Hey guys, I am an international student from Africa and I have been granted admission in some really good universities but I can’t afford to go there, plus, there are some university I applied to that are need-aware and I think they’d be a great fit for me, but having some money to pay will make chance greater to be admitted. So if you guys know any institutions or organizations that can help me at least with some of the aid, that would be great to share.
thanks.
Where have you been admitted?
I have been admitted to Baylor and Miami (Ohio) and on the waitlist for richmond if I am going to pay
Ok, thanks, that helps.
What’s your budget?
How much does each cost?
What are your grades, marks, school results, test scores?
for Baylor I have to pay 43k and Richmond the whole thing, 81k as for Miami I can’t really remember. I, can’t pay anything but if I found something that can pay some of it I can find a job there and pay for the rest.
I have a 3.9 UW GPA and I applied optional for the ACT
Your ability to work here will be limited. You won’t be able to fund thousands and thousands of dollars in college costs by getting a job.
I’m not trying to be a Debbie Downer, but that’s what you need to understand.
You will be able to work, most likely, but not to almost fully fund college.
Does your country have any college grants for students studying abroad?
Did you apply to any colleges in your country that are affordable for your family?
Have you received your financial aid packages from the accepted schools? Are they even close to being affordable?
well, that’s why I was looking for some scholarship money that can help me by paying at least the most of it. As for universities in my country, the college process starts after senior year ends, in the summer.
On March 5th, you received this response from @DadTwoGirls: It is entirely possible that you might get accepted to some of these schools and find that you cannot afford to attend.[/quote]That appears to be what has happened.
Now, you are looking for funding. As an international student, who needs a full ride, you appear to be stuck.
On your student visa, your ability to work in the US is very limited in hours and funding.
Non-resident students on a visa typically work 10-20 hours at a minimum wage job. It’s money for incidentals and doesn’t even begin to cover tuition.
Further, no company in the US is going to pay you over $50K, in one year, without a degree, nor permission to fully work in the US.
The best funding comes from the schools themselves which is why research for international funding is crucial for someone who can’t afford the tuition and fees… If your current schools have already denied funding to you, you’re stuck. You can reapply to different schools next year and make sure you look at international funding.
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It means none of these colleges are affordable.
How much can you afford?
I would recommend picking an affordable college (maybe even a community smaller school) researching scholarships/fellowships for international students. It is possible to even get a full ride.
My mom got a full ride for her MBA as an international student at FDU (a long time ago), but she researched which schools are more open to funding international students.
@lorgot could you please give some actual school examples now that will give full rides to international students?
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@Ponytail11, the problem is that you will not be able to get a visa if you cannot show proof of funding. It’s one thing to get admitted to a college, but that’s only part of the equation for you. You will not be able to get an I-20 from the school until you can show that you have the full amount for your first year of study, and you have to verify that you will be able to pay for the rest of the program. If you are able to satisfy the school, they will issue an I-20, but you still have to be able to show convincing evidence of financial ability to pay to the U.S. Embassy in order to get a student visa.
As others have pointed out, you are limited in terms of being able to work. On an F-1 visa, you can only work at your school - and for no more than 20 hours a week. Because your school is unlikely to offer you a 20 hour a week job before you even begin school, you will not be able to list potential earnings from work as a source of funding when you submit your proof of finances.
I worked with a lot of international students in a graduate program. We did not offer full funding, so those who needed full funding in order to attend school in the U.S. were unable to attend our school. Some of them were able to find fully funded programs & attend school in the U.S., but this was at the graduate level. I am not familiar with fully funded undergraduate opportunities. They may be out there; I just don’t know about them.
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