<p>I might be an international student at a university in the states this summer.
Like mostly everybody else I find paying for college hard, this is why I have a question about how the EFC is calculated - all knowledgeable replies are very welcome.</p>
<p>My parents earn combined around $200.000 a year!
This is a pretty good number for colleges to look at, and I'm afraid they might not deem me for financial assistance?</p>
<p>The thing is that in my country(hardest taxed country in the WORLD, we pay around 68-70% tax. which means you can substract a HUGE amount from that budget. We also have a very high mortgage and rent in our house which pushes our budget really tight, and with a car and everything there's barely any space in the budget left, some months we even have a negative bottomline.</p>
<p>The problem is, will colleges just look at their salary and say "hey move to a smaller house" or "sell your car" or how does this EFC work? I mean if my parents earn 200k a year, but spend all of it on expenses and we don't have any savings could I then be judged to have a 0'ish EFC, or will it just say "hey figure it out pay 18-20% of your income to college" even though it's not virtually possible for my family?</p>
<p>Do you guys know how this works for international students?</p>
<p>Housing and other personal expenses are not considered specifically in the equation, although an allowance is made for them. People who live in high cost of living areas, or just have large mortgage payments, frequently feel that this is unfair but it is what it is. Taxes are factored in, so that should bring your available income down considerably but the equity value of your family’s property may also be considered an asset. Unfortunately, many US schools don’t offer need-based aid to international students - those who do generally will not meet the full need - you’d probably have better luck finding merit scholarships than need-based grants.</p>
<p>Btw, what country has an 80% tax rate? Yikes!</p>
<p>Actually it’s not a “pretty good number”, it’s a very good number. That salary is in the top 5% of wage earners in the U.S. I’m sorry, but I don’t think you will qualify for need based aid.</p>
<p>There are some schools that provide merit aid to international students. If your stats are high enough, I hope you considered applying to such a school.</p>
<p>Most American families feel the same way you do. They pay high taxes and have a high cost of living. Except for the very wealthy, the EFC is painful.</p>
<p>So no, you will not have a zero EFC. Colleges don’t expect you to pay out of current income, they expect savings for college (whether or not there are any) and the willingness to borrow. They expect it to be painful for the family.</p>
<p>This is why most internationals, when they do the research, end up staying home for undergrad unfortunately.</p>
<p>yeah, as my name reveals, Denmark; we pay around 60% tax and then we pay 8% tax to have a job. so that totals 68% in tax, so just sub 70%.</p>
<p>Well I’m applying to private universities such as Chapman e.c.t that have a 100% need met policy.</p>
<p>But We don’t have any money for college, we don’t even have any savings?</p>
<p>I’m not quite sure that that’s fair. Had I been applying to public universities then ofc it would be fair that the american taxpayers money does NOT go to international students, but at private universities tax money doesn’t have a word to say.</p>
<p>I mean Its not like I’m applying for FAFSA,
I’m purely applying for institutional aid at private universities.</p>
<p>But you guys think that they will want my family to come up with more money than we ever have or own based on income? thats not so nice.</p>
<p>You need to understand the system. I think it’s hard for many Europeans because the cost of college there is so low.</p>
<p>American kids can’t just go wherever they want either. Most kids in your family’s income bracket attend public colleges because the families can’t afford their EFC.
Loans are going to be tough whether you have need or not since most student loans come from the federal government. A few colleges will loan internationals money directly, but most won’t. And I don’t believe Chapman meets need for internationals. </p>
<p>If you are a very top student with great SAT scores you can look for merit aid.</p>
<p>Well, in a sense, your family HAS been paying for college – through their high taxes.
I don’t mean to sound hard hearted, but your choice not to go to the schools that your family has already been paying for is just that, a choice. (I’m assuming that you could go to your country’s universities for much less money.)</p>
<p>Similarly, in my part of the US, we pay high property taxes to pay for our very good public school system. (We’re on Long Island. My taxes for a modest house are 8K.) However I chose to send my kids to a private school for the elementary years. I recognize that this was a personal choice, though, to essentially pay twice for the same services.</p>
<p>Oh…duh, I didn’t even look at the name! Loans are not based on financial need and colleges will certify loans up to the full cost of attendance. But you will have to arrange for private loan financing through a bank as you are ineligible for US government loans. You won’t really know what EFC schools will assign you, or what combination of merit and need-based aid may be offered, until you apply and submit your financial info. It’s really an individual process although you, and every student, should have at least one school on your application list where you know you’re likely to be accepted and will be affordable. Good luck!</p>
<p>That is very significant. Your income doesn’t matter at ALL at Chapman. They don’t give need based aid to international students. Hopefully you are a top student and will get a merit award. BUT beware it will not cover your full cost of attending the school.</p>
<p>Yeah I’m probably going to end up at a public then :-).</p>
<p>I just wish for both internationals and national’s that they would calculate EFC differently, and include mandatory fees of living into the budget and not just the gross in-come.
But then again, no institution would EVER want to give out a dime more than absolutely neccesary.</p>
<p>It’s not that they don’t WANT to, but they simply can’t AFFORD to! Only the few schools with mega-endowments can afford to meet the full need of every student. And US schools base EFC on the premise that parents will use a portion of their past, present, and future income to help pay for educational expenses. Truly, most middle-class families can save something for college if they make it a priority. Parents can, and often do, take loans to help finance their EFC and American students are often expected to work to pay for books, transportation, personal expenses, etc. So the EFC is truly just a starting point and the whole college financing scenario can involve many pieces, and players, working together.</p>
<p>I personally hate the term “end up at”…there is a fine college education to be had at many if not most public universities.</p>
<p>BUT buyer beware…you will not get significant aid at a public university in the U.S. and you will be considered an out of state resident at ALL schools. Costs will be comparable to some private schools.</p>
<p>If you haven’t already done so, please take the time to read through everything (and I do indeed mean everything) at [EducationUSA</a> | Study Abroad, Student Visa, University Fairs, College Applications and Study in the U.S. / America](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.info/]EducationUSA”>http://www.educationusa.info/) Most of your questions about higher education in the US are answered there. Then, make an appointment with the counselors at the advising center closest to where you are. There is one in Copenhagen [EducationUSA</a> - Center Profile - The Denmark-America Foundation & Fulbright Commission](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.info/DAF-Fulbright]EducationUSA”>http://www.educationusa.info/DAF-Fulbright) These counselors are expert at helping students from your country find good places to study in the US. They will be able to tell you which colleges/universities here have offered scholarships to students like you in recent years, and they can help you with the whole application process.</p>
<p>It’s always difficult to compare taxes between countries. But many Europeans aren’t aware of how many additional layers of taxing levels there are in the US - typically there are four levels. The taxes on $200k really aren’t that different between here and there.</p>
<p>In the US, consider that you would have: Federal income tax, Medicare, Social Security, state income tax, local income tax, county income tax, real estate property taxes, savings/investment property taxes (even when you lose money!), various state/local taxes on employment (unemployment, etc.), plus a number taxes that are levied as “fees.” For $200k in a nice area, the taxes are very comparable.</p>
<p>At least you folks get great education prices for your taxes. Not sure why you want to come here (where it hurts)! </p>