Financial Aid (International Students)

Paying for College
41

<p>Guille, I’m an international student as well, from Mexico. I just wanted to put in what my situation is.
I’m applying to ONLY reach schools in the US because they’re the ones that offer need-based financial aid to Intl’s and are need-blind (Yale, Columbia(not need-blind, though), NYUAD, etc.) Also, UPenn, but UPenn is only need-blind for Mexican and Canadian intl’s, so it wouldn’t work for you.
I did a pretty good ACT and will still work to improve it. I have 97/100 GPA, IB, tons of community service hours, good essays, etc… I’d say I’m not a bad candidate for these colleges, and I wanna give it a try. YET, I know it’s almost impossible to get in.
Look into colleges that offer these kinds of aid, need-based, and work around that.
I can’t pay for anything else, and so my safeties are in my home-country, and I’ll save up and eventually go to Grad school in the US, if things don’t work out.</p>

<p>I say don’t give up, but also bear in mind that staying in your country for a while might be necessary. My dream school is Yale, and even if I don’t get in, I’ll try for Grad school, and so on. Also, listen to everyone and don’t get into a mess with LOANS. Specially loans that big.</p>

42

<p>I have to say…the Calgrant and all the federally funded aid would be a drop in the bucket for the cost of attendance at SCU.</p>

<p>Well, it’s not really a drop in the bucket when figured for 4 years. A student who gets full pell, full stafford, perkins, and work study would be getting about $15k per year ($60k for four years). If you add a Cal Grant on top, that’s about another $25k…so about $85k for four years. While attending will cost about $240k, $85k in gov’t aid is still a significant amount…it’s over 1/3 of the cost. (and if the student also gets SEOG, then that’s even more gov’t money).</p>

<p>For schools that don’t have huge endowments, not being able to include gov’t aid is a huge deal when figuring 4 years of aid per student.</p>

43

<p>Guille:</p>

<p>I was in a situation similar to yours (well, not as complicated).</p>

<p>I understand why you like SCU. I know that SCu has frequent trips to El Salvador and that SCU faculty and students try to volunteer an help people there. It is part of their Jesuit apporach to help people.</p>

<p>However, SCU still is a private school and they need tuition. Unless you are a superstar academically, it is difficult to get much aid.</p>

<p>I will give you a strange advice: Do not go to work if it is a “trap” kind of job. I would take a gap year (I took one).</p>

<p>Also, I do not know the situation of the universities in El Salvador, but did you consider going to some other county in Latin America and getting your degree there. Perhaps you can move to the U.S. later if that’s your dream.</p>

<p>I know that many people from Argentina, Peru, Honduras, Brazil, Uruguay, etc. come fore graduate study here in U.S. Some of these countries have state/federal institutions that are essentially free to everyone who passes the entrance examination.</p>

<p>Also, perhaps other readers will not like to hear this, but here it goes anyway: If you think you will be trapped in your country, perhaps you may consider coming here in some other kind of temporary visa. You may take some community college courses and maybe transfer later to a 4 year institution. This would save you a lot of money. You said you have an Uncle in Caliafornia. Maybe you could stay with them and go to the local community college? Acutually, you may even be able to transfer some courses that you took in El Salvador (IB or even college-level courses) to the CC. Calculus is calculus anywhere. Spanish idem. You got the idea.</p>

44

<p>fca719 - The community college to 4-year institution plan does work for some international students. However, and this is a really, really big however, financial aid is usually not as good for transfers as it is for incoming freshman. Guille19 needs significant aid. The chance of getting that for the last 2 years of college as an international transfer are vanishingly small. </p>

<p>Guille19 - SCU is a really nice university, but there are many others here that would serve your purposes. If you expand your list a bit, you may find others that you like. If you can take a gap year to improve your exam scores, you will have other affordable options. Read through this, and see if any of these places will work for you: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

45

<p>FCA…you’re suggesting that the OP come to the US under a short-term visa, and over-stay his visa.</p>

