Really Basic FA Question

Paying for College
1

<p>Sorry, these questions are really elementary. I'm an international student and I am pretty sure I will be full-pay (judging by what I know of our financial situation) but I would like to calculate my EFC, just to be 100% sure. Where can I do that? I know FAFSA won't apply to me but is there some other EFC calculator for international students? Also, if it turns out that my EFC is a few thousand $ below the COA of some colleges, can I apply for FA for some (like Amherst which are need-blind for intls) and not apply for FA in others? Will it hurt admission chances? Finally, is this the right place to ask about estimates for merit-aid? Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Try the FAFSA Forecaster:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/[/url]”>http://www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>Will it apply to non-US citizens like me?</p>

4

<p>I don’t know how an int’l can figure out what a CSS school would estimate his family contribution to be. I don’t know if CSS schools take into account the cost of living in each country.</p>

5

<p>You are an eligible non-citizen if you are a U.S. permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551 or I-551C (Permanent Resident Card).</p>

<p>You may also be an eligible noncitizen if you have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) showing</p>

<pre><code>* “Refugee,”

  • “Asylum Granted,”
  • “Cuban-Haitian Entrant (Status Pending),”
  • “Conditional Entrant” (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980),
  • “Paroled” (must be paroled for at least one year), or
  • Victim of human trafficking (T-Visa).
    </code></pre>

<p>If you are a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau, you are eligible only for certain federal student aid programs. For more information, check with the financial aid office at the college you plan to attend.</p>

<p>You are not eligible for federal student aid if you have:</p>

<pre><code>* A “Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence” (I-171 or I-464),

  • An F-1 or F-2 student visa,
  • A J-1 or J-2 exchange-visitor visa, or
  • A G series visa.
    </code></pre>
6

<p>If your EFC is a few thousand below COA, the aid you’ll most probably get is a loan and/or work study.</p>

7

<p>try the college board calculator. Click IM & Fm which will give you a federal methodology (EFC) and an institutional methodology EFC.</p>

<p>Amherst has a finanical aid calculator</p>

<p><a href=“https://www.amherst.edu/offices/financialaid/calculator[/url]”>Net Price Calculators | Financial Aid | Amherst College;

8

<p>Work study is a federal program so an international student would not be eligible. As far as loans, federal loans would not be available to an international. I don’t know if private lenders in the US would be willing to lend to an international - I’m thinking probably not (too high risk?). So lenders from the home country would be the source of possible loans.</p>

9

<p>Many of the top schools have funds to loan internationals. They will also offer on campus jobs as intnls can’t work off campus.</p>

10

<p>International students and students not eligible for Federal Work study would be eligible for work study employment, where the school is paying them out of their own funds. </p>

<p>In the Federal Work Study program part of the salary paid to the student is subsidized by the federal goverment.</p>

11

<p>Thank you. I will check out some of the calculators mentioned here. Looks like it’s not going to be worth applying for aid if my EFC is only a few thousand dollars less than COA.</p>