DOUBT: financial aid question

Paying for College
1

<p>Can an international student still receive financial aid if she does NOT apply for financial during the application BUT then receives her green card in for example the sophomore year of college, can she apply for financial aid then as a us permanent resident?
Why I'm asking this is because my friend knows that if she asks for financial aid on her application she will have a smaller chance of getting into schools like upenn and Columbia because they are not need blind for international students and have limited funding for them. And she is in the process of applying for permanent residency but has not received it yet and will not receive it before college apps are due.
But when she receives a green card won't the college reevaluate her financial issues (like the colleges do for non international students each year) and give her the need based financial aid because she then will have a green card? Or will she still not receive financial aid in her sophomore, junior and senior years of college as a us permanent resident either because she didn't apply for financial aid her freshmen year as an international student?
I guess what I'm asking is whether her status change will affect her receiving financial aid or not. Btw her parents say that they will be able to afford her first year of college, but cannot afford all 4 years. They live in the USA and she currently goes to high school here as a senior.</p>

<p>Was does everyone about this? This really impacts what schools she's applying to and whether or not to apply early. Thanks so much for your input!!!</p>

2

<p>She needs to check EACH college.some schools do NOT allow students to apply for institutional need based aid in subsequent years if they do not apply as incoming freshmen. Note…the student doesn’t need to accept or qualify for aid, but they need to apply.</p>

<p>These very generous schools are giving their money to students…and they want to look at the four year financial expenditure. In other words, they want to avoid students who somehow cobble together enough money for freshman year, but then need full support for three subsequent years.</p>

<p>If your friend gets her green card, she would be eligible for federally funded need based aid. This would include the Direct Loan, and Pell Grant (Pell Grant would be income dependent…her parents incomes).</p>

<p>One more thing…the “tip” for not applying for aid is a very small one, even at need aware schools. If this student is a competitive candidate, she will be so whether or not she applies for aid. PLUS…how will she pay the $60,000 cost of attending college her freshman year?</p>

<p>If she needs aid, she should apply for aid. Getting accepted and not being a le to pay to attend not worth it.</p>