Title pretty much says it all. I am stuck on a H4 Dependent visa, and I would like any sort of help when applying to colleges that would offer me scholarships. (stats: 1520 SAT, 94 GPA, don’t know rank but at LEAST top 15%, and I have several good EC’s)
Are there any tips for me or any colleges that would help me in assisting for aid that I would actually help qualify for aid for? Thank you all for your help.
How much aid do you need?
If I were you, I’d quickly apply to University of alabama…merit deadline is Dec 15th. App is very easy, no essays, no LORs. Merit is assured for stats as long as you meet the Dec 15 deadline…
You’d almost get free tuition.
What is your major and career goal.
How much will your family pay per year?
@thumper1 It is very hard for my family to pay more than 15 grand a year, and even that is stretching it.
@mom2collegekids I deeply want to go into pre med and the medical path, plan to major in biochemistry (if the university offers it or just biology/biomedical sciences), which is why I am trying to find the most affordable good Pre-med option. Thank you all for the advice.
Go through the thread on automatic full ride and full tuition scholarships that is at the top of this forum. Some of those scholarships have changed for this year, but others haven’t. Because of your H4 status, you won’t be eligible for all of them. You will need to check each of them separately.
You also need to find out whether you qualify for in-state tuition and fees and/or any state aid in the state where you live. You may have affordable options there.
You also need to consider completing your pre-med and medical program in your home country. It will be almost impossible to get into med school in the US (let alone pay for it) if you aren’t a US permanent legal resident by the time you apply.
Please ask your parents how much they’ll pay per year, so you know what you’re dealing with.
As for being premed… when will you get a green card? How will you pay for med school?
It’s nearly impossible to get into med school here without being a citizen.
Also be cognizant of how long you have all been in the USA on the H visas and what is the long term plan.
@happymomof1 I will be a permanent resident/citizen by my senior year of undergrad, as our cycle for when we applied will come up in 2 years.
@mom2collegekids I should get one in 2-3 years, max. 4.
@Sybylla We have lived in the US all our lives. Quite frankly, I find the fact that illegal immigrants get to pay in state and are eligible for aid, but the legal people who have been working and paying taxes for so long are not.
nm
Your parents have lived in the US all of their lives but are here on a visa??? Or do you mean that YOU have lived here most of your life and came here shortly after you were born?
You might also qualify for instate rates. Your state’s public univs may give instate rates to students who graduated from their high schools. Look to see if that rule is in place in your state.
What state are you in?
@mom2collegekids my family applied for a Greencard late, as my dad was on a H1, so our year for gaining a green card is not in place yet.
I emailed every college I could and I do not qualify for in-state tuition. I live in NJ. 
So…you have lived here since you were a very young child. So let’s say…you have lived her over 15 years. Are you saying your family didn’t apply for permanent residency status until more recently?
Anyway…you are not eligible for instate tuition in NJ where you reside. You are not eligible for any federally funded need based aid including loans.
Take @mom2collegekids advice and get that application to University of Alabama completed…NOW…the admissions application and the scholarship application. Get it done today. If your parents really can contribute $15,000…UA might work.
@mom2collegekids what about the other UA campuses?
Yes, apply to UA today. You’d get a large merit scholarship. The deadline to apply is in a few days. The app will only take you about 5 minutes. Then submit the scholarship app.
Lots of premeds there. My son was a premed at Alabama.
Also…apply to UAB today since you are premed. It has the med school and that undergrad is very science and medical oriented. Lots of premeds there as well.
The airport is also just a couple minutes away from UAB.
Another option is UAH…lots of merit there as well. Also has an airport a couple minutes away.
Does your visa allow you to work at all?
Are you at risk of aging out of the dependent status for GC if this is dragged out? ? Is your application at the point where your age is locked? Where is your primary earner at in this process? Do you know what stage? You might have to consider your own visa status rather than that of your parents…
@mom2collegekids I believe Ole Miss also offers international students currently living in the US the same academic excellence scholarships as out of state students. This student would qualify for full tuition. The out of pocket should be well under the $15K for total cost of attendance.
@mom2collegekids Thank you. I will quickly apply to UA today, and send my transcripts tomorrow if I can. I am not allowed to work on my Visa
@Sybylla I do not believe that I am the point of aging out, as I believe that is at 21, and I should get my GC/Permanent Residency in around 2 years.
@elodyCOH Thank you for telling me about this! Do you know of any other colleges that I could be perhaps qualified for scholarships for?
I do not know if I am allowed to do this, but if any of you would like to see my full profile with all of my EC’s and have any more schools to recommend, I made a chance thread a while back with my full profile.