Compare study destinations

	USA	UK	France
Universities on Gradwalk	153	123	54
Programs	9,273	34,366	739
Main intakes	Fall (Aug–Sep), Spring (Jan)	September, January (May at selected universities)	September, January
Tuition per year	Ask your guide	£11,400–£38,000	€7,000–€47,000 a year, mostly €10,500–€21,000 at private schools
Living costs per year	Ask your guide	£10,800–£14,100	€7,380 a year (funds to show)
Working while you study	On-campus work: up to 20 hours a week in term time and full-time in breaks. Off-campus work is allowed only through CPT (internships linked to your course) or OPT.	Up to 20 hours a week during term time and full-time during official holidays for degree-level students (10 hours a week below degree level). The limit covers all jobs combined and is counted Monday to Sunday.	Work up to 964 hours a year (about 20 hours a week). No separate work permit is needed.
After you graduate	1 year OPT; up to 3 years for STEM OPT: up to 12 months of work in your field after graduation. STEM OPT extension: a further 24 months for STEM graduates, so up to 3 years in total. The OPT application (Form I-765) costs $470 online. OPT rules are under review. In October 2026 DHS proposed new fees on OPT, so check before you plan.	Graduate Route: 2 years after a Bachelor's or Master's (18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027), 3 years after a PhD. No job offer or sponsor needed: work in any job, change jobs or start a business. Apply from inside the UK before your Student visa expires. Fee £880 plus the health surcharge (£1,035 a year). To stay longer, switch to a Skilled Worker visa with a sponsored job offer.	12 months; up to 24 for Indian Master's graduates The APS / RÉCE residence permit gives Master's graduates 12 months to look for work or start a business, with full-time work rights. Indian Master's graduates can get up to 24 months under the France–India agreement. Indian alumni of French Master's degrees can also get a 5-year short-stay Schengen visa.
Settling long term	H-1B work visa: your employer registers you in the annual lottery. A new $100,000 fee applies to some H-1B petitions for workers outside the US, but not usually to a change of status from OPT inside the US. O-1 visa: for people with extraordinary ability. Green card (permanent residence): usually employer-sponsored (EB-2/EB-3). Waits for Indian nationals can be very long.	The usual path is Student visa → Graduate visa → Skilled Worker visa → Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) → British citizenship. The UK is moving to an "earned settlement" system, which raises the standard wait for ILR from 5 years to a 10-year baseline for most migrants, including Skilled Workers. High earners and Global Talent visa holders may qualify sooner. Since January 2026, Skilled Worker applicants need English at B2 level. The settlement rules are still being finalised, so check GOV.UK before planning.	Employee work permit (salarié): when you find a job related to your studies. Talent Passport: a renewable residence permit of up to 4 years, for skilled jobs above the salary threshold. Long-term residence: possible after 5 years of legal residence.
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