How to Apply for MS in USA?

With over 100,000 international students, the USA is the most prominent education hub in the world. While it is an attractive study destination across all fields and levels of study, international students are drawn mostly toward MS programs. So, why is it that students pursuing MS prefer the US over most countries? Well, one of the main reasons is that top universities in the USA have built a strong learning foundation where the emphasis is given to research and practical experience. So that is why studying MS in USA is a dream for many Indian students.
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This Story also Contains

1. How to Apply for MS in USA?
2. 4. Exams Required
3. Which Exam is Required to Apply for MS in USA from India?
4. 5. Arrange the Application Documents
5. 6. Document Checklist for MS in USA
6. 7. Apply for MS Course in US
7. 8. Offer Letters
8. 9. Apply for Visa
9. How To Get a Scholarship for Masters in USA?

Among the major courses, studying MS in computer science in USA is quite popular. One of the biggest questions being faced by aspirants is how to apply for MS in USA from India, like how to start, what are the requirements, etc. With a large application package and several steps required, admissions for MS in the US may appear to be intimidating in the beginning but the process becomes easy if it is followed with proper planning and understanding of the required elements.

Here in this article, we have explained the entire process of applying for MS program in USA, right from the research to the final submission of the application form. Read ahead to know the exact steps on how to apply for a master's in US and grab the essential information.

How to Apply for MS in USA?

International students must learn how to apply for masters degree in USA. Knowing this admission and application process helps to overcome the disadvantage of missing the desired course or university. It enables you to apply to the right course, at the right time, for the right university. Here are the steps explaining how to apply for MS in USA.

1. Choose universities

To know how to do a masters in USA, candidates must start by making a list of universities that offer the choice of program for MS in USA. This should be done around the months of May or June of the previous year.

Ideally, one should start the admission process at least 15 months before admission when deciding on how to study MS in the USA. While the US admission cycle has three intakes: Fall, Spring and Summer. A majority of the programs start in Fall i.e., around September.

2. Check deadlines

Once the candidate has made a list of the colleges of his choice, the next step should be to check the deadlines of the specific MS courses the candidate is applying for. Usually, universities in the US do not have a common deadline for all courses. Therefore, it is necessary to check the individual departments of the universities to know the opening and closing dates for applications to MS in USA.

Usually, applications for Fall start around September and close between December and January, though some universities accept applications till February. This is an important part of how to apply for universities in USA for Ms as early as possible without waiting for deadlines to cross.

3. Eligibility for USA MS

The next step in how to apply for master's in USA is the eligibility process. It is important to check the eligibility requirements for the master's for international students in USA, especially in the Indian student category. While different courses have different sets of requirements, here are some of the general eligibility criteria required for the program.

16 years of education: The first thing to keep in mind before opting for an MS is that a majority of the universities in the USA require the student to have a minimum of 16 years of education. Therefore, the completion of at least 4 years of education (graduation or diploma) after 10+2 is the basic criterion. However, some schools in USA also accept 3-year undergraduate degrees.

Besides, students have the option of getting their academic transcripts evaluated by either the university or private organizations like WES which can then term the degree to be equivalent to a US four-year degree. But for that one needs to fulfill certain criteria.

WES demands that the candidate should have, at least, a first-class degree and the college from where the candidate has passed out should have a good accreditation. Students who have completed their Master’s degree are also qualified to apply for MS in US.

Standardized test: Admission for MS in US universities requires the aspirant to take certain standardized entry-level tests. Some of them are GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, MCAT and LSAT, among others.

4. Exams Required

As mentioned, entry to MS courses in US universities requires the aspirant to appear for standardized tests as set by the university. One should, ideally, register for an exam for MS in USA between July and August so that test scores are ready by the time one applies to universities. This leaves room for retests if one is not satisfied with his/her test score. Many universities in US require the average or minimum score for entry into MS courses. So, one can decide to sit for the retest depending on the required score as this is crucial for how to do a masters in USA.

Which Exam is Required to Apply for MS in USA from India?

Here are some of the common standardized tests required for entry into MS in US.

• GRE: GRE is the MS entrance exam. GRE is a mandatory exam for MS in USA for almost all MS-level programs in USA, including management studies. While all universities require GRE general test scores, there are some others that also ask the student to take GRE subject tests.

• TOEFL: TOEFL is an English proficiency test for students from non-native English-speaking countries. TOEFL is the most accepted ELP exam for MS in USA.

