从毕业后的额度中扣除。 [6]
• STEM graduates can extend OPT by 24 months when they and their employer meet the rules.STEM 毕业生在本人和雇主都符合规定时，可将 OPT 延长 24 个月。 [6]

When you arrive

• Arrive no more than 30 days before your program start date.入境时间不能早于开课日期前 30 天。 [11]
• Carry your signed I-20 when you enter the country.入境时随身携带签好字的 I-20。 [10]
• Check in with your college's international student office when you arrive.抵达后到学校的国际学生办公室报到。

Common mistakes

• Early decision is binding: if you are admitted with enough aid, you must go to that college.提前决定有约束力：如果被录取且资助足够，就必须入读该校。 [1]
• Most scholarships cover only part of the cost and may not be open to first-year international students.多数奖学金只覆盖部分费用，而且可能不向一年级国际学生开放。 [9]
• Arriving more than 30 days before the start date on your I-20 is not allowed.入境时间早于 I-20 开课日期前 30 天是不允许的。 [11]
• TOEFL iBT scores use a 1 to 6 scale since January 2026, with a comparable 0 to 120 score until January 2028: compare the right number with each college's minimum.托福 iBT 自 2026 年 1 月起采用 1 至 6 分制，并在 2028 年 1 月前附带 0 至 120 的对照分：对照各校最低要求时要看对应的分数。 [13]

Sources

1. BigFuture: facts about early decision and early action checked 2026-09-14
2. BigFuture: the last day to accept college offers checked 2026-09-14
3. College Board: Trends in College Pricing highlights checked 2026-09-14
4. ICE: I-901 SEVIS fee checked 2026-09-14
5. Study in the States: working in the United States checked 2026-09-14
6. USCIS: Optional Practical Training for F-1 students checked 2026-09-14
7. EducationUSA: your five steps to U.S. study checked 2026-09-14
8. College Board: how the SAT is structured checked 2026-09-14
9. EducationUSA: financing undergraduate study checked 2026-09-14
10. Study in the States: students and the Form I-20 checked 2026-09-14
11. Study in the States: student visa timing checked 2026-09-14
12. Study in the States: the international student life cycle checked 2026-09-14
13. ETS: TOEFL iBT score scale update checked 2026-09-13

Rules and fees change. Everything here was checked against the official pages on the date shown. Confirm on those pages before you apply or pay.