<p>Hopefully for Fall 2011 I will be coming back to America from Japan to study at grad school. My girlfriend wants to come with me, as an undergraduate to finish her degrees.</p>
<p>She finished two years of college here in Japan, and due to other circumstances has been working the last four years; thus, she will have been out of school for five years or so when she comes into the US. Due to various reasons, and extensive research on her part, funding from Japan is not an option--she needs complete funding (loans/scholarships/grants) from the US in order to do this.</p>
<p>I just have a couple questions.</p>
<p>1) I realize she will have to start applying for college in October/November of 2010 for fall 2011 admission, and I know a FAFSA will need to be taken care of early in 2011, which she will need a social security number for. How soon or when can she apply for the SSN?</p>
<p>2) Where in the application process does she start applying for aid other than the FAFSA? Does she just fill out an application just like any other domestic student, and then wait for acceptance before she can really apply for scholarships/aid? I guess I'm just curious what the order of steps here are, whether it's apply and get accepted and then lock down scholarships/funding/aid, or if there is anyway she can lock down scholarships before she applies at all so she doesn't waste her time?</p>
<p>3) What are some good scholarship lists for international students, or other aid options?</p>
<p>TIA.</p>
<p>In my experience, transfer applications are due after the winter holidays. </p>
<p>However, only U.S. citizens, nationals, permanent residents, (Citizens of the Freely Associated States: the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republics of Palau and the Marshall Islands), and eligible non citizens are eligible to file the fafsa. More info here: <a href=“http://www.ifap.ed.gov/sfahandbooks/attachments/0809FSAHbkVol1Ch2.pdf[/url]”>www.ifap.ed.gov/sfahandbooks/attachments/0809FSAHbkVol1Ch2.pdf</a></p>
<p>Each school will list the required financial aid materials on its website (if it offers institutional financial aid to internationals). </p>
<p>It’s hard to find funds as a transfer student or an international student let alone a transfer student and international student. I don’t know of any “universal scholarships” for transfers that aren’t for community college students. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Your GF is not eligible for FAFSA…that is for citizens, green card residents, etc. It’s not for internationals like your girlfriend.</p>
<p>Transfer students have the hardest time getting money for their education. Int’l transfer students have an even harder time. She will likely have to finish her education there. She won’t be given an education visa to come unless she can demonstrate that she has the money for her education.</p>
<p>She should start by reading 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.state.gov/]EducationUSA”>http://www.educationusa.state.gov/)</p>
<p>Then she should make an appointment with the counselors at the closest Advising Center. There are several in Japan [EducationUSA</a> - Find an Advising Center](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.info/Japan]EducationUSA”>http://www.educationusa.info/Japan) These counselors are well-trained, and are the true experts on helping students from Japan find good places to study in the US.</p>
<p>Other useful information for you is at [USCIS</a> Home Page](<a href=“http://www.uscis.gov/]USCIS”>http://www.uscis.gov/) and [Visa</a> Home](<a href=“404 - Page Not Found”>404 - Page Not Found)</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>