<p>The OP cannot afford to attend a CC in Calif even if he lives with a relative. The OOS cost for a Calif CC is expensive. The OP couldn’t pay for that. Plus, he wouldn’t be able to work to pay for this classes.</p>

46

<p>Is their any way to study in US if the college doesn’t give financial aid to international students?</p>

47

<p>

</p>

<p>Is this a real question?</p>

<p>There is a very simple way to study in the US: somebody has to pay. Usually it is the family of the international student that is expected to contribute to their child education.</p>

48

<p>zonafahd -</p>

<p>You will not get your student visa if you cannot demonstrate to the visa interview officer that you have the money to pay for your stay here. That money can come from your family, your government, the college/university, another outside agency, but it has to come from somewhere. Every single year some students are refused visas because the visa officers don’t believe that the financial statements those students have brought to the interview indicate that the there truly is sufficient money available.</p>

49

<p>Here is what I am saying:</p>

<p>If Guille is <em>sure</em> that his/her future in El Salvador is doomed ($6K call center job for ever) then he/she has a decision to make:</p>

<p>One can take communiity college courses while on a tourist Visa (legally you can do this. The thing you cannot do is become a full time student). One can come to U.S. multilple times legally and keep taking courses this way. One can overstay his/her visa (illegally) and take the risk of being deported (which may or may not be a big deal for someone who is in El Salvador anyway). </p>

<p>I think that even if he/she graduates with an AA degree from U.S., it may be the case that it has more value than a 2-years degree from his country (based on what he wrote).</p>

<p>I agree that financial aid as a transfer student is much, much more limited, but, if he/she does not get in now, it does not mean the door to study in U.S. (or in other countries) is completely closed.</p>

50

<p>fca719 -</p>

<p>Not all community colleges allow students to enroll while still in tourist status. That has to be checked out at each institution. Also, it is possible that doing so will cause problems with the transition to student status later on. Yes, I personally have seen cases where this happened.</p>

51

<p>Good evening everyone who is trying to help me! Thank you!</p>

<p>I’ll try to sumarize what I want to say to all of you.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I’m a he FCA. My aunt ALONE is the one who lives in Mountain View. She isn’t married and she lives in an apartment. She is also having a rough time since she gains the exact money for her. In other words, she just has money to maintain herself (bills, internet, light, water, food, gas, etc.)
It would be hard for me to stay with here, since I might be a burden, and also she told me that in her apartment she isn’t allowed to have visitors for more than a month.
And also for this same economic level, community college isn’t a great idea.
I could possibly try it but the odds that I might end wasting time are high.
Like you said. I’ll have to keep traveling back and forth or face being deported (which I don’t want. It’s embarrasing and affects your curriculum).</p></li>
<li><p>I will make the SAT again in December, and this time I hope to get more than 2000!
Sadly, I can’t take a gap year anymore. I just found out that my mother (damn her lol) just inscribed me in a college over here…
For example, today I went and did it’s admission test… And the worst thing is that she didn’t told me!! This situation is being hard for me since neither of my parents care if I go to the US. My mother told me directly: “It’s your problem, not ours. We could help you in college here, but if you want to go to the USA, we don’t have anything to do. It’s your problem and you have to solve it for yourself”
Until now I’ve been trying all my hard. I payed for the TOEFL test ($160) and for the SAT ($80) (I’m just with $300 hehe…) I’ll pay again for the SAT and I’ll try to see how can I study again since I just finished my practice tests.
The bad thing is that I don’t have books because over here they don’t sell them.
If I were to buy a book, it would arrive like 2 weeks later.
Anyways, I know I shouldn’t just focus on SCU. I’m trying to see other Universities but they all come with the same answer: “I’m sorry, we don’t offer any financial aid to international students”. UCLA, San Diego State University and University of Central Florida told me that.
This thing is being really hard, but, like many of you suggest, I need to focus in getting a really high SAT score.
I’m going to give a phone call to SCU to ask if I’m eligible for need based and if I should do the CSS profile.</p></li>
<li><p>Again FCA, I apologize. I could have considered going to other latin american countries (specially Argentina) but in senior year I was so stubborn and naive that I just focused in USA, specially SCU.
I think I don’t have time now. I suck at this. Like mom2collegekids said, I’m really doing a bad job since I’m starting VERY late, and my chances get slimmer every day.
Going to graduate school just doesn’t fits me… I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because I want to got to the USA NOW and not after… I think I’m also being stubborn and blind in there.
The problem is that the education here isn’t great. If I go to graduate school, I would go with a poor education, or maybe I would be in the same situation since I won’t be able to afford it either, unless I get high scores in GRE and that stuff.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Again, I’m trying all my effort right now. It’s been really hard to do this by myself, but I can’t just give up and say " try it again on graduate school". It would mean that everything I’m doing is useless.</p>

