College admission in the US is extremely competitive, especially among international students. If you do not have a strong academic background, sufficient financial resources, and proficiency in the English language, you will be at a disadvantage in the admissions process.

Each school sets its own admission requirements. Because of the large number of international students seeking a US education, the schools do not make exceptions to their requirements. Most schools require a minimum of a high school diploma with solid coursework in science, mathematics, English, and humanities. They will also require academic entrance examinations such as the TOEFL, SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT. The higher your scores on these exams and the better your grades, the better your chances of being admitted. Generally you must have a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale to be admitted, especially for graduate school. Some schools set very high standards for admission.

The more well-known institutions are often among the most competitive. While every international student would love to attend Harvard University or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, not every student will be admitted. Certain fields of study are also highly competitive. These include engineering, computer science, pre-medicine, pre-law, architecture, and marine biology.

Note that to apply for a graduate or professional degree program, including medical school, law school, veterinary school, and dental school, you must first obtain an undergraduate bachelor's degree. Law students must also generally be licensed attorneys in their own countries before applying for admission to a US law school.