[need advice urgently regarding my long term plan]

Thank you for your advice, it was very helpful I'm going to do my best to follow them, though my field is not very common in Egypt so following your advice Elise may be hard but may be I can publish something online .

[need advice urgently regarding my long term plan]

I'm Egyptian, and currently in a post graduate diploma in computer science. I'm very much interested in machine learning and data mining.

I read every day and watch lectures beside my studying in the diploma. After 2 years (when I finish the diploma) I want to continue my education in the states because its the center of the universe of computer science, the problem is....
I have no money (literally),
please do tell me any advice about what should I do in those 2 years besides studying to earn a scholarship .
which university should I apply to
MS or PhD

 

thank you for your caring