Why should I book my course through United Studies?
United Studies are consultants specializing in all types of study in the United States. The services we offer are unique and tailored to customer needs. All of this comes with our guarantee to offer you the best prices.
We offer a large array of programs and accommodation, ranging from low cost options to more expensive, luxury options.
Do I need a visa to go to the U.S.A.?
Students who are citizens of the countries in the following list can take the semi-intensive course (equal to or less than 18 hours per week) without needing the F1 student visa. These students just need to complete the Electronic Travel Authorization (https:// / esta.cbp.dhs.gov / this / application.html) on the embassy’s website and to have a current, valid digital passport (the one with the color photograph).
For all courses and for all students taking courses with more than 18 hours tuition per week, and/or for courses with a duration that is longer than three months, you will need an F1 student visa.
Students with a tourist visa can take the semi-intensive course (less than 18 hours per week) without an F1 student visa. We recommend that you check the conditions for each particular course because the visa you will need will depend on the duration of the program you want to book.
How much spending money will I need?
The amount of spending money you will need will depend on the lifestyle you are used to living. We can give you advice about what you would spend in a week if you pay for a daily meal, dinner and a few weekly activities like going out to a nightclub, visiting a museum etc.
Depending on the city, weekly spending could vary between 100 and 180 Euros (New York). Note that the more touristic cities are the most expensive.
I’m going on my own and I don’t know anyone I could share a room with…
Regarding sharing a room, most shared room types are for people travelling together: United Studies does not offer a roommate matching service.
In most cases, students travelling alone will have to book a single room. We advise these students, who are travelling alone but want to share a room, to search for a roommate on our forums and social networks; Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Google+.
In any case, once you arrive at your destination you will not be alone; you will find lots of international students to share this enriching experience with.
What happens if my roommate doesn’t want to do the course?
It is not obligatory to take a study course. United Studies offers some (but not all) of our accommodation without necessarily having to join one of the study programs.
My friend and I want to book the package with a couple’s room (1 double bed) because it is much cheaper. Is this possible?
As long as you are both happy sharing one double bed, any two people can book this option together. In fact, we recommend the couple’s rooms as there are lots of them available and they are a less expensive option. Remember that prices are quoted per person. Both individual reservations for a couple’s room must be made on the same day and payment must be made in the following 24 hours.
When do I need to reserve my booking?
Make your reservation in advance.
If you are travelling in the summer, we recommend that you make your reservation in March or April so that there are still places available for your desired destination. If you wait until May, the best packages and accommodation, and the busiest program dates could be fully booked.
How do I make my reservation? When will my reservation be confirmed?
Through our website you can choose your course, school, and accommodation. Click on “Book Now” and you will be taken to our online store where you can enter your personal data and desired travel dates so that you can make your reservation.
We offer various payment methods. You can pay by credit/debit card through our secure payment platform (payment is registered immediately), or by bank transfer (payment is registered in 48-72 hours).
Your reservation will be confirmed approximately 48-72 hours after your payment has been registered.
What happens if my reservation is not confirmed?
If there are no places available for your requirements, you can opt to modify your reservation (you can change the dates, accommodation and program: the month of July, for example, is very busy and spaces fill up fast). If you can’t find an option that works for you then you can opt for a full refund.
Remember that the risk of your reservation being rejected due to limited availability is highest for courses taking place during the summer months.
What methods are available to me in order to make my payment?
You can choose between two payment methods:
Pay via Bank transfer/Cash deposit – these options take between 1-3 days + 2-3 days for payment to register.
Pay via our online SPS (Secure Payment System) – payment registers immediately for this option.
I am not sure about sending my personal data over the internet…
Our online store uses an SPS (Secure Payment System). You can carry out the payments necessary to book the program you have chosen in total security through the secure platform provided to us by our Spanish bank ‘Caja Castilla la Mancha’.
What happens after my reservation is confirmed? When will I get details about travel, destination addresses and the first day of class?
