- Research options with EducationUSA and shortlist SEVP-certified, accredited institutions.
- Plan your finances, including scholarships, assistantships and family funding.
- Complete each school's application, including transcripts, English test scores and any required tests or essays.
- Accept an admission offer and receive Form I-20 from your school once you prove you can pay tuition and living costs.
- Pay the SEVIS I-901 fee.
- Complete the DS-160 online visa form and book an F-1 visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in Pakistan.
- Attend the interview with your passport, I-20 and financial documents.
- Travel to the U.S. (no more than 30 days before your program start date) and report to your designated school official.
Study in United States from Pakistan
Checked October 9, 2026 against official sources
The United States hosts more international students than any other country and offers an enormous choice of colleges and universities, from community colleges to world-leading research institutions. Pakistani students are drawn by flexible degree structures, strong research funding, and scholarships and assistantships, especially at graduate level. Graduates can gain practical work experience through Optional Practical Training, with an extended period for STEM fields.
Student visa feesabout PKR 148,199
Work while studyingF-1 students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week while school is in session; off-campus work requires specific authorisation (such as CPT or OPT).
Work after graduationOptional Practical Training (OPT): 12 months at each education level, plus a 24-month STEM OPT extension for eligible STEM degrees.
Why Pakistani students choose United States
- Thousands of accredited, SEVP-certified colleges and universities to choose from
- On-campus jobs allowed up to 20 hours a week while school is in session
- 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT) at each degree level
- STEM graduates can apply for a 24-month STEM OPT extension
- Free advice from EducationUSA advising centres, including in Pakistan
What it costs
Living costs: Chicago · New York (daily food, transport and rent estimates).
Work out the money to show in PKR → · Tuition is listed on each university page below.
Universities in United States
All 13 →Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts
USD 66,720 per year tuition (2026-27); total estimated cost of attendance USD...
Stanford University
Stanford, California
USD 67,731 per year tuition (2026-27); total estimated cost of attendance USD...
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
USD 62,226 per year tuition (Harvard College, 2026-27); total estimated cost ...
Columbia University
New York City
USD 72,800 per year tuition (Columbia College and SEAS, 2026-27); total estim...
Arizona State University
Tempe
USD 30,348 per year base tuition for international graduate students (2026-27...
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
USD 69,702 per year tuition (2026-27); total estimated cost of attendance USD...
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta
USD 35,610 per year tuition plus USD 1,716 mandatory student fees for first-y...
New York University
New York City
USD 68,576 per year for most schools, up to USD 75,326 for Tisch School of th...
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts
USD 71,050 per year tuition (2026-27, first-year students on Boston, New York...
Purdue University (West Lafayette)
West Lafayette
USD 29,194 per year tuition and mandatory fees for international graduate stu...
Texas A&M University
College Station
USD 20,018-20,914 per semester tuition and required fees for international un...
The University of Texas at Dallas
Richardson (Dallas area)
USD 40,164 per year tuition and fees for non-Texas-resident undergraduates (2...
Scholarships in United States
All 8 →
23 days left
Harvard College Need-Based Financial Aid for International Students
Harvard College is need-blind for every applicant, including international students, and meets 10...
52 days leftMIT Need-Based Financial Aid for International Undergraduates
MIT is one of the very few US universities that is need-blind and meets full need for all undergr...
53 days leftYale College Need-Based Financial Aid for International Students
Yale admits all applicants, including international students, without regard to their ability to ...
Check official siteFulbright Degree Program (Master's and PhD)
Fulbright is the U.S. government's flagship exchange scholarship. Through USEFP it funds master's...
Check official siteGlobal Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD Pakistan)
Global UGRAD sends Pakistani undergraduates to a U.S. university for one semester of non-degree s...
Check official sitePhD Scholarships under US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor
This scheme sends outstanding Pakistani scholars for PhDs at top QS-ranked US universities, mainl...
Check official siteAAUW International Fellowships
AAUW International Fellowships support women who are not US citizens or permanent residents doing...
Closed for this cycleKnight-Hennessy Scholars
Knight-Hennessy funds up to three years of graduate study at Stanford alongside a leadership prog...
Student visa and English
- United States student visa: requirements, documents and fees (Depends on interview appointment wait times. If administr...)
- Programmes are taught in English and each university sets its own English proficiency requirement for international applicants.
Steps to study in United States
Frequently asked questions
How much money do I need for a U.S. student visa?
There is no single fixed amount. Before your school issues Form I-20, you must prove you can pay tuition and living expenses, and the I-20 shows the estimated cost for your school. You present the same financial evidence at your visa interview.
Can I work while studying in the USA?
F-1 students can work on campus for up to 20 hours a week while school is in session. Off-campus work is limited and needs authorisation, such as Curricular Practical Training or Optional Practical Training. Always talk to your designated school official before starting any job.
Can I work after graduating in the U.S.?
Yes, through Optional Practical Training (OPT). You can apply for 12 months of OPT at each education level, and graduates in eligible STEM fields may apply for a further 24-month STEM OPT extension. You need an Employment Authorization Document from USCIS first.
Can my family join me?
Spouses and unmarried children under 21 may apply for F-2 dependant visas with their own I-20 from your school. Rules on dependants' work and study are strict, so check the U.S. Department of State and Study in the States websites before applying.
Amounts in PKR use today's exchange rate. Rules change; always confirm on the official pages linked here before you apply.
Plan your application
Embassy & visa centres in Pakistan
- Consulate General of the United States Karachi
- Consulate General of the United States Lahore
- Consulate General of the United States Peshawar
- Embassy of the United States Islamabad
