Find the Master's degree you want in the USA | IDP Vietnam

With a modern advanced training environment, diverse disciplines and open job opportunities, studying abroad for a Master's degree in the US is always the ideal choice of the international student community. So what are the conditions to study abroad for a Master's degree in the USA? What is the tuition fee of this level? Let's find out with IDP through the article below!

1. 5 Reasons Why You Should Study Abroad for a Master's Degree in the USA

The US has always been one of the attractive study abroad destinations for international students worldwide. There are many reasons why this country is a top choice today. Here are the most common reasons:

1.1. World-leading training quality

According to US News' Ranking of the Best Global Universities 2024-2025, the US has up to 5 universities in the top 10 best universities in the world including: Harvard University (#1), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (#2), Stanford University (#3), University of Oxford (#4) and University of California Berkeley (#5). In addition, the United States has a diverse higher education system with many world-renowned universities, from Ivy League schools to high-quality public universities.

The United States is a pioneer in many fields of research, especially natural sciences, technology, and medicine. Master's students in the U.S. not only have the opportunity to participate in research projects, work with leading professors, but also develop their research skills. Owning an American Master's degree also helps increase students to easily find jobs with attractive salaries.

1.2. Diversity of disciplines

With hundreds of diverse majors, you can freely choose the major that suits your abilities and career orientation when studying abroad for a master's degree in the US. From popular majors such as Business Administration (MBA) to majors such as Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, and Space Science, you will always find countless opportunities to develop your career. You can refer to some majors in the US in different fields below:

• Tourism & Restaurant Services, Hospitality

• Computer Science and Information Technology

• Social and Communication Sciences, Applied and Basic Sciences, Business & Management...

1.3. Expanded job opportunities

U.S. Master's graduates are always recommended for potential job positions with excellent remuneration and competitive salaries worldwide ($55,000 – $170,000). Thanks to the top-quality training, an American Master's degree will give you wide opportunities and the ability to work in many different fields such as working in foreign companies and multinational corporations,...

1.4. Attractive Scholarship Opportunities

Although studying for a Master's degree in the USA requires a lot of money, you have the opportunity to receive scholarships not only from the university you are studying at but also from other government and non-governmental organizations. Some of the famous Master's scholarship programs in the US can be mentioned as:

• Fulbright Scholarship Program: The Fulbright Scholarship is one of the prestigious international educational exchange programs funded by the U.S. government, which covers and incidental expenses, all monthly living expenses, health insurance, and airfare. The Fulbright Scholarship Program sponsors students in all majors in the social sciences and humanities such as Communication, Journalism, International Relations, Public Policy, etc.

• Humphrey Scholarship Program: is a full scholarship that provides 1 year of professional enhancement to fellows, selected based on their leadership and commitment to public service in the public or private sector.

• World Bank Scholarships: offer full scholarships to students from World Bank member countries. Students are selected to study at 5 universities in the US, including: Harvard University, University of Chicago, Cornell University, John Hopkins University and Columbia University

• The Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Program: offers a limited number of scholarships per year for Master's studies in biology in the United States, for outstanding students from several developing countries. The scholarship is awarded on the basis of 50% sponsorship, 50% loan through a competitive application process once a year.

2. Master's programs in the US

With a rich and diverse education system, you can choose between many different Master's programs in the United States. Here is information about some Master's training programs that you can refer to:

2.1. Pre-Master's Program

Some basic information about the Pre-Master's program in the US is as follows:

• Suitable for those who do not have an English language certificate but are able to meet the admission requirements.

• Entry Requirements: Undergraduate Degree and IELTS Certificate >=6.0

• Duration: 1 term/ 1 year

• Learning content: language, culture and some specialized subjects.

2.2. Academic Master's Program

Some basic information about the Master of Academic program is as follows:

• Entry requirements: Undergraduate degree and IELTS 6.0 or higher or Pre-Master's degree.

• Duration: 2 months or longer depending on the field of study and school

• Curriculum: Master of Social Sciences (Communication, Language, Education, Geography, Culture, History and Music); Master of Natural Sciences (biology, engineering, health, statistics and chemistry).

• Learning content: During the learning process, you are required to attend classes fully and perform group assignments, write theses, essays, etc. After completing the Academic Master's program, you can go to work right away.

2.3. Research Master's Program

Some basic information about the Master of Arts program is as follows:

• Entry requirements: An appropriate undergraduate degree, a minimum IELTS certificate of 6.5 and a research outline

• Duration: 2 - 3 years

• The Master's degree program includes:

  • Master of Research (MRes): requires a high amount of knowledge, training students to become PhD students

• Master by Research (MPhil): suitable for those who wish to study for a PhD, allowing students to research to complete a personal project

• Master of Studies (MSt): students need to participate fully and complete the same thesis as the MA and MS.

• Students do not need to be present in class during the course of study, but only need to complete a research project assigned and supervised by a professor. Your academic performance is assessed based on a thesis (30,000 – 40,000 words) at the end of the course.

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Research Master's Program

Students need to fully participate and complete their thesis when participating in the Master's of Research training program

2.4. Professional Master's Program

Some basic information about the professional Master's program in the United States is as follows:

1 - Admission conditions:

• IELTS >= 6.5.

• University diploma.

• 2-3 years of work experience, management experience or a satisfactory GMAT score.

2. Learning contents:

Professional Master's training programs focus on orienting and training students to pursue more in-depth future careers. The curriculum is highly practical, in order to help students both gain specialized knowledge and gain more practical experience, in order to increase job opportunities for students after graduation.

3. The professional master's training program includes:

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)

• Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

• Master of Engineering (Meng)

• Master of Public Administration (MPA)

• Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MA, MALS, MLA/ ALM, MLS)

• Master of Education (MEd, MSEd, MIT, MAEd, MAT)

• Master of Architecture (March)

• Master of Music (MM/Mmus)

If you are still struggling to choose a major, contact IDP for a free consultation!

3. 3 conditions to study for a Master's in the USA

Studying for a Master's degree in the US means that you will have to meet all the following educational and financial conditions as well as apply for a visa:

3.1. Educational conditions

To be admitted to the US Master's study abroad programs, students need to fully meet the following academic criteria:

• A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.2/4.0 or 7.0/10.

• Bachelor's degree (3 or 4 years) in the host country.

• International English certificate IELTS 6.0 to 6.5 or TOEFL 550. If you don't already have the above certificates, some schools offer intensive English courses within 3-6 months, ensuring that you meet the qualifications without IELTS or TOEFL.

• Some universities may also require

  GMA

  /

  GRE

  certificates, which are high-level tests that assess an international student's thinking ability, academic ability, and skills.

• Thesis, portfolio or corresponding experience if enrolled in specific disciplines related to engineering.

It can be seen that the educational conditions to study abroad for a Master's degree in the US are very basic and not too strict. Therefore, you don't need to worry about educational conditions when preparing to apply for master's programs here.

3.2. Financial conditions

To be accepted for a Master's degree in the US, you also need to meet financial verification procedures such as ensuring that the bank account balance meets all the requirements for living expenses, travel, tuition fees, etc. during the entire time studying abroad in the US, not by period, year by year.

• The least cost that the family needs to meet to prove finances will be about 1 billion VND

• Passbook: prove that you have enough money to pay for a year in the U.S. and need to open a passbook as soon as possible, at least a month before studying abroad.

• Monthly income: Salary, rent, bank interest, bonds, dividends... of the guarantor to ensure the ability to pay after deducting the family's living expenses in Vietnam, usually about 35,000 USD/year (70 million/month)

Depending on each school, major, and state, the cost of studying abroad also has differences:

• Private universities: 15,000 – 22,000 USD/year

• Public universities: 25,000 – 42,000 USD/year

You should also pay attention to information about scholarships or financial aid packages that universities prioritize for international students, contributing significantly to reducing the cost of studying abroad.

3.3. Conditions for applying for a Master's student visa

Applying for a U.S. student visa is a process that requires thorough preparation and care. The types of documents required to obtain a visa to enter the United States include:

• School offer letter

• Online visa application

• Visa Interview Schedule

• Passport valid for at least 6 months

• I-20

• Visa Fee Receipt

• 5*5 cm card photo

• Transcripts of exams according to the school's regulations

• Degrees, school records, foreign language certificates

• Proof of financial documents

In addition, you also need to submit a number of other documents depending on the school's regulations, so it is very necessary to study the regulations carefully to ensure that you do not have trouble and affect the process of applying for your study abroad.

You can refer to the article below: Requesting a US student visa to understand important information for your visa application process.

4. How much does it cost to study abroad for a Master's degree in the USA?

Normally, the cost of studying for a master's degree in the United States is about 30,000 to 95,000 USD/year, including various expenses. However, this fee also depends on many other factors such as major, school, scholarship level, living location, etc.

4.1. Tuition Fees for Master's Studies in the USA

The average tuition fee for two years of Master's degree is usually $40,000 and will vary depending on the program of study. You can refer to the Tuition Fee Statistics of some Master's schools in the US below:

Tuition fee statistics for studying abroad in the United States by major:

The cost as listed above is not cheap, however, studying for a Master's degree in the US is an important step to improve your education, serving a lot for your future job, so consider carefully before making the right choice for yourself.

4.2. Cost of living while studying in the US

What is the cost of living when studying for a master's degree in the US? Besides tuition fees, this is also an important expense that you need to pay attention to and plan from the beginning.

You can refer to more about the types of costs of studying in the US in the IDP article compiled below: How much money does it cost to study in the US? Updated 6 types of expenses

5. Apply for a Master's Scholarship in the USA

Expensive tuition fees are no longer a concern because for master's programs in the US, there are many master's scholarships offered annually by the government and universities.

You can refer to the information below to find out about the scholarship programs for which you are eligible:

5.1. Types of scholarships to study in the US

1 – Scholarships granted by the school

Currently, there are many scholarships provided by schools with different levels of support, giving students many opportunities to reduce tuition fees when studying abroad for a Master's degree in the United States. Specifically, the 3 types of scholarships granted by the school are as follows:

• Merit-Based Scholarship: Considered based on students' academic abilities and achievements. The scholarship amount depends on the budget of the school and the sponsor.

• Need-Based Financial Aid: Considered based on your needs, depending on the candidate's financial ability and level of persuasion.

• Scholarships to study in the United States for postgraduate studies from international organizations: Full or partial scholarships from organizations such as Joint Japan World Bank, Aga Khan Foundation, American Association of University Women, etc. Regular access to their portal will help increase your chances of hunting for the scholarship you are eligible for.

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U.S. Master's Scholarship Winners

2 - Scholarships granted by the Government

Compared to scholarships issued by schools, the hunt for scholarships to study in the United States offered by the Government is usually more demanding and competitive. There are two prestigious scholarship programs that are granted annually that you need to pay attention to:

• Scholarship from Vietnam Education Foundation VEF

• U.S. Government Fulbright Scholarship

With both of the above scholarship programs, you will have the opportunity to receive a full scholarship while studying for both Masters and PhD. Due to the large number of students applying for scholarships, you need to learn and prepare early so as not to miss out on potential scholarships.

5.2. Conditions for applying for a scholarship to study in the United States

To own a scholarship to study in the United States, in addition to the unique conditions of each school, you also need to prepare some necessary documents as follows:

• Minimum GPA of 7.0

• IELTS >= 6.5 or TOEFL iBT >= 79

• Exceed the GRE/GMAT benchmarks of schools

• Essay

• At least 2 years of work experience related to the field of study applied for full scholarship programs.

• Certificate of participation in extracurricular activities

• Letters of recommendation

6. Top 11 schools specializing in Master's programs in the US

As one of the world's leading education systems, the United States owns nearly 5000 educational institutions with 1/3 of them having a Master's program. The most popular master's majors in the U.S. include: Engineering (1/4); Business – Enterprise (17%) and Computer Science.

You can refer to the table below to know the top schools that offer Master's degrees in majors in the US (according to US News Rankings 2024-2025):

7. Job Opportunities After Studying Master's in the USA

By owning a Master's degree from a university in the United States, students will have an open future with competitive salary job opportunities. Moreover, you will also be highly appreciated by employers because studying in the USA for a Master's degree demonstrates your academic competence and practical career skills.

Specifically, the salaries for potential occupations in the US are as follows:

Plan to Study Abroad for a Master's Degree in the USA with IDP!

Studying for a Master's degree in the US is a challenging journey but also opens up countless opportunities. With its world-leading education system, multicultural environment, and dynamic economy, the U.S. is an ideal destination for you to develop yourself and pursue your future career paths.

If you want to learn more about studying for a Master's degree in the USA, don't hesitate to contact IDP for a free consultation service, comprehensive support from applying for admission, tracking your progress, and receiving a confirmation letter from the school.

In addition to chatting with counselors, IDP always organizes IDP study abroad seminars throughout the year, creating opportunities for students and parents to meet directly with school representatives, hunt for scholarships to study in the U.S. and review applications on the spot. In addition, IDP also supports students to register for the IELTS test with many attractive incentives.

Contact IDP to start your journey to study in the USA today!

Free study abroad advice hotline: 19006955