<p>Hi, im an international student from Hong Kong, applying to US universities and currently a
green card holder. When or will I be egligible for any financial aid/grants etc.? Do I have any advantage in the admissions process?
Thanks </p>
<p>^If you attending schools in U.S., you could apply for Federal financial aid. Also, many schools offer “need-blind” admission process and award financial aid to US citizens and eligible non-citizens only.</p>
<p>Um…even schools that are need aware for admissions process and award aid to citizens and permanent residents. It’s not just need blind schools. </p>
<p>What about UC schools?</p>
<p>If you are a California resident, we would be eligible for Cal Grants, Blue and Gold Plan Scholarship etc… if you qualify. If you OOS or International then you will get very little financial aid from the UC’s. If you have top stats, regents would give you anywhere from $2500-10,000 depending upon the UC.</p>
<p>You can’t count on UC regents even many student with top stats do not get that–such awards for OOS are very limited.Same for instate. Are you in or oos?</p>
<p>I’m international and I have a green card. But if I become a permanent resident after a few years, am I egligible to apply for government grants etc?</p>
<p>If you have a green card, then you are NOT an intl.</p>
<p>A green card means yYou are a permanent resident. So you are being confusing.</p>
<p>
“Green Card” means you have to live in US permanently. If you don’t, they may take away your “Green Card” </p>
<p>If you’re a permanent resident, you have a “green card” (it’s actually pink but no one would call it " a pink card"…). It’s not the same as citizenship not is it the same as international. Those do NOT depend on where you were born or what color/ethnicity/citizenship your parents were. They depend on YOUR legal, administrative status.
International student means you need a student visa (typically F1 or J1), for which you’re only allowed in the US to get a degree and after that you must return to your country.
Permanent resident means you can stay in the country indefinitely, work, study there, and benefit from almost the same rights and duties as American citizens, as long as you stay in the US for most of the year and act within the law.
Citizens, in addition, get the right to choose what they want for their town, county, schools, State, and Country, through elections. In addition, they can leave the US for any length of time and they cannot ever lose citizenship.
Permanent residents and citizens who live in a State, have a driving license from that state, own a house in that state, and vote in that state, are considered “in state residents for tuition purpose”, meaning you get discounted fees at that state’s public universities. Students who apply to public universities in other states than where their parents live, drive, vote, and pay taxes, are considered “out of state applicants”: not only do they have extra charges added to their tuition bill, but in addition they don’t have access to the state grants for financial aid. For this reason, it’s very expensive to study at an out-of-state public university.
If you’re currently living in Hong Kong, you’re unlikely to be “in state for tuition purpose” anywhere so you’d have to pay the out of state fees at all universities.
Private universities do NOT make an “in state” and “out of state” distinction so there’s no difference in costs.
Being a permanent resident means you have access to all the federal financial aid plans (subsidized and unsubsidized loans, Pell Grant if you’re lower income) as well as various sources of financial aid.
(Internationals don’t which makes it very hard for them to get financial support for their studies). In short, your application will be compared to that of students from Hong Kong, but for financial aid you’ll be treated with “domestic applicants” (ie., American citizens and Permanent Residents).
Be careful not to lose your permanent resident status if you live abroad for too long.</p>
<p>Be very careful about voting if you are not a citizen. Some states allow it, but not for federal elections. Doing so will make you ineligible for citizenship.</p>
<p>^That’s what I meant with the sentence “Citizens, in addition, get the right to choose what they want for their town, county, schools, State, and Country, through elections.” You can’t vote if you’re not a citizen (except in school elections, like, for Prom King or Class president :p). There are exceptions but they’re few and far between.</p>
<p>"Permanent residents and citizens who live in a State, have a driving license from that state, own a house in that state, and [underline] vote in that state [underline], are considered “in state residents for tuition purpose”,</p>
<p>I read this as your stating that permanent residents can vote, since it is grouped with things they can do (driver’s license, own a home). There have been many cases of permanent residents or other non-citizens voting, and that forever barring them from citizenship. One guy in Colorado thought he was a citizen, never knew he was born in Mexico. Once he voted, he could NEVER become a citizen. Innocent mistake cost him dearly.</p>
<p>In state tuition policy varies with State and schools. I don’t see how one can make a generalization on it.</p>
<p>@twoanddone: I understand what you mean (I should have written two sentences but went for fast) and hopefully Matthew understood both what I meant and what you meant.
@billcsho: it’s possible to provide information to a student in Hong Kong who doesn’t seem to grasp the difference between international, permanent resident, citizen, instate, and out of state. Obviously the fine differences of “in state requirements” for each state won’t be included but covering the basics without getting stuck on details is possible. Matthew can then look those details up once he’s understood the basic differences. :)</p>
<p>In any case, OP would not be eligible for in state tuition. So we don’t really need to get into details with it. ;)</p>
<p>Alright. Thanks guys, I’ve got it all sorted out</p>