I like the Berea idea. I did not know it accepts international students. It’s a terrific school with AMAZING students.
It is one of a few “work colleges” where students without a lot of financial resources work for their education. That is worth a lot itself.
Here are links to the Work College Consortium and to Berea. Note you will want to apply early, and the process will be more involved. If you think this is a good option for you, read carefully about the school, think about why it is good for you and what you would offer the Berea community, and the larger world. Having good answers to those questions will be very helpful for the Berea people in reviewing your application. Your academic history will be important, but the process is subjective and focuses much more on what you will bring as a person to the school and how what it offers will make you who you want to be, and how you will take this education and serve others. Big questions but great ones to wrestle with.
I haven’t seen in recent years but believe the cost of the Dutch world colleges would be in the teens $10-19,000 per year for an international student. I haven’t seen the numbers for about 4 years. I’m not sure about aid at these schools–maybe it’s $0, I don’t know. But the “sticker price,” the full price is about 1/4 of what many US LACs cost. You’;d have to research financial aid, and the above comment is correct to point out that transportation costs will be high.
Thanks to everyone who advised. One last question, on behalf of my mother. Is it a realistic option for someone who has never been to the United States and has limited funding to dream of studying in US colleges? Just a little anxious about it.
You can dream about it, but you have limited funding, it means very limited chances.
There is a finite amount of money for all students, and even less for international students.
You’ve been given good advice on colleges that are in Europe.
Why is it that you only want to consider US schools?
I’ve just been accepted to a US university for exchange and I need to send financial documents in order to receive the proof of enrollment to apply for a visa. I guess this is to make sure I’m not a financial liability and can support myself. Don’t know if this is always the case in every country but maybe something to keep in mind.
@AnotherIntlKid is correct. Once a student has been accepted and receives an I-20 form from the college or university, the student must interview with a Visa Officer at the US Consulate. At that time, the student must present documentation that he or she has enough money to pay for the projected Cost of Attendance at that college or university. This support can include money from the student’s family, scholarships from the college or university itself, other private scholarships, etc. If the Visa Officer doesn’t believe that there is enough money available, the student will not get a visa.
@happymomof1 How much do you reckon I’ll need to show in order to get approval? I don’t need to pay tuition but I do need to pay everything else. I have the money but I’m not sure what amount they’re looking for and if it’s a large surplus of what’s actually needed. Do you also know if this can include stocks and market shares?
They follow the costs on your I20.
Sources can be anything you can document officially (bank statement, affidavit, tax returns…) I don’t see why Stocks wouldn’t count.
Essentially, when you finish college, you get what is known as an OPT. This entitles you to work in the US for between 12 and 36 months (12 months for non-STEM majors, 36 for STEM). After completing your Optional Practical Training, your employer will have to sponsor you for an H1B. This visa is a dual-intent visa. It lasts for 3 years and can be renewed once (an additional 3 years). You can apply for a Green Card while on an H1B (if I’m not mistaken) but it will take several years for you to receive one since you are from an oversubscribed country (India).
The problem is that you are not guaranteed to receive an H1B. It is assigned via a lottery. Additionally, after filing for a Green Card, you may be unable to leave the US for a certain period of time.
The current administration claims to be pro-legal immigration but the President’s base is unquestionably anti-immigrant. Political considerations may prevent this administration from passing any meaningful immigration reform. Several of my Indian friends and acquaintances have issues with the current system. Some have gone so far as to call themselves “visa slaves” because it is difficult for them to switch jobs while their paperwork is being processed.
Personally, I would stay in India unless you have the means to attend a US college as a full-pay student or can secure a full scholarship at a top school. The people on US college campuses will be very welcoming but the government is going to make your life quite difficult. Just my opinion.
None of this matters if you’re independently wealthy or if you have a full-ride that does not require to incur any debt. Just don’t borrow money with the thought that you’re going to be able to pay off your loans after you land a lucrative American job…
Also, if you were to be admitted to a US school, you need to be aware that getting your education is just that. As a student, you are a guest in the US, so you will be expected to return to your home country after you are educated.
You are not guaranteed to be employed, nor immigrated in the US. OPT jobs are not guaranteed^. Sponsorship is difficult and a hassle for US employers.