<p>And I’m going to concentrate on getting a good loan… My chances are just pointing over there. No university offers a full ride to international students. NONE.
I’ve saw a mexican guy in TV who got offered a full scholarship in Harvard and Stanford…
This dude MUST have had a 4.0 GPA and a 2300+ SAT score.
Right now I need to concentrate on SAT, but it’s going to be hard without good materials.</p>

<p>Right now I need to concentrate in getting a good aid that will just leave me with a yearly $10k loan, since I think that’s the most I could ask for…</p>

52

<p>Stop trying for public unis because they don’t offer aid to international students. Try for private schools only. Don’t stress out.</p>

53

<p>Guille,</p>

<p>That Mexican guy probably did get that, because you’re talking about an Ivy League school, and Stanford. I know a guy (I’m Mexican, btw), who got into Stanford and got need-based financial aid, and he’s doing ok. You need to get your SAT score up, and like hopingforbetter suggested, private schools are the only ones that might help you.
Remember, though, they’re very selective and you’ll have to really stand out. Don’t lose hope or stress out, but work around other options. Don’t think of California only.</p>

54

<p>Ok. I’ll try to look for more private colleges.</p>

<p>And why do you think Ivy Leagues are different to international students?
For a thing, I know those things are HARDER to get into, an thus it must be harder to get financial aid.</p>

<p>Again, the only way to get financial aid is to be a super genius, with a perfect SAT score and perfect GPA. I’ll do what I can to achieve the first one.</p>

55

<p>The ivies (and a few others) are different because they have mega-sized endowments, so they can afford to give their OWN aid without needing to rely on gov’t aid to help fund FA pkgs like other schools do. </p>

<p>Other schools have trouble “meeting need” for int’ls because they don’t have enough of their own money to be able to afford to fully fund FA pkgs with ONLY their own funds.</p>

<p>However, even some of the ivies are “need aware” for int’ls.</p>

56

<p>Damn… I guess SCU is really out of my reach…</p>

<p>I just talked with the Financial Aid Office and they just told me that International Students who want to attend SCU can get either:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Dean Scholarship (their scholarship)</p></li>
<li><p>Private Scholarships</p></li>
</ol>

<p>The problem is that the Dean Scholarship offers up to $18k…
And let’s say that my fathers can give me $6k a year, and if I ask for a loan of $10k, I would only have $34k (only half of the costs)…</p>

<p>This is sad, but I guess that not even with a good SAT score I could be offered more…
I could still ask for a $30k loan, but like mom2collegekid says: this could ruin my life…</p>

<p>The only thing that could save me are Private Scholarships, but I can’t seem to find at least one!!</p>

<p>I’ve been searching and all private scholarships are from different colleges (to attedn them) or for US citizens…
I’ve searched for like 1-2 hours today and I found nothing…</p>

<p>I guess SCU wasn’t my school… And I just payed the application fee lol…</p>

<p>I’ll need to start looking for other colleges.</p>

57

<p>I could really go to the USA.</p>

<p>I have two favorable options:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>There’s a counsellor in here who helps you find colleges where you will be accepted, specially ones who can offer you financial aid.</p></li>
<li><p>There’s a program called “The International Doorway” which is a VERY good program that searchs for scholarships for you.
It guarantees to find you 2 full scholarships and 8 half scholarships in different universities in USA.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>However, my parents DON’T care.</p>

