It doesn't matter if you're Irish, Russian, Egyptian, Chinese, Jamaican, or any other nationality — when it comes down to moving to another country to attend university, you're probably going to have a lot of questions. Moving to any country other than your own can bring on culture shock, and coming to the United States is no exception.
U.S. colleges and universities welcome you
The important thing to remember is that the United States wants you! The U.S. values students from around the world and even if its education system, culture, and infrastructure are vastly different from what you're used to in your own country, one thing is for sure — you can get a great education here by immersing yourself in America's diverse culture in a college setting.
Education USA can help with your college search
To help you pursue your goal of higher education in the U.S., an organization called Education USA has set up camp all around the world in the form of educational advising and information centers.
Education USA's educational advising centers offer free college information and support on a variety of different issues that you may face. Staffed by professionally trained advisers, the centers are standing by to assist you with finding colleges and universities in the U.S. and with understanding the different types of schools available so you can choose the school that's best suited for you. In addition to helping with the college search, the staff advisers can also help you with test preparation, writing your essays or resumes, and obtaining financial assistance. Education USA serves as a college guide to help you navigate the process.
Supported by the U.S. Department of State, the centers are kept in the loop on current U.S. immigration law and security procedures, so they can guide you on obtaining your student visa and preparing for your departure to the United States as well.
College information at education fairs
Education USA also sponsors several international education fairs each year. These fairs offer you the chance to meet representatives from various U.S. schools and are a great way to get some of your questions answered, gather college info, and perhaps see video presentations of some of the schools.
Since campus visits to colleges and universities in the U.S. may not be feasible as part of your decision-making, these fairs can be a window into some of your choice schools — and may be able to help you finalize your plans.
A full listing of Education USA's centers and a calendar of scheduled international education fairs is available at http://educationusa.state.gov/centers.htm.