U.S Eligibility for College and University Admission
Undergraduate Study
Colleges and universities in the United States vary considerably in their admissions standards and requirements. Most four year colleges and universities require Malawians to take either the SAT I or ACT standardized tests. Highly selective schools and applications for scholarships require excellent MSCE or A/IB level passes, and sometimes SAT II exams as well.
To be eligible for admissions at a U.S. institution, students must either be currently enrolled in their senior year of secondary school, or have graduated within a year of their intended university enrollment date, with a minimum of 6 strong passes with credit at MSCE (with Mathematics and English included) or comparable grades.
Graduate Study
The applicant must either be in their senior year of their degree program or be in possession of a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in good standing (passed with a credit or distinction at Bachelor’s level) from a recognized local or overseas university. The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) are requirements for admission to a graduate program, as are letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, and research interests. For some professional programs, it is advisable that applicants have some work experience to be eligible. Please be aware that the GMAT is not offered in Malawi.
English Proficiency
English proficiency is necessary for study in the United States. Institutions may require international students whose native language is not English to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) in order to prove that their academic, spoken, and written English is proficient to succeed at the university level in America.
Financing Your Education
The average cost of an academic year in the USA including tuition, room and board, and living expenses varies from US$30,000 to US$80,000 per year. This figure does not include air transportation from Malawi to the U.S. institution. International students should initiate financial planning for U.S. study at least 12-18 months in advance of their intended enrollment. Advanced planning is more critical when substantial financial assistance is required. . Substantial financial assistance for undergraduates is very difficult to obtain and admission with full funding is highly competitive. Students without their own finances must have excellent academic records, and demonstrated leadership potential in order to compete for the few available scholarships from colleges and universities.
Graduate students most often work to pay for the cost of their education. Teaching assistantships and research assistantships are the most common means of financing graduate study. Other awards made by graduate schools include fellowships for the most outstanding students, which carry no work requirements but are comparatively rare. Most foundation awards are reserved for advanced doctoral and post-doctoral candidates, or cover only part of the cost.
The U.S. Embassy does not provide scholarships or loans for individuals studying in Malawi or in the United States. EducationUSA is not a scholarship provider but rather an advising service that assists and offers advice to students through the process of applying to U.S. tertiary institutions. Additionally, membership into the EducationUSA program is no guarantee of university admission or a scholarship/financial assistance to study in the United States. Instead we offer comprehensive information to enable you access to scholarships from American colleges and universities.
For more information about study in the United States, please visit: http://www.educationusa.state.gov/