Once your program reservation is confirmed you will need to make payment for the outstanding balance at least 5 weeks before your arrival date in the States. Depending on the payment method you choose it can take between 1 and 7 days for your payment to go through and to register. For this reason, we recommend that you make your payment 6 weeks before your trip to ensure that it registers in time. Once your payment has registered you will be sent a receipt and all the information you need for travel, including addresses and what you are expected to do on your first day in class.
Can I make changes once my reservation has been made or after I have paid for the course?
Provided there is availability, changes are always allowed as long as they are made far enough in advance. Each change costs 60 Euros. However, in some cases the change may be for a course where the price is more than 30% cheaper than your original choice. In these cases the change will be considered as a partial cancelation and a cancellation charge is applicable.
Is medical insurance obligatory?
Although some schools and universities do require you to have medical insurance, it is not a mandatory requirement. However, we strongly recommend that you take out medical insurance for your trip to the United States. America is a country that has no public health service and the slightest incident could ruin your holiday budget: a few simple stitches for a cut finger could cost you between 400 and 600 Dollars, a visit to the emergency room for gastroenteritis, a fever or a sprain could end up costing you a large sum of money. A simple appendectomy, for which you would need surgery within 24 hours, can cost a whopping $40,000.
We cannot emphasize enough how strongly we believe that you should have medical insurance when you travel to the United States.
If you have private medical insurance, ask your provider if you are covered for your stay; some private medical insurance companies also cover their policyholders when they are abroad.
In order to offer you a more complete service, we have negotiated a special price for our medical insurance policy; it is fairly inexpensive and it gives you unlimited coverage for medical expenses due to illness or accident. Click here for details of our medical insurance policy.
There are some agencies offering cheaper medical insurance…
Of course there are some agencies offering cheaper medical insurance, but they will only cover you for up to 9,000 Euros. We offer unlimited coverage for medical expenses due to illness or accident. Don’t cut corners when it comes to your health. We recommend that you check coverage carefully before taking out any insurance. Click here for details of our medical insurance policy.
How does the cancellation insurance work?
Through our insurance provider, we can offer you the possibility to avoid cancelation fees in case you have to cancel your program after you have reserved it or paid for it. Cancelation fees increase the closer it gets to the start date of your program, for more information see our Terms and Conditions. Click here for details of our cancellation insurance policy.
Are text books included?
Text books are included in the price for 99% of our programs. When you are comparing your options, bear in mind that the average cost for text books is between 50 and 100 Dollars and that many agencies do not include these costs in the price of their programs.
I want to reserve a few extra nights or some optional extras for the accommodation package that I have booked (for example: I want to arrive one day early).
If you are interested in booking extra nights, you should check before you book that it is possible to do so at the residence you have chosen. If it is possible then you should also check availability for the dates you are interested in.
How do I book the airport transfer service?
If you are interested in the airport transfer service, send us an email with your flight details, date and time of arrival and the names of the people requiring this service. This service is generally offered through our registered schools: we can’t offer you this service as we do not have a transfer team. This means that this service can be quite expensive so we always recommend that you use public transport like a taxi or an airport shuttle; these tend to be less expensive options.
What happens with the price of my program if the Euro-Dollar exchange rates go down?
If your program is paid in full, you won’t be affected by any changes in the exchange rate.
If you haven’t paid the full balance for your program yet, then yes, a significant change in the exchange rate will affect you. Only significant changes will affect you because it is impossible for us to update program prices on a daily basis.
For this reason, insignificant changes in the exchange rate (inferior to 0.02 Cents on the Euro/Dollar) will be charged to United Studies. For programs where the price is greater than 2,000 Euros, any variation in exchange rates at the moment of payment is charged entirely to the student.
If it is necessary to apply any extra charge for Euro/Dollar exchange rate fluctuation, you will be notified one week in advance about the amount you will have to pay. This amount will correspond to any fluctuation in the average exchange rate as measured over the five sessions previous to your payment date and as compared to the original exchange rate used to calculate the cost of your program (which is 0,77 Euro/Dollar). For example: if your program is priced at 1,100 Euros and the average exchange rate at the time when you make your payment is set at 0.79 Euros to the Dollar, then the extra charge for this fluctuation would be around €28.60.
