If a school says “international students not applying for financial aid must show proof of finances”, does it mean that they expect me to pay the full cost? I can’t pay the full cost so I’m applying for merit scholarships, and I don’t think submitting any financial documents will prove that I can pay. Will I get rejected straightaway if I don’t apply for FA and the submitted document say that I can’t pay full cost?
Does applying ED change the answer to the above question in any way?
Some (most) schools consider any aid, merit or need, to be financial aid. As an international student, to get your visa you need to show how you will be paying for tuition and your living expenses in the US.
If you need the money, why aren’t you applying for financial aid? If you are not doing it so that they won’t reject you for having need, and they accept you but you can’t pay, what have you gained? If you need FA, apply for it.
@twoinanddone If I get accepted but can’t pay, I could get the merit scholarships that I apply for and that could replace FA in a significant extent. Also aren’t merit scholarships called that way because they’re not need-based? And the need-aware concerns the need-based financial aids only?
You’d think merit scholarships would be merit only, but many have a need component, and many require the student to file the FAFSA/CSS to be eligible, so that excludes anyone not qualified for the FAFSA, like internationals.
I think the the college you quoted above wants you to apply for FA or show that you are full pay at the time of application. Honestly, I think they’ve been burned by students not applying for FA to get in, then expecting the school to come up with aid anyway.
If the merit scholarship is from outside the school, tell them that. It’s unlikely they’ll consider that as a way to pay without the scholarship being actually awarded. If you need FA, apply for FA.
As an international student, you will need to complete a verification of finances to get your student visa to study here. This must show that you have full funding for the year (there are some colleges that require more than that). This funding can include ALREADY AWARDED scholarships…but it cannot include things that you might get. T can also include awarded financial aid, already approved loans, and any savings your family has.
If you can’t demonstrate you can pay…you will not be granted a visa to study her. Period.
I agree with @twoinanddone. If you NEED financial aid…and it sounds like you do…why aren’t you applying for it? Getting accepted without sufficient aid to attend might as well be a rejection.
Apply for the aid.
If you are not applying because you think It will improve your chances of admission…put that idea out of your head. If you can’t pay the bills, you won’t be able to attend.
Apply for the aid!
Also remember as an international student, at most schools, if you do not apply for financial aid during the admissions process, you will not be eligible for financial aid later.
You are playing a risky game with no recourse, applying ED and not applying for aid.
Your plan for getting in an then getting merit money is not going to work. As an international student, there is no way that you are going to get 280k in merit money (it is going to happen for very few US citizens, that are not recruited athletes at schools that give athletic scholarships).
As the others state if you need aid, apply for aid and let the process play itself out
What private merit scholarships are going to give you enough money for four years of education as an international
@mom2collegekids I heard some international students successfully did this, but I don’t know much of their details, are merit scholarships 1 year only?
Unfortunately, you are basing everything on getting a merit scholarship.
Don’t assume that you just apply and get in and get merit.
This is never a guarantee for anyone but especially for international students who need aid.
In a lot of cases, the funds don’t cover your full costs.
The money runs out. It is allocated to domestic student needs first.
International students are at the bottom of the barrel and that’s IF the school awards you ANYTHING.
@auntbea Then Is USC an exception? They visited my school once and said international students could get full ride with merit scholarships if applying before December 1. Are there other universities with similar generosity?
The private, large universities have some funding, but they tend to be need-aware, which means your ability to pay will be considered for admission.
My sister attend USC on a full ride more than 20 years ago, but she wasn’t an international student. Things and costs have changed. My son was admitted, with exceptional stats, but all they “could” guarantee him, as a NM winner, was ½ tuition. With remaining tuition and housing, we would still have to pay $40k+ per year. That’s what they “could” do.
It sounds like you need a full ride, so there are very few universities that have that kind of funding. There are only 5 schools and they also happen to be the toughest and most competitive, with very few seats.
Chances, as an international student, who needs full financial aid, are extremely small.
USC scholarships are competitive. They consider all students who apply by the deadline but they are not automatic. STAMPS is a full ride, but that is for about 5 students a year. Monk which covers about 10 students per year are full tuition + $5k - not quite full ride, but consider international students. Half tuition (200 awards) and full tuition (100 awards) are still very competitive. Some of the scholarships require interviews.
STAMPS is available at about 40 schools and some will consider international students. stampsfoundation.org for more information. You apply to the schools directly, then they consider applicants for STAMPS.
@MA2012 I see Dartmouth on the STAMPS list and I’m a bit confused…I thought ivies only have FA and no merit scholarships?
Dartmouth only gives need based financial aid. Dartmouth is not need blind to international students
Should you become a Stamps Scholar after being admitted to Dartmouth you still have to figure out how to pay in order to attend.
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The stamps scholarship at Dartmouth
You cannot become a stamps scholar until after you are an admitted student
@sybbie719 So would Stamps scholarship be considered an outside scholarship?
The stamps scholarship from Dartmouth cannot be used to pay any of your school expense. It is up to $10,000 (student will not automatically get $10,000) to use to fund a project junior and senior year.
@geekgurl - USC is going to advertise that international students CAN get a full ride. They use this term to mean “it is possible” but not guaranteed. As stated above, USC scholarships are extremely competitive, as is admission. I had two rejections for my NMF. But, 69% of admitted freshman are “students of color”, so that may help.