<p>I am a Canadian International who has lived legally in New Jersey for over a year. I am interested in schools like Columbia University, MIT, and UPenn. </p>
<p>What is my situation for financial aid like? Since I do not have a social security number, I am ineligible for FAFSA even though I have lived in the US. My family income is about 85000 per year and I have two younger college-bound sisters also.</p>
<p>You need to check the school websites for eligibility for financial aid for international students. In many cases, the policies for awarding aid for international students is NOT the same as those who are not internationals. And the financial aid policies of the schools you have listed also are not the same. P.S. I don’t think MIT is a member of the Ivy League.</p>
<p>My Dds have several Canadian friends who got financial aid packages at Brown, Princeton, Colgate, Yale, Harvard, etc. At least 2 were athletes, but since there are no athletic scholarships, it must have been need based aid</p>
<p>I agree with thumper, that you must check the individual FA policies. At some schools, from a FA perspective (and need blind practices) Studnets from Canada and Mexico are treated the same as US Citizens/Permanent residents. At other schools, if you are not a US Citizen/Permanent Resident, you are considered an international student. Keep in mind that the international pool is very competitive and is not need blind at many schools.</p>
<p>well, all I know about Columbia is that they are internationally need-blind when SELECTING students for acceptances. But I don’t know about the amount of financial aid they actually grant to Canadians and Mexicans, compared to domestic students who fill out FAFSA.</p>
<p>P.S. I said I was interested in MIT…I never explicitly said it was an Ivy League school. Sorry if you were confused.</p>
<p>Hmmm…I thought I read on Columbia’s website that they are “need sensitive” for international students…not need blind. But if you get accepted, they meet 100% of need. BUT remember…Columbia will compute your need…NOT YOU.</p>
<p>Need sensitive means that your ability to pay will be a factor in their admissions decision. When it comes between you an a similiarly qualified candidate the person “needing” less of the school’s resources will get the tip.</p>
<p>So let me clear things up:</p>
<p>-They are need-blind for Canadians and Mexicans as well as domestics; need-sensitive for all other internationals. All this has to do with the first step: actually getting an acceptance from Columbia University.</p>
<p>-If one passes the first step, i.e., gets accepted, then 100% of the demonstrated need will be met, regardless of whether the student is a domestic, Canadian/Mexican, or pure international. </p>
<p>Am I correct? >.<</p>
<p>So, basically, due to Columbia University’s international policies, a Canadian citizen has no disadvantage whatsoever with regards to admissions decisions AND financial aid eligibility if she is as adept as any other US applicant?</p>
<p>If you are accepted at Columbia, regardless of your status, Columbia will mee 100% of your demonstrated need (remember it is Columbia who determines how much you need).</p>
<p>Columbia states the following:</p>
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