Scholarships/Financial Aid for International Students from Japan?

Student Lounge International Students
1

<p>This is a long shot post.</p>

<p>My girlfriend would love to come back to America with me from Japan and study abroad next year. However, she needs funding to do so. </p>

<p>My girlfriend has two years of her education complete, and is currently working because she did not want to finish the degree at a Japanese University--she wants to finish in America.</p>

<p>She has been researching high and low for funding sources in Japan. Unfortunately, the system is significantly different there.</p>

<p>--In Japan, once people leave university and start working it's extremely rare for anyone to go back to school. Resultant, nearly all or all scholarships are only for students who are going or who have been in school straight from university. And at that, those are scholarships for Japanese universities; those for studying abroad are few and far between, and for someone planning to go back to school, and overseas, nonexistent.</p>

<p>--Students can not take loans for their own education in Japan; the parents have to take the loan, which is not an option for her. Thus, loans from Japan are not an option either.</p>

<p>She's done extensive research since this is her dream and these are the realities.</p>

<p>So, I told her I would do everything I could to help her, because if I can't find anything then that's it.</p>

<p>--Obviously FAFSA and the U.S. Department of Education is no help since she's not an American citizen.</p>

<p>--I am quite sure she could not get loans from a private American bank since she again is not a citizen, no credit history etc.</p>

<p>So, the only things I can think of are:</p>

<p>1) Loans from a third party but dedicated student loan corporation, like Sallie Mae</p>

<p>or</p>

<p>2) American-based scholarships for International students</p>

<p>Can anyone comment on the feasibility of #1 and #2 above, or could anyone point me in the direction of some resources to investigate?</p>

<p>TIA.</p>

2

<p>Funding-wise, by far the easiest solution would be for her to finish her degree in Japan and apply to a Master’s program in the US instead of an undergraduate transfer. There are a lot more funding opportunities for graduate than undergraduate students!</p>

<p>When it comes to loans, do you have an American co-signer? In the current economy, no bank will give a loan to an international student who just came to this country without any sort of securities. </p>

<p>I am afraid that’s all I can add. I am not aware of any financial aid for international transfer students from overseas except at uber-selective universities (Ivies and some of the most selective liberal arts colleges). </p>

<p>You could talk to the nearest EducationUSA Center and see if they have any suggestions: [EducationUSA</a> - Find an Advising Center](<a href=“http://www.educationusa.info/Japan]EducationUSA”>http://www.educationusa.info/Japan)</p>