The US is considered to be a top destination when it comes to studying for a PhD degree. It is home to the world's best, widely renowned universities that will kickstart your doctorate career with endless possibilities. You can also get the benefits to do research with top university professors in your chosen field. Apart from that, some other reasons why you should consider the USA for a PhD include its innovative experiential learning, right resources and the brilliant education system.
The annual cost of PhD in USA from the top universities ranges from 28,531 USD to 57,590 USD. On average, studying a PhD in USA for Indian students is between 15 to 62 lakhs. The best time to apply for this program is August and May. This blog will help you to know more about the different colleges, PhD fees in USA, living expenses, miscellaneous costs & more.
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Factors Influencing Overall Cost of Studying PhD in USA
The cost of Studying PhD in USA includes the university tuition fees and your cost of living. Once you go through the overall costs of PhD in the USA then it may seem you quite a bit because the living expenses in the USA are on the higher side and may change based on your location. Factors which influence the overall costs are categorised are:
- The tuition fees of PhD in USA
- Living costs of PhD in USA
- Pre-arrival and post-arrival cost.
But before we discuss the PhD tuition fees in USA, let's take a glance at the pre-arrival costs for PhD in the USA:
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Pre Arrival Costs to Study PhD in USA
Before starting your journey to study in USA, there are some other costs you need to add to your PhD in USA fee structure. Here we have considered a list of fees you have to pay in the pre arrival costs in the country.
- Entrance Exam
- Flight Tickets
- Medical Checkup
- Student Visa Fees
- Medical Insurance
Let's have a look at each of the cost one by one:
Entrance Exam
The English language Tests such as TOEFL or IELTS are well known entrance exams in the list of PhD fees in USA for Indian students. The IELTS and TOEFL are accepted by most colleges in the USA. Apart from the language test, international students will also have to pass the GRE or GMAT test to be considered for admission. The cost of these entrance exams are given below:
Tests |
Cost (in USD) |
Cost (in INR) |
245 |
20,090 |
|
190 |
15,580 |
|
205 |
16,810 |
|
250 |
20,500 |
Flight Tickets
The average time required to travel from India to the US is around 15 hours and 15 minutes. Although, the flight fares from India to USA might vary based on the airline you are choosing. However, the average ticket price may vary between INR 48,999 to INR 91,999.
Medical Checkup
Most US universities require international students to submit their health policies and programmes before the date of your arrival. It is recommended that students must have their own insurance coverage at universities who are not offering any school sponsored plan. Along with PhD fees in USA for Indian students, the medical check costs range between INR 14,500 to INR 21,000.
Student Visa Fees
The US Student Visa fees is also a key factor in the pre arrival cost of doing PhD in USA. These costs may vary from the type of your US student visa and the visitor type. The student visa for PhD in usa for indian students cost are given below:
Visa Type |
Description |
Costs (in INR) |
Students (academic) |
11,520 |
|
Exchange visitors |
11,520 |
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Medical Insurance
Your health insurance is also a factor in determining the cost of PhD in USA for international students. The estimated cost to pay for one health insurance ranges between INR 38,000 to INR 77,0000 per year. This may depend on your level purchased, however it will increase dramatically for older students.
These are some pre arrival costs you have to pay before starting your PhD admission. Let's take a look at the post arrival costs that are required for PhD in USA for Indian students cost or fee structure:
Post Arrival Costs to Study PhD in USA
The structure of the cost of PhD in USA may contain some post arrival costs too that you have to spend after arriving in the country. Here we have given some expenses that you have to pay after arriving in the country.
- Tuition Fees
- Cost of Living
Tuition Fees
To study a PhD course in the USA, the tuition fees range from 28,531 USD to 57,590 USD per year. So, the tuition fees of Phd in USA for Indian structure fees ranges between INR 15 Lakhs to 62 Lakhs per year.
Cost of Living
On the other hand, the living costs in the USA are around 1,200 USD to 2,500 USD per month. These costs may include all your extra expenses such as accommodation fees, room, board, food, travel, study materials etc.
Now that we understand about the pre arrival and post arrival costs for an international student looking to study in the USA. Let's discuss the cost of studying for a PhD in the USA:
Cost of Studying PhD in USA
The PhD tuition fees in USA is one of the critical aspects in deciding the costs of studying a PhD in the USA. The PhD course fees in the USA range between 28,531 USD to 57,590 USD based upon the type of your university and the specialisation.
To help you with the tuition fees, here we have given an overview of some of the top universities along with the PhD fees in USA for international students.
University Name |
Annual Average Fees (USD) |
Annual Average Fees (INR) |
57,590 |
45.8 Lakhs |
|
48,960 |
39.0 Lakhs |
|
52,456 |
41.8 Lakhs |
|
57,410 |
45.7 Lakhs |
|
65,948 |
52.1 Lakhs |
|
56,364 |
44.9 Lakhs |
|
39,838 |
31.7 Lakhs |
|
45,700 |
36.4 Lakhs |
|
48,542 |
38.6 Lakhs |
|
57,070 |
45.4 Lakhs |
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Cost of Living While Studying PhD in USA
The next element that impacts the cost of studying PhD in the USA for Indian students is their living costs. On an average, you have to spend around 10,000 to 20,000 USD per year to live in the US.
Most of the living expenses of your would be rent from the accommodation facilities, groceries, transportation, food, internet and other miscellaneous expenses etc. However, this may differ from one student to another and the lifestyle they choose.
Here is an overview of the cost of living in the USA:
Expenses |
Average Cost per year (in USD) |
Average Cost per year (in INR) |
Accomodation with basic utilities |
16,500 |
1,315,001 |
Food |
6,500 |
518,030 |
Books and supplies |
900 |
71,727 |
Electricity |
750 |
59,772 |
Transportation |
1,500 |
119,545 |
Dormitory housing |
7,588 - 11,914 |
604,741 - 949,510 |
Food for dormitory residents |
2,487 |
198,206 |
Miscellaneous |
6,700 |
533,970 |
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So this was all about the cost of PhD in USA. If you could manage your expenses in the US, it would be easy for you to enjoy your academic and social life there. The US has always been on the top list for studying for a PhD in study abroad. Now that you have the complete information regarding the average cost of PhD in USA, it is easier for you to plan the journey. However, if you need any assistance regarding PhD in the USA, do connect with our Yocket Professionals now.