<p>The first option is worth $1000 and the second $2000.</p>

<p>I know my parents could afford that, but they tell me no.
They really don’t want to. Like I said, they told me “it’s my business, not theirs”.</p>

<p>And this is so “f**” hard to do all by myself.</p>

<p>I think that because their negligence, I won’t be able to go to the USA…
Damn it.</p>

58

<p>Paying someone to find you a scholarship usually is a good way for that person to make a lot of money. You can find the scholarships yourself. Start with that thread about guaranteed merit scholarships. Check out each one to see if the college or university offers those scholarships to international students. Send a PM to b@r!um from the International Students Forum and get her advice on finding colleges that offer scholarships. And go back to the EducationUSA center in your country and get their help with all of this. There is a huge difference between trying to get the money for one specific college, and looking for a college that will give you the kind of aid you need. Kiss SCU good-bye, and find yourself a better match.</p>

59

<p>Yeah. You are very right over there.
I find very funny but at the same time obvious that mothers know what to do.
To bad mine isn’t like that.</p>

<p>First, I already search the Thread. Right now I contacted the University of Alabama to see if I’m eligible to get a full ride scholarship.</p>

<p>Second, I will go tomorrow to EducationUSA and explain my whole situation to a councellor over there. Hopefully she will guide me and tell me what to do in this situation.</p>

<p>I will also try to contact that person that you referred to me. I hope she can really help me over here.</p>

<p>Thank you</p>

60

<p>Guille10, I am an international student who will also be applying for Fall 2013. I know I’m not an experienced college student, but I figured I should share anything that I know. </p>

<p>Because my family also has some financial hardships, I did extensive research on financial aid. If you look through this link, <a href=“https://oacac.memberclicks.net/assets/website/intfinaid09.pdf[/url]”>https://oacac.memberclicks.net/assets/website/intfinaid09.pdf&lt;/a&gt; , even though the link is really old may be you’ll get some ideas about which schools are generous. If you’re worried about not making the dealine, go for colleges that have Feb 1 deadline. </p>

<p>Also, I’d suggest applying for schools like Columbia or Hamilton. The first school is need-blind for internationals meaning they don’t consider your financial needs when you apply and the second school offers to meet 100% aid if you’re admitted. I know they are in northeastern US but they are still great schools. And from what I heard, most small private liberal arts colleges offer 100% aid if you’re admitted even for internationals. So look for schoosl that have your major and within your range. I’m sure you’ll find some. </p>

<p>And how about schools in mid-US? I think U of Alabama (?) is a great idea. Though I’m not sure if this is true, I heard schools in midwest or mideast like in Indiana are very welcoming towards Ints. They want diversity so you’ll get in easily and may be even full-ride. Also look at Berea college, Swarthmore, Union, Vasaar. I heard they are pretty generous. </p>

<p>[An</a> International Student’s Guide to U.S. Scholarships - The Scholarship Coach (usnews.com)](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/the-scholarship-coach/2012/03/22/an-international-students-guide-to-us-scholarships?s_cid=related-links:TOP]An”>http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/the-scholarship-coach/2012/03/22/an-international-students-guide-to-us-scholarships?s_cid=related-links:TOP)</p>

<p>Because I’m going for liberal arts, I’m only able to give you the schools I looked into. I hope it’s helpful in some ways. And last thing is, if you want American education, don’t limit yourself to one state or school. Go for any school in any state if it offers you good education and value. </p>

<p>So don’t be hopeless, k? There are many students like you, including me who wish for something better than they have in their countries and it is hard for us because we are asking for money that colleges could be spending on their own citizens. It is understandable from their point of view. </p>

<p>Just do some extensive research and good luck on your SAT! Try to get above 1350 on Math+Reading. I read on several college websites that those two matter the most if you want to be considered for financial aid. If your score is not that high, they’ll look into TOEFL and your school reports. So no worries. Again, GOOD LUCK!!!</p>