Agriculture In USA For International Students: Top Schools 2022

Agriculture as a subject is not limited to planting seeds in the soil and taking care of them until the harvest season. With the latest agriculture-oriented technologies like geospatial analysis and hybrid germination techniques, proper education can help you build a promising career in this field. However, to gain that level of knowledge in agriculture, you need to choose the ideal institutions, and for this, the USA is one of the best destinations in the world. In this blog, you will learn about pursuing education in Agriculture US programmes and how to get into one of your shortlisted universities or colleges, especially if you are an international student.

Scope of Studying Agriculture in the US

Agriculture has always been critical to the survival of an economy. Like with everything else, technology has penetrated the field of agriculture as well, and it has proven to be beneficial. Studying the courses in Agriculture US universities offer and in one of the top institutions will help you learn the basics of agriculture along with the advancements this sector has seen. Besides the new ways of cropping or maintaining a farm or learning about hybrid techniques, you will know the utility of different technologies. The USA is one of the leading countries in several domains, and education is one. The universities and colleges here offer high-quality education while helping students hone the skills to live, thrive, and succeed in an advanced and ever-competitive world. In the USA, the prominent areas for farming are Nebraska, Arkansas, Kansas, Indiana, Illinois, North Carolina, and Minnesota. Moreover, there are courses covering different domains in agriculture, and they are recognised by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). These fields of study and research include plant sciences, food sciences, sustainable agriculture, livestock (ranchers), managing large acre farms, agroecology, and animal sciences.

Top Universities for Agriculture US

You can choose from a wide gamut of educational institutions offering degree courses and programs in agriculture and related fields in the US. You can move there for both undergraduate and postgraduate programs to gain a better education. As the USA is a model nation in terms of agricultural practices, studying the subject here can help you gain the requisite learning and expertise. Some of the top universities for agriculture in the US are listed below —

Cornell University

Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is the primary institution for courses in agriculture in the US. The entire program is based on intellectual exploration via thought-provoking learnings and a fundamental curriculum. Besides benefiting from the educational aspects, students here will also partake in events and other institution-based events aimed at practical learning. You can also learn about which crops to grow in which season. (For instance, February is best for growing vegetables, and in December, activities like threshing, drying, and storing seeds are prominent.)

Course Fee: The average tuition fee for the courses at Cornell University is $60,286.

Global Rank: 21

Courses:

• Agribusiness Management (including managing small farms)
• Agricultural Sciences
• Crop Management (impact on human health)
• International Agriculture and Rural Development
• Plant Sciences
• Global Development Graduate Field
• Horticulture Graduate Field
• Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Graduate Field
• Applied Economics and Management Graduate Field

University of Wisconsin-Madison:

Students going here for agricultural studies will study at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. The core areas you can choose from here include health and nutrition, food and agriculture, biological sciences, sustainability, food production, natural resources, the environment (climate change), business, communication, and society. Within the courses offered here, the students gain practical learning experience and work inside labs to ease their way and hone their professional skill set.

Course Fee: On average, the tuition fee at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, is $39,654 for postgraduate courses and $25,548 for undergraduate courses.

Global Rank: 75

Courses:

• Agricultural and Applied Economics
• Agronomy
• Agricultural Business Management

University of California Davis:

At UC Davis, students learn at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES). They learn the necessary skills to solve real-world problems in agriculture, the environment, and human sciences. Besides solving problems, they also learn to build a better world and help communities build healthier lives. Students enrolled at UC Davis can choose from any one of the undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

Course Fee: The tuition fee for international students at the University of California Davis starts at $14,646, and it can increase according to the speciality program you choose.

Global Rank: 108

Courses:

• Agricultural and Environmental Education (including national forests)
• Agricultural and Environmental Technology
• Agricultural Pest Management
• Agricultural Systems and Environment

Texas A&M University:

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University is one of the four pillars of the institution. Running from day one of the university’s founding, this is the college you need to enrol in to get effective education in different fields of agriculture that also include scientific advancements. Here, the students can also take courses in fields related to agriculture and its interdisciplinary approaches.

Course Fee: The one-year tuition fee at this university starts at $17,553, and it can further rise according to the programme.

Global Rank: 168

Courses:

• Agricultural Economics
• Biological and Agricultural Engineering
• Horticulture Sciences
• Plant Pathology and Microbiology
• Soil and Crop Sciences (drought management and soil health)
• Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications
• Poultry Science

Iowa State University:

Students at the Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences receive education in different subjects related to agriculture. These include communications, biological, and technical subjects. Students passing out from here can explore several career opportunities in agribusiness, environmental sciences, value-added processing, natural resource management, and rural development industries.

Course Fee: The basic postgraduate course fee at Iowa State University is $31,018, and for undergraduate courses, it is $26,356.

Global Rank: 494

Courses:

• Agricultural Business (agricultural productivity)
• Agricultural and Life Sciences Education
• Agricultural Studies (food safety)
• Agriculture and Society (agricultural policy, government policy)
• Agricultural Systems Technology
• Agronomy
• Rural Communities development

Besides going to any of these top five institutions for studying agriculture in the US, you can also check out the Oregon State University, Michigan State University, University of California, Berkeley, and Auburn University. These institutions offer courses and programs in agriculture and related fields. Though there isn’t an extensive range of options in the US for agriculture studies, the quality of education in farm work offered at the universities that do offer courses in this field is impressive. So, as long as you understand the requirements for application, pass the eligibility tests, and show funds for studying and living in the country, gaining admission is hassle-free.

Admission Process for Agriculture US Courses

To get into a college or university in the USA, you need to submit an application. Almost every institution accepts online applications, especially from international students from India, China, Australia, and African or European nations. While submitting the application, ensure that you include:

• Certificates and transcripts showing academic performance. For undergraduate courses, you must submit the transcripts of school education, and for postgraduate studies, you need to submit the bachelor’s degree mark sheets.
• Statement of purpose
• Letter of recommendation
• GMAT or GRE score sheets for getting into a master’s course.

Eligibility Criteria

Your academic performance is the primary condition to get admission into any program in the USA, including agriculture.

• You must have a minimum CGPA of 2.5 to 4. The final benchmark depends on the university and the course you are going to.
• Secondly, you need to be proficient in English. For that, your IELTS score must be between 6 and 7. For TOEFL, the score range is 80 to 89.
• For a bachelor’s degree, you must obtain a minimum ACT score of 22.
• For a Master’s degree, the minimum GRE score you need to get is 140.

Conclusion

Studying agriculture and its related subjects from educational institutions in the USA requires identifying the best universities and their admission process. We have shared the top five colleges you can choose from and the courses they offer in agriculture and its related fields. Studying courses in Agriculture US institutions offer will mean building a promising career in this field and applying the integrated knowledge in different fields and sectors. For more insights, make sure to follow the LeapScholar blog, where we share high-quality informational pieces on studying abroad.