Total Cost of Studying in the US, 2022-2023

🌟 Here's a 2022-2023 data point for reference
🌟 My total cost was on the cheap side for studying in the US, partly because my location is fairly remote and partly because I chose a dual degree
🌟 I also didn't take prep classes for IELTS or GMAT, and didn't hire a consultant to edit my SOP
🌟 Actual costs will vary by region, personal choices and inflation
🌟 Cost of living varies a lot from state to state in the US!

📌 Background
• Studied in the US: August 2022 to May 2023
• Location: West Lafayette, IN
• Program: NCCU IMBA x Purdue MS GSCM 🏛 DUAL DEGREE 🎓
✅ 2021 Sep - 2022 June NCCU IMBA
✅ 2022 Aug - 2023 May Purdue MSGSCM
• I chose this dual-degree program because during the first year at NCCU I could keep my full-time job during the day and keep building professional experience (having real work experience helps a lot when job hunting in the US). NCCU classes are on weekday evenings 7-10pm and weekend daytimes, and once in the US it's only a 10-month fast track to graduate. On top of that, my undergrad degree is in science, so after thinking it over I felt that getting two business master's degrees at once would have a multiplier effect on my past work experience and my job search.

• But the two schools' application processes are separate
You first have to get into NCCU
and then apply to Purdue

📌 Costs
Bottom line first
Tuition for both degrees, living costs for the second year in the US and other unavoidable expenses
came to about NTD 1.86 million in total
➡ Tuition: US$44,592 in total (Purdue ~US$31,689 for 21 credits)
➡ Living costs: US$12,320 (including student insurance, rent, food, phone, electricity, gas and furniture)
🔎 That works out to an average of US$1,232 a month
➡ Miscellaneous: US$1,343 (including visa fees, a one-way flight and self-paid vaccines)
❗Entertainment, travel, shopping, eating out and so on are not included.

📌 Funding sources
A few ideas here. Studying abroad is a big investment, so increasing income, cutting costs and working out your own return on investment really matter
➡ Youth student loans from city and county governments: Taipei City's is the best, with a master's loan limit of NTD 750,000-1,000,000. For interest during the first 10 years of the loan (including the grace period), the Taipei City Department of Education subsidizes up to the full amount
➡ Scholarships: check the relevant school websites and prepare your application materials early. Besides the Ministry of Education and business schools, some private organizations also offer scholarships, ranging from NTD 20,000 to 200,000
➡ On-campus jobs: on an F1 visa you can work on campus, limited to 20hr a week. Options: campus dining, teaching or research assistant (TA or RA). Benefits: you can get an SSN early, which makes it easier to build credit and handle everyday matters

Feel free to share costs for other states or schools!