Finacial aid-Visa-ugh what?

Student Lounge International Students
1

<p>Hi, I am confused about something.</p>

<p>My family can't afford an US college so i want to apply for financial aid. However, almost every college need a proof I can pay for college to get me a student Visa, or the opposite. I really don't get it, if I need a proof I can pay for college to get a Visa, how can I apply in the first place? Sorry this is just really confusing to me, not sure if I explained it well enough.
Can someone explain me how this works?</p>

2

<p>College-administered financial aid is a source of funding for visa purposes. The I-20 (a document issued by the college that you’ll need for your visa) might break down your funding as follows:</p>

<p>Estimated cost of attendance: $43,000</p>

<p>Personal Savings: $5,000
Institutional grants: $33,000
Institutional loan: $3,000
On-campus employment: $2,000</p>

3

<p>So do I need Visa before applying or vice versa? I still don’t get it lol</p>

4

<p>You’ll need to get accepted to college first, then get an I-20 document from the college, and then use that to apply for a student visa.</p>

<p>Colleges are legally required to verify your financial resources before issuing your I-20. Theoretically, they wouldn’t need to ask financial questions until after you are accepted. But what’s the point of admitting a student who couldn’t afford to attend anyway? That’s why colleges that don’t normally give financial aid to international students ask for financial documentation with your initial application.</p>

5

<p>When you are applying, if you are applying for aid, you should send fin aid form which shows your family’s financial info and more important estimated contribution.
Important note: if the college is need aware, think about applying for aid or not. your contribution can reduce your chance to be admitted in this colleges…</p>

<p>After you got your acceptance letter and your fin aid offer, you accept the offer and college will send you an I-20. In I-20 there is a part that shows how much fund you are receiving…</p>

<p>Your funds + what college is giving you should be >= college’s one year expenses…</p>

<p>See:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1151-financial-aid-scholarship-resource-threads-start-here.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1151-financial-aid-scholarship-resource-threads-start-here.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>Thank you guys!</p>