• IELTS: IELTS is also an English proficiency test for students from non-native English-speaking countries. The IELTS exam for MS in USA is an alternative to TOEFL.

• MCAT: MCAT is an entrance exam accepted by medical universities in USA. Students interested in pursuing medical studies in the US have to appear for MCAT.

• LSAT: LSAT abroad is the entrance test for law aspirants.

5. Arrange the Application Documents

This is one of the most important parts of applying for MS in USA for Indian students. Universities in the USA give importance to the application of the student. Besides academic transcripts, US universities demand that the student introduce himself through intent statements and references. An ideal MS application package should have the following:

SOP: The Statement of Purpose is one of the most vital elements of the application package when one applies for MS in US. It details the applicant's commitment to joining the program and his goals in life. One important thing to remember while writing an SOP is that it should be brief, and reflect clarity regarding why the candidate wants to enrol in the program. One should strictly adhere to the word limit set by the concerned university or department.

LOR: Unlike the SOP, the Letter of Recommendation is an independent assessment of the candidate's potential. Most universities require at least two to three recommendation letters. The professors or employers must write these LORs.

Essays: Different universities have different requirements for essays. Some universities might offer a random topic to write on. Others might ask for a relevant topic of the candidate's interest. Besides, the number of essays to be submitted also differs. Generally, universities ask for 2 to 3 essays.

Resume: Some universities require the candidate to submit a CV along with the application form. It should contain basic information like date of birth, academic qualifications and achievements.

Academic transcripts: Academic transcripts include all the qualifications that the candidate will list in the application form. It is advisable for the candidate to start arranging the transcripts immediately after completing the degree program.

Test Scores: Universities with a requirement of standardized scores require results of the tests along with the application.

6. Document Checklist for MS in USA

Here is the list of general documents, required for submitting an application to the USA universities for a master's.

• Recommendation letters ( minimum 2-3 lectures)

• GRE/TOEFL/GMAT/IELTS score proofs besides reporting the test scores officially.

• Academic Transcripts for the qualifications listed in the application form.

• SOP

• Work experience certificates, if applicable

• Photocopies of passport

• Certificates for extra-curricular activities are mentioned in the application form.

• WES Evaluation documents, if required by the university.

7. Apply for MS Course in US

Following the above process the candidate can begin the applications to the best universities in USA for MS. The first thing to keep in mind while applying to any university for a master's course in USA is the deadline. As mentioned earlier, most of the application dates close by January. Therefore, it is advisable to apply early and not wait for the last date to avoid any last-minute glitches.

Here are a few application deadlines for the master's courses in top universities in the USA, given in the table below. However, depending on the master's courses chosen, the application deadlines can vary slightly.

Application Deadlines of Top USA Universities for the Fall 2025

While one can send the application and all the documents by post, most universities allow the candidate to apply online. Some universities also seek applications via email.

8. Offer Letters

The universities usually take a few weeks to respond to applications. Most applicants receive their acceptance or rejection letter between February and April. If selected then proceed to the next step in the process to apply for MS in USA. If not selected, apply again or apply to other universities and make sure you check with qualifying exam scores and provide the necessary documentation meeting the admission requirements.

9. Apply for Visa

Start filling out the application for a USA student visa as soon as you receive the offer letter from the US university. Based on the courses in the USA, choose the F or M-type visas. Students who prefer higher education in the USA require an F1 student visa.

The general processing time for the USA student visa can take 3 weeks to 3 months of time. So, students are encouraged to apply for at least 3 months before the course starting date in the USA.

Hope this detailed explanation of how to apply for MS in USA will help students planning to study in that country.

How To Get a Scholarship for Masters in USA?

The very next question which arises after admission application is the scholarship availability. Many Indian students apply for master's scholarships in USA to support their education expenses in the country.

As the USA is the most popular country many organisations and universities come forward to support students to undergo their education. If we compare among the scholarships, more scholarships, grants, and bursaries are scholarships offered by private and government organisations than the colleges.

So students can prioritise the government and non-government-funded scholarships for studying MS in USA. Here are a few things to be considered while applying for the scholarships for masters in USA.

• There is no particular application timeline for scholarships, the dates will be available around the year based on the funding authority.

• Students can apply for scholarships before receiving the university admission letter or after receiving it. However, most of scholarship authorities accept applications only after securing admission into a US university.

• The scholarships available for MS are either merit-based or need-based.