Applying to US Universities by Home Country: Timeline, Documents and Costs
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Oct 08, 2026
Twenty country guides compare application costs, required documents, timelines and common mistakes for applying to US universities, from Bangladesh's $50 to $100 fee to Brazil and Nepal's $785 total in government fees.
This hub compares 20 country-specific guides to applying to US universities, covering Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey and Vietnam. The cost of applying varies: Bangladesh's guide cites a $50 to $100 per application fee, Canada's cites a $350 SEVIS I-901 fee, required for everyone, while Brazil and Nepal both cite $785 total in SEVIS, visa and Visa Integrity fees. Documents diverge too: Canada's Quebec track needs CEGEP (2-year pre-university diploma) for US equivalency, China requires a school transcript in Chinese plus certified English translation with official seal, and Nepal's guide adds NACES credential evaluation and IELTS/TOEFL/Duolingo scores on top of SEE and +2 transcripts.
Start with the cost of applying column, since government fees like the $350 SEVIS I-901 charge apply broadly while application fees and credential-evaluation costs vary by country. A dash in a column means that country's guide does not state a figure or detail for it, such as Iran, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam leaving cost of applying blank, or Canada and Iran leaving common mistake blank. Each country name links to its full guide, where the SEVIS, visa and document requirements are sourced and explained in more detail.
Compare by home country
| Home country | Cost of applying | Country-specific documents | Timeline | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh | $50 to $100 per application fee | SSC and HSC certificates and mark sheets | Apply during final HSC year using predicted grades and SSC record | Waiting for final HSC results before applying instead of using predicted grades |
| Brazil | $785 total (SEVIS $350 + MRV $185 + Visa Integrity $250) | Histórico escolar (certified English translation) | Start building documents 12-18 months before target start date | Waiting for final ENEM/vestibular results, missing Regular Decision deadlines |
| Canada | $350 SEVIS I-901 fee, required for everyone | Quebec track needs CEGEP (2-year pre-university diploma) for US equivalency | Early deadline ~Nov 1, regular deadline Jan 1-15 (outside Quebec) | — |
| China | $785 total in US government fees (SEVIS+MRV+Integrity) | School transcript in Chinese plus certified English translation with official seal | Apply during grade 11-first half of grade 12, using in-school transcript, not gaokao score | Waiting for finished gaokao result before starting US applications |
| Colombia | $350 SEVIS I-901 fee for F-1 students | ICFES Saber 11 results (supporting evidence, not a US-recognized exam) | Admission cycles open close to a year before August/September intake | Waiting until admission to start the credential evaluation |
| Ghana | $350 SEVIS I-901 fee for F-1 students | WASSCE or SSSCE certificate and transcripts, or predicted grades | Start application in SHS 2 for Fall admission right after SHS 3 | Waiting for final WASSCE index number before starting any application |
| India | ~$785 in government fees alone, before application/evaluation/test fees | Class 10 and 12 mark sheets and certificates, or degree transcripts for grad applicants | Start 12-18 months before start: shortlist universities, register for tests | Waiting for final board or degree results before starting applications |
| Indonesia | Government fees can push toward $785 total | Ijazah SMA/SMK or SKHUN certificate, translated into English | Early deadline ~Nov 1, regular deadline ~Jan 1, for following August start | Waiting for final Ijazah before applying instead of using rapor grades |
| Iran | — | Transcripts graded on Iran's 0-20 scale | Apply 6-10 months ahead; deadlines often November-January for the following fall | — |
| Japan | $350 SEVIS I-901 fee | English transcript from school office (gakumuka); may need credential evaluation | Early Action/Decision deadlines in November; Regular Decision in December or January | Requesting your transcript too late since gakumuka issues it only in set windows |
| Kenya | — | KCSE results slip and school transcripts for undergraduate applicants | Fall-intake deadlines typically set between November and February of the year before | Delays getting sponsor bank letters cause missed I-20 deadlines |
| Mexico | — | Certificado/boleta or título and transcript as proof of academic record | Enrollment deposit due by May 1 (National Candidates Reply Date) | Waiting for prepa results before applying, missing the November-January window |
| Nepal | $785 total government fees (SEVIS $350, visa $185, integrity $250); app fee $50-$100/school | SEE and +2 transcripts, NACES credential evaluation, IELTS/TOEFL/Duolingo scores | Start 10-12 months before target start date; apply Nov 2026-Jan 2027 for Aug/Sep 2027 start | Applying only to highly ranked schools without checking if they fund international students |
| Nigeria | — | WAEC/NECO or NABTEB certificates; NACES evaluation for Nigerian results | Start research 12-18 months before target term; apply SS1/SS2 results plus in-progress SS3 | Confusing JAMB (for Nigerian universities) with the SAT/ACT needed for US applications |
| Pakistan | — | Matric/SSC and FSc/FA/ICS/HSSC certificates, or O-Level/A-Level results | Start 12-18 months before intake; final exams in spring; receive I-20 late spring | Waiting for final FSc or A-Level result before starting the application |
| Saudi Arabia | — | Thanawiyyah certificate and transcripts, certified English translation if not bilingual | Research 12-18 months before start; travel up to 30 days before program start on I-20 | Waiting for a SACM scholarship decision before applying to universities |
| South Korea | — | Full high school transcript, translated into English, certified by school or translator | Apply in fall of 3rd year (고3); decisions arrive March or April | Not deciding on target US schools early, drafting essays in the weeks before the Suneung |
| Taiwan | — | Senior high transcript in Chinese plus certified English translation, all three years | Build school list in 高二 spring (grade 11); submit regular apps December-January | Assuming every school wants the same documents in the same format |
| Turkey | $785 total government fees (SEVIS $350, visa $185, integrity fee $250) as of Aug 2026 | Lise transcript and diploma in Turkish, with certified English translation | Start researching in grade 10 or 11; fall deadlines Nov-Jan; decisions in March/April | Waiting for YKS result before starting the US application |
| Vietnam | — | Vietnamese high school/university transcripts plus certified English translation | Apply with grade 11 results plus in-progress grade 12 grades; send final transcript after graduation | Waiting until grade 12 to start test prep, leaving no time to retake tests |
How to use this table
Each row summarises one guide in this series. The figures are the ones quoted in that guide when it was written, and a dash means the guide does not state that item. Open a guide for its sources, the full detail and its latest update date.