Several Questions...

Student Lounge International Students
1

<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>I got several questions here, some to do with the Visa Interview and just regular college questions.</p>

<p>So to start, the Visa -</p>

<p>I have my interview coming up, my family and I are freaking out that I won't get approved because, well, there's a HUGE chance I won't be. We have literally no money, due to being broke already, and having to pay recent surgeries making things even harder, and worst of all, the USD vs Brazilian Real currency is at 2.09 now. However, my dad got a job that technically could pay for my college if almost half the money went towards my education. Would it be okay for my dad to show some kind of Boss Letter since we ourselves don't have any money yet?</p>

<p>Also, how can I talk to someone in English for my interview? My portuguese is awful, but my english is perfect.</p>

<p>And what are some normal questions they ask? I feel that i'd have a hard time convincing them that I don't plan on staying after my 4 years, but I figured I could just say i'm only a kid, i can't really live in another country alone after 4 years.</p>

<p>Some other College Questions -</p>

<p>So i plan on going to a college for a 1.5 or 2 year maximum and wanted to transfer to another school. My grades weren't too bad in high school, I think i could've gotten into a school like UNH or URI for sure, but the school i plan on attending is just very cheap compared to average schools. SO i wanted to do great and transfer, hopefully to a school like UDelaware. But Udel doesn't offer international aid or anything. If i did really well in my college years and transfer to Udel, would i be able to get some kind of Merit-Scholarship vs Need-based? because there's really no point in my even trying to transfer to any school if they don't offer any merit-based or need-based for an international student like me.</p>

<p>I also have emailed over 15 organizations that say they help brazilian internationals and even have several success stories and all that, but none can ever help me. So depending on organizations seems out of the question.</p>

<p>And lastly, I wanted to be a Vet, but if 1 year of college is already hard enough to pay for, 8 would be hell. Are Grad schools the same as undergrad, where they normally don't help at all with paying for internationals?</p>

2

<p>

You’ll be interviewed by an American who will gladly speak to you in English. (In fact, your interview might happen in English even if you did prefer another language.)</p>

<p>

Medicine is even more expensive than college and there’s practically no financial aid available at all. If instead you opt for a research degree (e.g. a PhD in biology), you will probably get a full tuition waiver and a stipend for living expenses on top. </p>

<p>

I won’t lie to you: there is a real chance that your visa might get denied. Official policy is that you need to have sufficient funds to pay for the first year of attendance available (i.e. sitting in a bank account) before your visa can be approved.</p>

3

<p>Or besides from Udel, anyone know any Public Universities that are particularly generous with helping internationals pay their college? Only universities in the Northeast though. Anyone know if Uconn is usually helpful?</p>

4

<p>I won’t lie to you: there is a real chance that your visa might get denied. Official policy is that you need to have sufficient funds to pay for the first year of attendance available (i.e. sitting in a bank account) before your visa can be approved.</p>

<p>So am i supposed to just wait a year and a half or so till we get money? I’ve already sat around brazil for the past 5 months doing nothing because we have no money…</p>

<p>If instead you opt for a research degree (e.g. a PhD in biology), you will probably get a full tuition waiver and a stipend for living expenses on top. </p>

<p>Could you explain this a bit more to me? does that mean if i get like a PhD in bio, i could possibly get a fullride to the Vet school at Cornell or Tufts or something like that?</p>

5

<p>1) You could have gotten a merit scholarship at a University where your stats were well above average as a high school senior, but transfer financial aid and scholarships are few and far in between. To increase your chances for money when transferring, however, I would a) focus on schools for which your stats are sky-high, which essentially will be more interested in you than you are in them, and b) focus on private colleges, because, conversely, it’s much easier for an international student to get a full ride at a private than at a public, because most of the funds at publics are intended for citizens. That said, the more selective the college, the better the financial aid/merit aid, and if you’re aiming at the likes of UDel, I’m afraid you might find the funds at the schools you can target are very limited indeed. I’m thinking of transferring myself, so I’ve met with all these questions too - would love to hear how this year + transferring goes for you!</p>

<p>2) If you cannot finance your first year, you will very likely be denied (it’s like, the second worst thing after immigrant intent), but I say, get your boss to write a letter and be very convincing at the interview, emphasizing the financial crisis and that this is an unusual financial hardship for your family, and best of luck to you:)</p>

<p>3) You won’t get any money for med school if you get a PhD in bio, but you will be PAID to get a PhD in bio if the schools you apply to are interested in your research.</p>

<p>4) Some schools have loan options for internationals. That said, to get a loan, you usually have to be a citizen/permanent resident. Have you tried getting American scholarships? Some of them are open to internationals. I believe there are some Fulbright-type schemes for undergrads, as well.</p>

6

<p>

Research degrees (PhDs) are usually funded, professional degrees (e.g. MDs) almost never. If you got a PhD in biology, you would probably study at the College of Arts and Sciences, not the medical school. Some universities offer joint MD-PhD programs. It is my understanding that you would still have to pay for the MD part of the program and only get funded for the PhD. </p>

<p>Bottom line: you are not going to get an American medical (or veterinary) degree without paying for the full thing, but there are free graduate degrees in other fields if you are willing to change fields.</p>

7

<p>Did you receive the I20 - To get the I-20 from the college, one needs to prove funds for atleast one year, correct? So, if one has the I20 it implies, evidence for 1 year funds have been demonstrated to the college in the first place!</p>