<p>Hello, all! I'm very confused at the moment about what type of student I am. See, I was born in the USA and lived there for seven years, so I've got the citizenship -- not a permanent residency, a citizenship -- but I've been living/studying in Egypt for my entire high school life. My school is an international one; I'm not following the American system of schooling. All my exams are overseen by the British Council, and I take A-levels and O-levels.</p>
<p>Technically I'm a domestic student because I have the citizenship, but I'm also international because a) i'm not a resident and b) I don't have their high school qualifications. </p>
<p>It’ll depend on each school’s policy so you need to ask each one. </p>
<p>Typically though it means you’ll be assessed with the international students for the application, but for financial aid you’ll be processed with all American citizens (who are eligible for much more financial aid.)</p>
<p>BTW you will need to give your O’Level results and A’level predicted results.</p>
<p>You don’t decide whether you apply as a domestic student. Schools do.
Most will consider that if you don’t need a visa, you’re a domestic applicant. However they will look at your application in the context of other applicants from the same country since they can’t compare you to students from US high schools.
They may also decide that if you attended school in another country, you’re an international applicant. It’s their classification, not yours. And each school is free to decide, no matter what other schools do. That’s why you need to check with each school you apply to.</p>
<p>Remember, however, that for financial aid purposes, you are an American citizen. You are eligible for Stafford loans and if your income is low enough, for Perkins grants. You will need to fill out a FAFSA every year for these loans or grants.</p>
<p>You are a domestic applicant for financial aid purposes as Chedva has pointed out.</p>
<p>It is most likely that an international admissions officer who is familiar with the type of school that you have been attending will be assigned to read your application.</p>
<p>You may be asked to provide a TOEFL score.</p>
<p>Each place sets its own policy, so email each of them separately. Let them know that you are a US citizen educated abroad, and ask each of them what you need to do. Do notbe surprised if each place has different requirements.</p>
<p>You also can find the closest office of EducationUSA, and ask the counselors there for help. If no one in that office has worked with a US citizen lately, they certainly have colleagues in other offices who have. Www.EducationUSA.state.gov</p>
<p>Hi I have a question regarding my applicant status. Am I considered an International student? Do I have to take the toefl exam?
I am on an A-1 diplomatic visa and have lived in Mass, USA for four years now. I was born outside the US and english is not my native language even though it is my “academic” one. I am attending a public high school and have had A’s in ap language classes. Am I considered an International student?</p>
<p>Each school has its own policy: some consider that if you need a visa, you are an international student for admission purposes. Others treat you with Americans if you attended high school in the US for 4 years. Others consider separately A1 visas and F1 visas.
Most school will require you to take the TOEFL though and it’ll be to your advantage to do so.
In short: you have to check with each school.</p>
<p>Your visa status will (to the best of my knowledge) make you an international student for financial aid purposes, and will probably disqualify you for in-state tuition rates at public universities in MA. ([This</a> document](<a href=“Financial Aid : UMass Amherst”>Financial Aid : UMass Amherst) suggests that only non-citizens with immigration intent can qualify for in-state tuition.)</p>
<p>That’s the extent to your international-ness. Your application will probably be read by the admissions officer in charge of your school in MA and not by someone specializing in foreign schools. Odds are that you won’t have to take the TOEFL; most universities waive the TOEFL requirement for foreign students who have completed their whole high school education in the US. But that’s something you’ll have to check with each college individually.</p>
<p>The “international vs domestic” debate is pretty meaningless in my opinion because many college applicants have some international background: Americans living abroad, foreigners living in the US, US citizen applicants whose parents are not US citizens and don’t live in the US (complicates financial aid), etc. </p>
<p>I would recommend that you read the admission information for both international and domestic students on each college website and see what applies to you. (The international section will tell you how to apply for financial aid as a non-citizen and whether you need to take the TOEFL; the domestic section will give you application information relevant to your US academic background.) </p>
<p>If you are unsure what applies to you after reading the college website, email them and ask.</p>
By the way, start thinking about which visa you want to use in college. You could keep your A-1 visa or switch to an F-1 student visa. The two visas have different restrictions and benefits (e.g. regarding your ability to pursue employment in the US, during and after college; your dependence on your family’s visa status; your eligibility for scholarships and in-state tuition; and your tax status) that you should investigate sooner rather than later.</p>