Living in the US
If you want to study further away, broaden your cultural horizon, and experience an entirely new challenge, the USA is the perfect destination for you.
Prerequired Tests
Language certificate
To study in the USA, you need to have a good level of English, both spoken and in reading and writing. To prove this, some universities may ask you to take a language test. In most cases, the IELTS and TOEFL tests are accepted by American universities. However, universities may also require other tests, such as the Cambridge English Test.It is best to check with the university in advance whether they require such a test and, if so, which one is needed.
SAT/ACT Standardized tests
These tests are required by many, but not all, universities and play an important role in the amount of scholarship funding you may be able to receive. More information on scholarships can be found on the next page.
You need to plan well in advance when you will take the test. Online, you can also find free practice tests and books that help you prepare. Since it is not only important to pass the test, but also to achieve a good score, it is recommended that you prepare well and for long enough.
The SAT assesses your mathematical skills for 50% and your English language skills for 50%. The ACT focuses on English, history, languages, science and mathematics. It is best to take the test more than once so that you know exactly what to expect. In Luxembourg, you can take the test at the International School of Luxembourg (ISL).
More information about language tests can be found here:
U.S. Visa
To study in the USA, you need a U.S. visa, known as a “student visa”. To obtain one, you first have to complete the so-called “DS-160” form online. Once you have entered all the required information, you must remember to print out the confirmation page.
After you have paid for your visa, you need to make an appointment at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in order to obtain your visa. This can take some time, so we recommend applying for your visa as early as possible.
To complete your application, you will need the following documents:
• a valid passport;
• a signed “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status” (I-20 form);
• the confirmation page of the DS-160 form;
• the confirmation of your appointment at the Embassy or Consulate.
In addition, the SEVIS fee (I-901) must be paid before your appointment at the Embassy or Consulate. For a student visa, the SEVIS fee is currently 350 USD.
You can find more information here:
Caution:
Since Donald Trump’s second term began, the stability of visa status has not been as secure as before. There have been cases where international students had their visas revoked at short notice and had to interrupt their studies. Overall, since the new administration, the entire higher education system in the USA has been under heavy pressure, and circumstances can change from one day to the next.
Health Insurance
The law requires students studying in the USA to have health insurance. The costs of healthcare services can be very different from those in Luxembourg. We therefore recommend taking out additional health insurance. It is best to contact your supplementary insurance provider in Luxembourg for further information.
Most universities offer health insurance for their international students. This is usually paid automatically, unless you can prove that you already have additional health insurance. It is best to ask the university directly what it offers to students.
Finances
Scholarship
It is well known that the United States is not the cheapest country in which to study. A scholarship can therefore be very useful. A scholarship is a form of financial support that aims to help students pursue their studies.
American universities also offer a range of financial aid options to international students. Whether you receive a scholarship in the USA depends entirely on the conditions of the respective scholarship. There is therefore no general rule. For some scholarships, you may need to have achieved a certain score in the TOEFL test or a certain grade average.
You should therefore find out which scholarships you may be eligible for. This can sometimes prove quite complicated. The best thing to do is to ask the university directly.
Financial requirements
To be able to study in the USA, you must be able to prove that you have enough money to cover your living expenses and your study costs. This amount is usually calculated as follows: you must have enough money to pay the full tuition fees for one year, as well as enough funds to cover one year of living expenses.
With regard to tuition fees, any scholarship you have received from the university is already taken into account and deducted from the total amount. Each university sets a different amount for living expenses, as this depends on the city in which you will be living. New York, for example, is more expensive than many other cities.
These amounts can usually be found on the university’s website.
Student job
In the USA, as an international student, you are allowed to work alongside your studies, but only on campus and only if you hold an F-1 visa and are enrolled as a student. This is regulated as follows:
• 20 hours per week during teaching periods on campus;
• full-time during periods when there are no classes at the university.
For further information, you can contact the advisor for international students at your university.
Dollar
In the USA, payments are made in dollars. You can easily obtain this currency from any bank in Luxembourg. You just need to remember to order the money two to three days in advance to make sure you receive it on time.
Please note that in the USA, you can usually pay in shops only with a credit card or the debit version of these cards, such as Visa, Mastercard, etc., and not with your regular debit card, such as V PAY, Maestro, etc.
We recommend opening an American bank account. You can do this at any bank in the United States.
For this, you will need a valid passport and an address in the United States where you will be living. If any further documents are required, the respective bank will inform you.
You can find more information on the current exchange rate at:
International Driver’s License
If you study in the USA and want to drive a car there, you will need an International Driving Permit (your Luxembourgish driving licence alone is not sufficient).
You can obtain this permit from the ACL. For this, you will need the following documents: a valid driving licence issued by an EU member state, a recent certificate of residence from your commune (not older than three months), and a recent passport photo. The permit costs €16 for ACL members (€30 for non-members) and is valid for a maximum of three years.
In addition to the International Driving Permit, you must always carry your Luxembourgish driving licence with you.
You can find more information directly from the ACL:
