Studying in the USA

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find college/university names and addresses?

The educational advisor at OPA has several manuals, which list colleges/universities. If you are not familiar with the geography of the U.S., you should refer to a map to guide you in choosing states and/or institutions.

Use the following outline to guide you:

The Index of Majors- This manual lists nearly 600 fields of study alphabetically. Under each heading you will find an alphabetical list of institutions by state, which offers that field of study. A Associate Degree (2-year degree), B - Bachelor's Degree (4-year degree), M - Master's Degree, D - Doctorate, and W - Post Doctorate or First Professional Degree.

Graduate (post-graduate) study is usually applied to only after the Bachelor's has been obtained. If you do not have a first degree, you should be considering institutions, which offer an Associate or a Bachelor's degree.

The Foreign Student Supplement - This manual offers information of particular interest to a non-US citizen and should be studied carefully. Responses are given from colleges/universities regarding financial aid for foreign students. This information allows you to avoid wasting time with schools with policies which do not grant non-US citizens such assistance. After compiling a list of names, the college/university manuals can be used to:
confirm the degrees offered

• get an idea of the location and environment
• review the admissions procedure
• find out about academic programs offered
• obtain the address.

The manuals which can be used for this include:

Peterson's Guide to Two-Year and Four-Year Colleges
The College Handbook

Every year the Office of Public Affairs organizes and hosts an International College Fair for Jamaican students wishing to study in the U.S.  Over 40 colleges and universities participate in this fair.

For more information on study in the U.S. please contact the OPA's, Educational Advisor at opakgn@state.gov or  (876) 702-6172.

Which are the best schools?The Office of Public Affairs does not have a list of the "best colleges or universities" in the United States. Often the quality of individual departments and/or colleges within a university varies. There are several private lists of the top-ranked school based on criteria such as funds awarded for research, personal opinion, or the considered opinion of professionals in a given field. Often the most famous universities are also the most expensive and the most difficult to enter. You should decide which university is the best for you, i.e., one that offers your field and meets the other criteria important to you, such as location, housing, and facilities for international students.

Which college entrance examinations do I have to take?

Most colleges and universities require prospective undergraduate students to take SAT 1 and /or TOEFL exams. The centers for these examinations in Jamaica are Priory School, and St. Andrew High School for Girls, in Kingston,  Belair High School in Mandeville and Mt. Alvernia High School in Montego Bay. 

Graduate Students are required to take GRE or GMAT and/or TOEFL

SAT I& II          Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SAT) I & II measure your verbal and mathematical aptitude. The SAT II measures your abilities in particular subject areas.

GRE                 The Graduate Record Examination measures verbal, quantitative, and analytical abilities of graduate school applicants.

GMAT               The Graduate Management Admissions Test measures the general verbal and mathematical skills of graduate applicants to schools of management.

TOEFL              Test of English as a Foreign Language. This test is sometimes required even if English is the medium of instruction in your school.

All registration forms for these tests can be obtained from Information Resource Center in the Office of Public Affairs.

How can I obtain a scholarship?

The Office of Public Affairs of the United States Embassy, Kingston offers no undergraduate scholarships. Instead it administers programs in which a limited number of scholarships are granted each year for graduate studies in the United States under the Fulbright and Hubert Humphrey programs.

American universities and private foundations may offer limited financial aid opportunities for exceptional candidates. The financial aid office of the university you wish to attend will be the best source of information on these opportunities.

When you write directly to a university or college for admission application materials, also request information on financial assistance. At some institutions your academic ability is considered together with your financial need. At others your application for admission and your financial need are considered separately.

Colleges and universities in the United States vary considerably in their admissions standards and requirements. To be considered for admission in some universities, a student must have a minimum of 5 CXC passes or higher. 

 A student with A levels/ CAPE, good CXC record and respectable SAT scores has the best chance of being offered a scholarship. In addition to good academics, admissions and financial aid offices are interested in students who "stand out" from the crowd, through extracurricular interests (athletics, charitable and other community work, hobbies). It will be up to the student to convince the admissions personnel of the institutions to which he/she is applying that he/she will be a real asset to that institution.

For the student with exceptional ability in a particular sport, a sports scholarship could be an excellent way of financing his/her education. Write to the coach at a particular institution and correspond with him or her directly. The student should be aware that acceptance by the coach or even the offer of a scholarship does not guarantee admission into the university/college. The regular admissions procedure must still be followed. The student should also be aware that he/she would still be expected to carry a minimum course load and maintain a certain academic average in addition to participate in the sports program.

When looking at universities, do not just apply to those that are private. Two-year community or junior colleges (from which you can transfer to a four-year college) and state universities can be good choices, and they are less expensive.

Click here for some scholarship opportunities