Estimating Expenses for One Academic Year : 
When you apply for a student visa, you will need to show evidence of support to cover study and living expenses for at least one academic year. (An academic year usually lasts nine months.) 

The cost of study varies widely among institutions, and the cost of living varies from one location to the next. To compare total cost, therefore, you will need to do some research. A basic reference is The College Board Handbook: Foreign Student Supplement, published by the College Board. This book compares tuition and the cost of living based on estimates from each institution. 

Sponsored students should check with their sponsoring agency about terms of their support. After arrival in the US, they should maintain contact with designated agencies or, if sponsored by the home country government, with the cultural or education section of their embassy in the US.
   
Evaluate Your Ability To Finance US Study :
In making a financial assessment of whether or not study in the US will be possible for you, consider the following: foreign students currently in the US agree that study in the US is usually more expensive than they had expected. You must plan for the total cost of living and studying over a period of one to 2 years for a master's degree and 3 to 7 years for a doctoral degree. 

The total 'published' cost for one academic year (1990-1991) ranges from US $8,500 to $26,000 or more. The average 'published' cost is about $18,000 per academic year. The total cost will usually be at least $6,000 per year higher than the cost of tuition fees, and room and board published in the university catalogue.

About 75% of all foreign students are funded by home-country sources, either from private funds or home-country scholarships. If graduate departments offer financial assistance, they often wait until after the first year of graduate study. 

If your field enjoys a high level of grant funding for research in US universities, however, you may be able to qualify for a research assistantship in the first year. Current immigration regulations restrict the possibility of working outside the university to support yourself as a student.