INDIA to USA (for MS or PhD)

INDIA to USA (for MS or PhD)

The whole application process for a MS or PhD in a USA University is a 15 month process. 

This is done once in our lifetime, and this makes everyone of us new to this process. And as I said earlier, its a 15 month process - with lots of tension & pressure.

When I started my application process, I had very little knowledge about this. I had to search the internet for hours to find information which was available in bits and pieces across various websites. All this content was NOT available in one single place with all the information. 

Now I have a little time to spare before I fly to the USA to further my education, and I figured I will document the entire application process so that it can help the prospective students trying for their MS or PhD in USA.

Since I am from Electronics & Communication Engineering, I will be making specific references to this course of study. The application process will remain more or less the same for MS or PhD in other Engineering disciplines.

I have divided the entire exercise into 12 phases. Various phases are described in detail below:

1. Phase-01 : Information Gathering
2. Phase-02 : GRE / TOEFL / IELTS Exams
3. Phase-03 : University Shortlist
4. Phase-04 : Documents Preparation
5. Phase-05 : Pre Application Process
6. Phase-06 : Application Process 
7. Phase-07 : Post Application Process (Follow-Up)
8. Phase-08 : University Selection
9. Phase-09 : Air Ticket Booking
10. Phase-10 : Visa Process
11. Phase-11 : Pre Departure Formalities
12. Phase-12 : Things To Do 1-Week Before Departure