Dual citizenship college applicant

Hi,

I am a us citizen and a Filipino citizen currently studying in the Philippines. I am thinking of studying college in the us. Am I considered an international applicant or a domestic applicant? If I am applicable to both does applying as either one give me a better chance of getting accepted in one of the more selective schools (I.e Stanford) ? I also know that applying as international student financial aid would be unavailable…

Thank you for any info

Since you have US citizenship, you will not be considered an international student. However, since you don’t live in the US, you will be considered out of state applicant – that makes a difference when applying to public universities (costs a lot more.) Being a US citizen may give you a tiny bit of an advantage in some schools, but for a super elite like Stanford, it will be an uphill battle either way.

Dual citizens are a dime a dozen. My own kid is one. A bunch of her college friends also have dual citizenship. IMO, dual citizenship gives you no advantage whatsoever. It only means you are considered a US citizen when it comes to admissions.

As a US citizan you are eligible to file the FAFSA and you can receive federal financial aid. If you have a parent who lives in the US, you might be considered in-state at public colleges and universities in that parent’s state of residence. Each state sets its own policies, so have the US resident parent investigate the situation in that state.

As a US citizen educated outside the US, it is most likely that your application will be read by the admissions officer resposible for the country where you have studied. You will need to follow many (if not all) of the steps required for true international applicants from that country.

Contact the admissions offices at each place on your list, and tell them that you are a US citizen living in the Philippines, and educated there. Ask them what you need to do in order to apply for admission. Do not be surprised if each place tells you something different. Just send the information that A wants to A, and whatever B wants to B.

@Lindagaf The one exception is financial aid. Many colleges are “need blind” for US citizens but not for international students, and many undertake to meet the “full need” of US citizens whereas this isn’t the case when it comes to international students.

@happymomof1 Agree with your second paragraph. When I worked in college admissions, applicants were “read” by the admissions officer responsible for the school/region were they lived (or attended school in the case of boarding school students).

Yep, that’s what I was trying to imply. The applicant will be considered a US citizen. But that’s not going to give him/her an advanatge over all the other US citizens.

ok thank you for all the inputs. is having another citizenship and studying outside the us considered a “hook” when applying to selective us colleges and can I be considered a under represented minority?

Hasn’t that been answered? Your citizenship and studying outside the US is not a hook. Filipinos are considered Asian, so you are not a URM. In 2020, apparently Filipinos will be reclassified as Pacific Islanders.

is having another citizenship and studying outside the us considered a “hook”
NO

Can I be considered a under represented minority?
URM considerations don’t apply to Asians