Also, you can’t work to support yourself while in school because you will be limited on where and how much you can work. A lot of students, who are internationals, believe that once they get stateside, they will be able to support themselves and work. Jobs and hours are limited, are usually on campus, and barely cover expenses.
Immigration rules are strict. Employers must employ US citizens first, before they can even consider employing a non-resident. It is easier for employers to find a US citizen and not have to sponsor, pay fees, nor fill out paperwork for a non-resident.
If you major in a STEM-related field, many corporate websites post that they will not sponsor non-citizens. Many corporate jobs in the US have government contracts which require US security clearances. If you are not a US citizen, those would be almost impossible to gain.
For your I20, the total of funds you present from private/personal/institutional funds + scholarships from the university must total the COA.
As a student, you are NOT an immigrant and if you indicate any sort of intent to use your student visa as a means to immigrate, you will NOT receive a visa.To get your student, you must show that your primary intent is to take advantage of all the academic opportunities at the US university then go back home to apply these skills in your home country.
By the time you get to OPT, it’ll be 2024 so hopefully the situation will be better wrt H1B.
@Helium90 - You need to be able to demonstrate that you can pay the full Cost of Attendance as defined by the place you will be studying at. You will give the Visa Officer copies of any scholarship award letters, and bank and income information from your family.
The current president of the US doesn’t like people from certain countries and from certain ethnic and religious backgrounds. This has affected immigration policy, including student visas to some extent. This can change at any moment, so the situation is not easy to predict. Unrelated to that issue, you need to know that you will definitely not get a student visa if the person who interviews you susspects that you have the intent to stay in the US. You must make it absolutely clear that you are definitely returning home after you finish your studies and any permitted work experience immediately after graduation (OPT can be for up to two years depending on what you studied).
I will also add to the chorus that the current administration has made the pathway for internationals getting work visas very difficult. My husband’s last company finally stopped hiring non residents because of all the legal hoops they had to go through to get H1B visas renewed, let alone get new ones. There can also be issues for international students getting summer employment while in school (which is supposed to be easier).
The bottom line is that you can’t plan on working in the US even if you study here.
@Helium90 - remember the ability to work on a student visa is extremely limited. You need to show that there is funding available for all your required expenses. Offiically:
A prospective student must have financial evidence showing that they or a sponsor has sufficient funds to cover tuition and living expenses during the period of intended study. Evidence of financial ability includes but is not limited to:
Family bank statements.
Documentation from a sponsor.
Financial aid letters.
Scholarship letters.
Letter from an employer showing annual salary.
You are assuming that you will be accepted for undergrad.
You have to be accepted first, which is difficult. Not likely without funding.
You should try to do your undergrad in your country. Some grad degrees are funded, but as a non-citizen, you will be limited in work possibilities for your living expenses. You will have expenses and the US isn’t cheap.
Sounds like you are really trying, by hook or crook, to immigrate, no matter what others have posted.
^it’s not that obvious.
It’s often very difficult to get letters of recommendation if you do your undergrad abroad and your professors may not know how to write them in a way that is useful to US graduate committees.
I don’t think Op is trying to immigrate at all - studying in the US is VERY different from studying in many other countries.It offers both excellent facilities and community, two aspects sorely lacking even in developed countries; Top 100 universities are stellar, LACs are a unique model. Professors aren’t bribed nor can they commit sexual harassment with impunity. There’s acceptance and even support for women, for students of color, for non-majority religions, for LGBTQ students, all of whom may be discriminated against or threatened in their country of origin.
@helium90: if you’re at the top of the class in undergrad + show leadership/research skills, you can do OPT and/or continue to a graduate degree. Obviously you can’t afford to be mediocre so there’s an added layer of pressure. Any graduate degree worth doing should be funded (except for “short, professional Master’s” which aren’t because they typically result in bumps in salary.) If you live modestly, you can live off that stipend, and international students are limited to choosing the most affordable program. An advantage is that your professors will advise you on where to apply, know how to write letters of recommendation, etc. Also, undergrads can often conduct research on campus. See the tumbler for AFrenchie36.