<p>Hi, I'm an East-Asian junior and although I live in the US (for about 9 years now) I'm neither a citizen (don't worry I'm legal) nor do I have a green card (we're still waiting for it). In fact, I'm a Canadian citizen, but I was born in China (I guess I could say I'm "first generation" immigrant in the US?). I have a younger sibling in elementary school (whose American-born) and only my father works. Although my grandparents don't live with us (they live in Canada), they moved there three years ago and I guess we sort of financially support them. However, my father earns between $100,000-$150,000, and many of the colleges that I've looked into provide for financial aid for incomes under $100,000 (however they don't mention the existence of siblings, immigrants, etc). Do I still qualify for financial aid for most of the top schools (ivy league would be awesome of course, but what I mean by top schools are more like smaller private schools like U. Chicago, John Hopkins, Emory, etc and top state ones like U.California (Berkeley/San Diego/Davis in particular), U. Maryland, UVA, etc)?</p>
<p>*Do I still qualify for financial aid for most of the top schools (ivy league would be awesome of course, but what I mean by top schools are more like smaller private schools like U. Chicago, John Hopkins, Emory, etc and top state ones like U.California (Berkeley/San Diego/Davis in particular), U. Maryland, UVA, etc)? *</p>
<p>You’re an int’l, so you won’t get aid from the UCs, UVA, UM, etc.</p>
<p>Your dad’s income is high, so you wouldn’t qualify for a whole bunch of aid …except at maybe HYPS. I don’t know how CSS schools handle the issue of supporting relatives. Some schools believe that a family must FIRST provide for their children before providing for others. </p>
<p>Your parents’ savings/assets/ equity could also cause a higher family contribution. </p>
<p>You’ll have to look up the policies for those privates. Some might give int’ls aid…some may give full aid…some may give some int’ls aid…some may give a limited amount of aid…some may be need aware…</p>
<p>keep in mind that for the schools that do give int’ls aid, you will have to QUALIFY for aid after they look at your parents’ income/assets. Your family doesn’t get to decide what it needs, the school does. </p>
<p>If you have high stats, you might look at some schools that give large merit scholarships to int’ls. How much will your family contribute each year.</p>
<p>Are you an instate resident of California? And have you attended a CA high school for the last three years? I believe you would at least be eligible for instate tuition status in CA if you reside there (not positive…I’m not from CA…but I seem to recall this is the case…someone else will correct me if I’m wrong).</p>
<p>You will not be able to complete a FAFSA which would make you eligible for federally funded aid including the Stafford loan. That is for citizens and permanent residents.</p>
<p>I think your income is a bit high to qualify for much need based aid except at the most generous schools (the schools you list are not amongst those).</p>
<p>Your choice to support other relatives is a very nice thing to do…but it will be viewed as a choice (especially since they do not live with you…cannot be thought of as “dependents” or members of the household). Colleges will expect that the choice for the time being will be to pay for college costs (unless there is some HUGE extenuating circumstance that would require your parents to support your grandparents).</p>