<p>Today I was contemplating and analyzing my financial expenses for next year at UCI.
Total Cost to attend will be around 24K for a whole year which will include tuition, room, board, books, food, housing, etc.</p>
<p>I have 4K saved in scholarships.
I do not qualify for FAFSA because of a residence/immigration issue I have right now. I'll have full residency next year.
I am working part time but I'll only be able to make 2K-3K.
I am applying for 28 scholarships that range from 500 dollars to 3K
My parents won't be able to pay for much until next year
and</p>
<p>I'm getting more nervous about my expenses and it's possible I may require to get a loan.
My questions are:</p>
<p>-Should I even go to college with this much issue?
-Can UCI Financial Aid help me out even without FAFSA?
-What can I do to get less in financial debt (loans)</p>
<p>I've gotten my hopes up so much for UCI.... this isn't fair!
Any other info would be greatly appreciated</p>
<p>UPDATE: I just had a friend get me a summer job from June-August which I can make 4K-5K that will update my total earnings to around 10-11K. I'm technically considered "a non-eligible non-citiezen" (pretty much the same as undocumented student)</p>
<p>Are you currently a CA resident and did you apply for aid from UCI? Are you certain you would be a resident next year?</p>
<p>Your parents would most probably have to co sign for a private loan, so checking to see if they could get such a loan should be your first step. It may be worth doing for 1 year if you’re certain that will happen.</p>
<p>^ I’ve lived in cali for 8 years. I was on a visitor visa for some time, then student visa for 5 years, then it expired. I applied for green-card and a path to citizenship but it’s still processing until my parents pay their taxes. (both parents US Residents).</p>
<p>I could not apply for FAFSA without SSN</p>
<p>A private loan of 10K is what I’m looking for, yes, I’m about 99% certain in one year I’ll have everything settled</p>
<p>^ UC doesn’t require someone to state their citizenship status due to their non-discrimination policy. Also because I graduated and attended a CA high school.
Also, I know some people at UCLA who are undocumented students who are given the in-state tuition but no Federal aid, in some cases they can get work-study within the school but that’s it.</p>
<p>do u know which are the lowest-interest rates for student loans right now? or any with that info?</p>
<p>Also, just now… one of my friends said she’ll give me 2K, ugh, I feel bad accepting the money… she insists though, she knows how much I’ve been through to get into UCI</p>
<p>Well, haiku, where there’s a will there’s a way. But I’m a little unclear on one thing…on another thread you said you were already permanent resident and that your parents had your green card already. It only takes six weeks to get your SSN (I know; I am a perm res. with green card, as is my son.) Your parent’s status should also carry to you (as perm res.) – my son’s status derives from mine. I’ve not heard of the case being otherwise.</p>
<p>So, rather than trying to borrow on an unsecured loan, which is EXCEPTIONALLY difficult, (ESPECIALLY as an undocumented resident!!!) can you not clean up whatever issue is preventing your from applying, albeit late, for FAFSA??? You will still be looking at loans, but the difference is the interest is deferred and the rate is preferable and you would not require a co-signer. I’m not optimistic that given your immigration status you will be successful in getting private unsecured loans!</p>
<p>To me, securing the funding you need is worth a little bit of red-tape cleanup.</p>
<p>Can you commute to UCI? If you can, that take away a lot of the expenses and the tuition/fees are reasonable since you get in state costs. You may want to defer your UCI admissions, and commute this year to a college nearby.</p>
<p>Thank u. thats’w what I’m going to talk to UCI about. I was born outside the USA, last year 2008 my parents pretty much processed my green card but some weird “tax” issue prevented my dad to get the green card and SSN.
He owes abvout 10K in taxes and until he pays them he’ll be able to clear up the issue and retrieve the green card.</p>
<p>I’m pretty darn confused as well… ehhh, but according to my parents…the issue will be cleared “soon” and that by next year I’ll be able to have full residence and SSN</p>
<p>right now I have an expired student visa (lame) and that’s it.</p>
<p>UCIs non-discrimination policy allows me to keep the in-state tuition because they cannot judge, deny, or defer anyone for race, pregnancy, gender, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, immigration status, etc.</p>
<p>So… the way I see it, next year it’ll be like this:</p>
<p>-So Far I have 4K in scholarships.
