Made up of fifty states and a federal district, the United States of America is the third largest country in the world, with a total land area of 9.83 million sq km. Situated in North America between Canada and Mexico, USA houses more than 300 million people. Considered as a land of opportunities by many from across the globe, United States of America celebrates a rich mix of ethnic groups, races, cultures and customs and is thus well known for its ‘melting pot’ ideology.

Enjoying the magnificence of the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains and Ozark Plateaus, the States experience incredibly varied climate. It is difficult to restrict USA in a specific climate zone as some regions face tropical climate while others experience arctic, it’s arid in one area and semi-arid in others, but if a common word was to describe the same, it would be temperate.

The world’s largest economic power, USA’s GDP per capita stood at a brilliant $13.84 trillion in 2007, with the service sector contributing for more than 75%. With consistent growth and new technological advances, this market-oriented economy has expanded its boundaries way past petroleum, steel, automobiles, telecommunications, aerospace, consumer goods, etc. Also a vast expanse of railways, roadways and more than 14,000 airports contributes to the growth and prosperity of the USA.

Quick Facts:
Capital: Washington D.C
Population:  303,824,646 (July 2008 est.)
Nationality:  American(s)
Climate:  Generally temperate with regional contrasts
Languages:  English, Spanish, others
Govt. Type:  Constitution-based federal republic
Currency:  US Dollar (USD) (Varies between Rs 42 to Rs 43)
Calling Code:  +1
Time Difference:  Divided in 6 time zones: Eastern Time- 4 hours behind UTC/GMT; Central Time- 5 hours behind UTC/GMT; Mountain Time 6 hours behind UTC/GMT; Pacific Time- 7 hours behind UTC/GMT; Hawaii Time- 10 hours behind UTC/GMT; Alaska Time- 8 hours behind UTC/GMT. (Daylight saving time for most of the US starts from 2 a.m. on the second Sunday of March until the first Sunday of November)

Education System in USA:
After completing 12 years of primary and secondary education, students can study further by applying to universities and colleges for under graduation and post graduation courses. The universities provide state-of-the-art framework within which students are given world-class environment to build their knowledge and skills. Programs in medicine, law, business, criminal justice, engineering and every other conceivable field are being offered by various public and private universities.

Popular courses:
IT, engineering, computer science, business management, liberal arts etc.

Benefits of studying here:

• Variety of courses
• Worldwide recognition
• Opportunities for practical training
• Flexible academic programs
• State-of-the-art technology and facilities at most universities

Approximate tuition fees:
Tuition fees can be anywhere between $5,000 and $25,000

Approximate living expenses:
Expect to spend between $9000 to $12000 per year on accommodation/food and approximately $500 to $1,500 in a year on books and other supplies. A comprehensive medical insurance policy is likely to be around $500 to $1,000 per person.

Work permit options:
Students can work upto 20 hours in a week on the university campus and full-time during terms breaks. Working off campus is not allowed, unless it relates to practical training with your course. Even then, you have to take permission for the relevant authorities. Otherwise students can work off-campus only after one year of study.