Documents to be submitted to the university/college you wish to apply to:-

• University/College Application form
  In some cases, you may have to submit more than one application form, for example, you may have to submit a general application, as well as a scholarship/assistantship application and a departmental application.
  
  
• Academic Records/Transcripts
  
  For Undergraduate programs: You are required to submit a secondary school report and report cards of your final exams. The report form should be filled out by a school official and should provide your ranking in the class. The school report should talk about your accomplishments and provide a prediction of your chances for success in university-level studies.If possible, ask your school to include a guide to the grading standards used in your educational system and your school. If your school ranks students by their level of academic achievement, make certain that the ranking is included with the other details. Also send the school / junior college leaving certificate as and when it is available. If the transcripts are in a language other than English, then it must be translated into English only by the issuing authority otherwise it may not be acceptable.
  
  For graduate level programs: Students are required to submit an official transcript from each college or university that they have attended after secondary school with complete details of the subjects/credits involved (for each year). Most universities ask for the transcript to be sealed in an envelope and signed and attested across the seal by the registrar. This procedure is to be done for each and every college that you have attended. Some universities may ask for more than one copy of the transcript.If the transcripts are in a language other than English, they must be translated into English only by the issuing authority or university.
  
  
• Statement of Purpose (SOP) - This is usually a one-page statement in which you have the opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions committee, and tell them about your goals, personally and professionally, and what would make you a valuable addition to their campus community. The statement should contain information about your educational objectives, your career goals, your reasons for wanting to study in the U.S. and in the particular school or college to which you are submitting the application. This is a good time to show evidence of your desire to attend this specific program, and you should take this opportunity to specifically mention what it is about the program (e.g. specific courses, faculty members, opportunities for research) that appeal to you.
  
  
• Recommendation Letters - At least two and often three recommendation letters from former lecturers/professors who know you and your work. If you are applying to a MBA or Management program, these programs often prefer letters from former supervisors who can speak about your professional accomplishments. These recommendations must be written in English on letterhead paper and must be signed and sealed in an envelope, or sent directly to the school. It's best to prepare your recommenders by giving them some information about the specific programs to which you are applying and your reasons for wanting to attend so that they may write a stronger letter of support.
  
  
• Bank Statement - A Financial statement or bank statement indicates the availability of funds that you or your sponsor have available to pay for your tuition and living expenses while studying abroad. These funds must be accessible for the purpose of your further education.
  An official letter should come from a bank employee on the bank's letterhead with a seal and should clearly indicate the amount of funds available both in your native currency and in U.S. dollars.
  To each and every university you apply to, you need to enclose an original bank statement showing adequate funds to cover at least a year's tuition and living expenses. Instead of getting multiple originals, which may not be practically possible, you may get the first statement photocopied (before signatures are made by the banker) and then signed and sealed by the bank manager individually.
  Some universities need the financial statement filled in the application itself. If it is indicated as mandatory, you need to get that form appropriately filled by the bank. Ideally, one should indicate availability of funds for the entire duration of the program, but if this is not possible, you should show evidence of funding for at least one year, covering tuition, living expenses and other fees.
  Hence, before requesting a statement, it's a good idea to calculate what would be the maximum annual budget from among the universities you wish to apply to, and take the highest amount and arrange for bank statement accordingly. This will eliminate the need to request a new statement for each application.
  
  
• Affidavit of Support Some colleges and universities may also require an AOS in addition to the bank statement. An Affidavit of Support (AOS) is a statement to be given by your sponsor (the person who will be financing your education.)
  This has to be given on Rs.20/- non-judicial stamp paper, in a prescribed format. Sometimes, the universities have their own forms, and in this case, the form would need to be signed by your sponsor, properly witnessed and attested by a notary public.
  To each and every university you apply to, you need to enclose an original AOS. Instead of getting multiple stamp papers and doing the AOS, you may get the first statement photocopied (before signatures are made by the sponsor) and then signed by the sponsor and notarized individually
  
  
• Application feeCan be submitted online by credit card, or by bank check in USD $ in the amount required by university.
  
  
• Standardized Test Score Report(s) If you have already taken TOEFL/IELTS and/or SAT/GRE/GMAT and are having the scores reported directly to the schools, you may also want to enclose a copy of the score report for quick reference.


• Covering letter - Although this is not required, this is a good place to include any additional information about your application, for example, when you plan to take the required standardized exams, if you haven't already. This is also a good place to explain any deficiencies in your candidacy-were your grades/test scores reflective of your true abilities? If not, why is this? Also, if you are applying to a college or university that is not familiar with the Indian educational system, this can be a good place to explain the specifics of your undergraduate program and the grading system, which is very different than in the U.S

Formats cannot be generalized for all the students and need to be personalized as per individual requirements.

Also, if there are any issues concerning your application, like backlogs, failures or gaps between various levels of your education etc., use the covering letter to provide an explanation about such issues? This will offset any problem that you may encounter when you do not explain.

Once all the documents are ready, you may courier them to the universities well before the suggested deadlines, since processing of applications is done on a rolling basis - i.e., first-come-first-serve. Applying early would certainly improve your admission chances than applying nearer the deadlines.