<p>Does Brown give financial aid to international students in the ED round?</p>
<p>If you are accepted ED, you will get a financial aid package if Brown determines that you need it.</p>
<p>Yes, Brown gives financial aid to international students, regardless of ED vs RD. However, admission is not Needs Blind for International students. If you are wanting to compare aid packages between schools, then ED is not for you. If you are looking for Merit Aid (scholarships not based on need) then ED is not for you. I have noted that foreign students tend to have an unrealistic expectation for financial aid from Brown, maybe comparing it to other schools that will give them more of a free ride. Financial aid for foreign students will involve expecting you to pay some, have loans, and also seems to be more often offered for those who will provide something unique to Brown (read: from areas underrepresented, athletes, interesting stories of upbringing in hardship etc.) ie, if you could attend an elite private school abroad without scholarship, don’t expect aid from Brown.)</p>
<p>Is it that Brown doesn’t give generous fin. aid to international students? Or are they one of those schools who use the ole “bait-n-switch” where they lure you in with a great package and when you re-apply for it the following year it’s lower?</p>
<p>I’m really concerned because Brown is my number one and I’m even considering applying ED but if I’m going to get a less than satisfactory package (if I even get in hahaha) then it wouldn’t be worth it to apply. </p>
<p>This isn’t the first time I’m hearing of people complaining about Brown’s fin aid. I remember reading an article sometime in early March highlighting the fin aid woes of 3 current Brown students. Although I can’t find the article, I do remember that the students didn’t receive the same fin aid they got in previous years, even though none of their family situations had changed. One student ended up taking a semester off to work to pay for the next semester. Another transferred from Brown to a cheaper school (George Mason, I think). So I’m kinda worried.</p>
<p>I don’t think Brown does any kind of bait and switch with financial aid. Your student contribution may go up some as they expect you will work in the summer (or during school) and earn some. If sibs are not in school in subsequent years, the parental portion will go up etc. And sometimes parent’s financial picture changes (or more is known the subsequent years to Brown) and the student might not know the details. If you really need to compare total college costs, and the estimated aide calculator from Brown doesn’t help you know if you will be in the ballpark,then RD is likely the way to go. I’d be curious to see the above “cases”/article.</p>
<p>As a parent of an alum did you encounter any problems with Brown fin aid or hear your child discuss any problems others were having?</p>
<p>My only problem with financial aid is that we got none. (Spouse says that was a long shot). When I was a student I had very generous aid, (long ago).
My student can not think of any students they know first hand that got a reduced aid in subsequent years, EXcept when they specifically asked for an indepth relook at their aid package in a subsequent year. That or other info to financial aid triggered an “audit” type look at the person’s aid package and found that the parents were incorrectly reporting things (military parent who did not report housing allowance pay in one case), so be careful what you ask for! Says the article was in the BDH in the spring, but can’t find it off hand.
I also have known students whose parents financial circumstances change and think they’re entitled to more aid but are not (legal cases, divorces, supporting grandma but she’s not on the taxes as a dependent etc.) and they tell the student they cannot make the parental expected amount, so student has to take time off or what not.
My student says also knows a couple of students who felt they needed to graduate a year early (extra classes, summer classes etc) and worked also to make it through, but none of these were due to a change in the aid projections, rather a change in looking at how to make the total cost the least due to tight aid packages.</p>
<ol>
<li>Yes, International students are considered for Brown Financial Aid regardless of whether they apply ED or RD.</li>
<li>Although brown is need aware for internationals, I know NUMEROUS cases who have got full rides or similar financial aid packages. Brown financial aid is quite generous as compared to most schools. I even know of students who have got one free flight home. Also, in my opinion, applying ED cannot hurt too much as you get the choice to withdraw your ED application if you feel Brown’s financial aid is not what you expected and apply RD elsewhere and compare your financial aid awards later.</li>
</ol>