Bad idea to apply for financial aid?

Can I apply for financial aid for US colleges even if I’m not eligible for it (used net price calculators in some colleges’ websites, even tho they said it’s not suitable for internationals)? We suffered losses due to COVID (not reflected in the 2019-2020 tax returns since it was filed last year) and my parents were already reluctant to send me abroad and the price tags aren’t helping. Is there any way to explain special circumstances to colleges?

(P.S: parents would be able to contribute a significant amount, but paying the full cost of attendance would take its toll on them)

If you need financial aid, you need to apply for financial aid.

That’s not saying that you’ll get it; it just means that if you don’t apply for it for freshman status, you wont be able to access it for years 2-4.

The schools have a finite set of dollars and they decide who gets it and how much.

You are an international student? Not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident?

Are you sure your colleges give need based aid to international students? Do any of your colleges guarantee to meet full need for all international students?

Those colleges which meet full need for all international students are highly competitive for admissions.

Many colleges here only provide limited aid for international students…and some provide none.

Apply for aid if you need it. But more important…make sure you have some affordable options perhaps in your home country on your application list.

@“aunt bea” if this is an international student, there are a large number of colleges where he won’t be eligible to apply for need based aid ever…if he doesn’t apply as an incoming freshman.

  1. Tax returns are not 2019-2020. They are for the calendar year...so 2019 (when Covid wasn’t an issue) and 2020.
  2. There are tens of thousands of college students who have family incomes and such impacted by Covid. I’m not positive that is going to be able to be considered a special circumstance...due to the very large numbers.
  3. If your parents have an annual college budget, please listen to them. Many students have had to make compromises because their families have needed to do so. If your family can’t afford a huge annual college bill...please work with them. Find some affordable options.
  4. How much can your family pay annually? Do you have sufficiently high grades to get auto merit aid at places like University of Alabama, Arizona, University of New Mexico? With merit, would your net costs be affordable?

Are you sure your colleges give need based aid to international students? Do any of your colleges guarantee to meet full need for all international students?

-Yes, I’ve targeted those specifically.

  1. Tax returns are not 2019-2020. They are for the calendar year...so 2019 (when Covid wasn’t an issue) and 2020.
  • Fiscal years are a bit different here, ig (July-June). So should I be applying with the 2018-19 one? 2019-20 is the most recent one I have tho.
  1. How much can your family pay annually? Do you have sufficiently high grades to get auto merit aid at places like University of Alabama, Arizona, University of New Mexico? With merit, would your net costs be affordable?

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  • They can pay a significant amount but whether they will is another question. They'll probably fork out cash if it's a "prestigious" college, otherwise...I have no idea. I do plan on applying for some merit scholarships tho (St. John's University and Clark Uni, to name a few)

I believe you will need to figure out parent earnings for the 2019 calendar year to complete the 2021-2022 FAFSA and Profile. They don’t run on “fiscal year”. The year used here is the tax year which is the calendar year.

@kelsmom is that correct.

These colleges will calculate your financial need based in the financials you put on your financial aid forms. This will be income from 2019, and assets as of the day you file the forms. If your parents have sufficient income and assets on the forms, you will receive less aid than if they don’t.

It sounds like you are hoping that the schools will give you a special circumstance consideration because incomes or something were impacted by Covid. Certainly, you can inquire. But like i said earlier, tens of thousands of families or more have had financial issues related to Covid. Maybe the college will hear your plea and adjust and maybe they won’t. There is no guarantee with these as they are handled on a case by case basis,

If you have really high stats, you might get sufficient merit aid to fund a lot of your costs at Alabama, Arizona, New Mexico where automatic scholarships are given. Depending on your stats, you could end up with out of pocket costs under $20,000 a year. Why aren’t these colleges on your list?

“If your parents have an annual college budget, please listen to them.”

Exactly. You need to understand what your budget is, and you need to plan to stick with it. Money does not appear by magic out of thin air, and university in the US can be very expensive.

If you tell us your stats and your budget someone here might be able to suggest some schools. Knowing your likely major(s) and university preferences would also be helpful.

-Thank you, I’ll look into these colleges.

  • Stats: SAT: 1390 (EBRW-740, Math-650) will be retaking in December and targeting 1500+ at least. GPA: 4.38/5 Major: Government/Pre-Law/Political Science Don't have any uni preferences, but being in New York would be a nice bonus. It's not super important tho. As for budget, keeping it between 30-40k per year would be preferable.

It’s going to be very costly to live in NYC. It’s a very expensive place to find housing. Even if you get a full tuition scholarship (can’t think of a place that gives those automatically in NYC) you would be paying travel, and lodging and meal expenses for the year.

Why NY. Please explain.

My family’s going through the immigration process and that’s where they’ll live. It’ll give me the option of living with them, at least. I have other relatives in NYC as well. Like I said, it’s not super important, just a little bonus.

Where are you in the immigration process? Will you have a green card when you arrive in the US?

It might make best sense for you to just wait until you get here to apply to college. If you have a green card you will be a domestic student for financial aid purposes, and that changes everything.

I’ll probably age out as a derivative beneficiary by the time they get an interview (lots of backlog due to the 8 month visa ban), so I’m not pinning any hopes on that. I’m already considered a gap year student and I don’t want to waste any more time.

Are you currently a high school senior?
When is your family moving to NYS?
SUNY/CUNY even if you have to pay OOS tuition may be an affordable option for your family

Yep, senior
It could be next year, or the year after that, depending on how quickly the visa queue moves.
Yeah, SUNY/CUNY are pretty great, I definitely plan on applying!