-Par Time Job will get me 2K from here until June= 6K
-Add to the summer job June-August=10K
-Apply to 30 scholarships, hoping to get 10K from them=20K
-A Friend will help me with 1-2K (really nice friend)=21-22K
-A Loan of 4K=25-26K</p>
<p>The my parents in the mean time can clear all those immigration issues, and by January of next year I’ll have green card+SSN, therefore I can apply for FAFSA for spring quarter and therefore be eligible for Grants and cal-grants. I’ll be able to pay the rest (room+boad) doing work-study or a job on campus.</p>
<p>Of course the plan is easier said that done, but yeah… I need to get to it!</p>
<p>Be careful here hiku, if your parents owe back taxes, they may well not qualify for a loan. And do your own research on whether they can really get you a Green Card in a year, I’m no expert, but it doesn’t seem that easy. $10K for a summer job also seems very high for a pre college kid.</p>
<p>Have you done a run through on the numbers to see how much you would get based on your family’s assets and income? A lot of kids think they will get money once the green card issues are resolved only to find out that their EFC is way too high. It’s not like there is a lot of money sitting there for everyone who fills out FAFSA.</p>
<p>^ One of my parents owes taxes. It isn’t that easy, it’s easier if your parents are US residents, then it’s only a matter of time and money.
Oh no, the summer job is 4K… lol, it’s a job a friend of mine got me in an art gallery, you get commission as well.</p>
<p>Cheaper college option is CSULB at 12K for everything approx.</p>
<p>Yes, I’ve ran through the numbers… one of my friends is in similar situation. Parent is making 18K a year… owes a few taxes, is un-employed and gets full tuition covered by pell grants.</p>
<p>Now, me… once I get my green card, one of my parents is self-employed, the other unemployed. I have 2 siblings and the family income is on the low 20Ks as of the year 2008.</p>
<p>I need to talk to UCI, last time I checked… people in similar situations can get up to full tuition covered</p>
<p>The problem with CSULB is that since it’s a state school, they will downright not be able to provide financial aid or financial planing due to the funding.</p>
<p>UCI however, will at least give me a financial plan and perhaps some aid in work-study or such. (I know UCLA has a similar situation where they give undocumented students the possibility to work-study and get loans)</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I don’t think you have all the info. The maximum Pell Grant is under $5K now. And I’m worried that if you are not currently living in the US and have an expired student visa, that even though you went to a CA high school you may not qualify for in state tuition as your parents are not residents.</p>
<p>Then, who is going to give your parents a private loan in this economy given that they don’t live in the US and are low income? And formal work study is usually dependent on being qualified by FAFSA.</p>
<p>Also, counting on $10K more in scholarships doesn’t sound realistic.</p>
<p>There are some very shaky things here. I think you need to call UCI and have a very detailed discussion.</p>
<p>Main issue here is I need money for one year.
It is easier for me to get my residency because both my parents are residents, the process takes about one year but it’s been delayed due to a TAX issue by my DAD. </p>
<p>My mom and dad are both business people and loan brokers (ironic).
My dad is unemployed, my mom is self-employed
My DAD is the one with the tax problem, my mom isn’t.
My mom’s credit is good, my dad’s… not so good.
My mom can help me with the loan, yet my dad has to get the residency issue cleared up because he’s the one processing it.</p>
<p>Usual residency takes 1-2 years to process with proper MONEY and documentation.</p>
<p>Issue at hand. Get enough money to support myself for one year until the whole mentioned issue is cleared up… lol</p>
<p>The problem that I see is that there is no guarantee that the Dad’s tax situation will be cleared in a year or ever. How can he possibly pay back $10K if he is unemployed? Will Mom be able to afford to pay the taxes plus help with college? Even if Dad does clear it up, who knows how long it will take for the paperwork for HaikuM’s legal residency will take.</p>
<p>My S, an excellent student who is now attending Stanford, was only able to get $3500 in outside scholarships. Some of those applications wanted to know citizenship/residency status. Until HaikuM has won the scholarships, he/she probably shouldn’t count on them.</p>
<p>There are too many “ifs” in this situation with no guarantees.</p>