Paying for School: Financial Aid

Financing a U.S. college degree is a significant hurdle, even for most Americans. However, as a foreign student, you must prove in advance that you can pay for your studies before you can obtain a visa to study in the United States. More than likely, you will need to pursue some form of financial aid.

The cost of tuition varies dramatically from school to school from as little as $7000 a year at some schools to $40,000 a year and beyond at others. You may notice that State supported schools (separate from private colleges and universities) typically offer lower tuition fees to residents of their own State. For example, at the University of Rhode Island in 1999, the tuition cost for a student (full-time undergraduate) who qualified as a resident of Rhode Island was $1686 a semester, while the cost for a non-resident (even for an American) was $5796 a semester. Being a resident, obviously, can be much less expensive, but as a foreign student, you cannot initially take advantage of these lower tuition fees. In addition to tuition, you will also have costs for room, board (meals), and books.

Help from Colleges or Universities

You certainly should make inquiries about aid for international students with the schools you are applying to. While many U.S. schools offer little aid to foreign undergraduate students (unless you happen to be an extraordinary athlete), some schools do offer scholarships, or have special programs to help foreign students find aid. For example, Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, says it seeks a student population which is culturally, economically, socially and geographically diverse, and the institution works to support students who would not otherwise have the resources to enroll. In the 1999-2000 school year, Lewis & Clark awarded about 15 international students with $9000 towards their schooling. The top 10 aid-giving schools for international students are listed at the SRN Express website.

A list of direct links to financial aid offices for various colleges and universities is listed here at Yahoo. Individual schools are more likely to offer grants and scholarships to foreigners who prove themselves superior in their fields of study. When applying to a school, also complete the International Student Financial Aid Application (available from Brown University) and return it to the school. It will help your school to determine whether any aid is available to you.

Graduate students should have more luck finding aid, as graduate and teaching assistantships and fellowships are offered to students with proven academic records, regardless of whether they are foreign or American-born. Even if you are applying for graduate studies, however, some schools will not consider you for a fellowship or assistantship until your second year of study.

Scholarships

While there are many scholarships for study, they often require U.S. citizenship or at least residency. If you find a scholarship that interests you, the first thing you should do is to look at the requirements and determine if you must be a U.S. citizen. There is aid available for foreign students, but it takes initiative and determination to find. Some places that have scholarship information specifically for foreign students include:

• International Education Financial Aid Website allows international students to search for scholarships based on field of study
• Financial Aid for Foreign Nationals Studying in the United States (NAFSA) provides tips and lists sources of additional information
• Rotary International Scholarships

• Scholarship Experts has a special database of scholarships for international students. This is a service of financial aid professionals, who find the most appropriate scholarships for your situation. Although this is a paid service, the company prides itself on saving you time by having the most up to date listing of awards, which are reviewed annually.

Government Grants & Loans

You may see, and schools may send you, information about state and federal (national) financial aid. Before you take the time to apply, be sure to determine whether the aid is available to foreign students. Unfortunately, federal and state grants and loans generally do not apply to foreign students studying in the United States. For more information about federal aid, see Eligibility Requirements for Federal Aid. For more information about state financial aid, contact the appropriate state (click here for a list of state education agencies).

Other Sources

It does not hurt to be creative in your search. You may have luck researching grants or loans in your own country for study abroad. Also, some international agencies such as the United Nations and the World Council of Churches offer financial aid for students who wish to study in the United States, but competition is tough for aid from large agencies such as these.

What interests you? What clubs, churches, or civic groups are you a member of? It is certainly worth your time to research groups in your own country that may offer scholarships to individuals with your interests, your ideals, or your ethnic background. You may be surprised what you find, and you will certainly increase your chances of getting a scholarship since you will be applying for scholarships for which you are uniquely qualified.

Be sure to see Assistance in Your Country for resources and organizations in your own country that can provide guidance.

More Websites

Here are more places on the web that can help you look for financial assistance:

• eduPASS is a site providing comprehensive information to foreigners wishing to study in the United States.
• FastWEB is a free scholarship search service that asks you questions to determine your background, including hobbies and interests, and then searches for appropriate financial aid for you. FastWEB will even email you information about financial aid that may suit your needs, as it becomes available.
• Mach 25 allows you to search for scholarships based upon your age, nationality, interest and club memberships, as well as other characteristics.