Roen Naska started his journey to America on August 29 of this year, making his dream come true.
The student from Albania is now in Minnesota, where he is studying for one semester at the University of St. Thomas.
In addition to public health, studying in the US is helping Roen learn more about American culture through a music class called “Roots of blues, rock and the country.”
This new experience was made possible by a program overseen by the State Department.
Student life at an American university gave Roen a better understanding of how a university should function.
“For me, America has always been a dream and this program somehow made it a reality, in a way that I had never imagined. Here I learned more about the student spirit of such a developed country and about the activities that students have with each other. This has given me a lot of ideas and knowledge about how a university should be and what their goal should be, both the institution and the students,” he tells Atlaniku.

The problem with American universities is the price of studying in them.

Roen Naska says that the costs of studies in the USA are unaffordable for Albanians.

“As for the cost, the program that enabled me to come here manages to pay for everything that is included in the university, as well as the monthly personal expenses. Well, I think that an American university is extremely expensive”, he says.

According to him, it is very difficult to study in America even if you manage to secure a student loan.

“Universities are expensive. For 90% of Albanians, the amounts are unimaginable. I don’t know how Albanians who come to America to study manage. However, even though student debt is a solution to afford school for most students, not only those Albanians, I think it is difficult to find a job with a good income in America, with which you can afford to live and repay the debt as quickly as possible”, Naska told Atlaniku.

So far, he has met only one Albanian at the university where he is studying. Conversations with him influenced his view on studies in the United States.

“At my University, I have only met one Albanian, very briefly, as he is in his last year, there are only a few classes left and, in general, we don’t get to meet often on campus. Even from him, I got the impression that the cost is high about living in America”, the student declares for Atlantiku.

Types of universities in America

How much does it cost to study in America and does the price differ depending on the university and the country?

Of course yes, but first of all we need to know how to compare the types of universities in the United States of America.

Public universities – which are often called state universities receive funding from the public sector, namely from the institutions. This affects that the price for studies in this type of university is lower.

Private Non-Profit Universities – While the majority of US students attend public universities and colleges, private universities make up a significant portion of enrollment – and many of the nation’s most elite and globally renowned institutions.

For-profit universities – Unlike other types of universities, for-profits operate as business enterprises, aiming to make money for their shareholders as well as provide a good education for their students.

These are some types of universities which can serve as a good basis to compare and classify the cost of studies.

How much does it cost to study at universities in the USA?

We are starting the information on the costs for studies with Harvard University, which is ranked as the second best university in the world.

The price of studying at Harvard is high, among other things, because after you finish your studies here you get a ‘guarantee’ of a high-paying job.

The official website of Harvard University shows the total price of study expenses for the year 2022-2023, which is no less than 84 thousand dollars. Tuition alone costs $52k, fees over $4k, room $12k. In addition, health insurance includes an additional $4,000.

It is ranked a little lower on the list of the best universities in the world, but Stanford University costs only 2 thousand dollars less than Harvard. This university is also private.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology – undoubtedly one of the most famous universities in the world. Studies here cost over 79 thousand dollars.

Yale University – Studies here cost over $84,000. Tuition and fees alone cost about $60,000.
Studies in public universities cost significantly less. For example, at the University of Virginia, studies cost about 18 thousand dollars in total.

Studies in public universities cost significantly less. For example, at the University of Virginia, studies cost about 18 thousand dollars in total. But this university is in the 156th place in the world.

This category also includes the State University of Chicago, where studies cost about 17 thousand dollars.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, average tuition and fees were higher in the 2020–21 academic year than in the 2010–11 academic year for full-time undergraduate students at public, private nonprofit, and private 4-year for-profit institutions.

But, of course, not all students pay all expenses. They often receive financial aid and grants.

Students from Kosovo continue their studies in the USA, who are often supported by scholarships from the Ministry of Education in Kosovo.