I am a U.S. citizen who has actually never lived in the U.S. Sounds weird but that’s how it is. Now I’m looking for scholarships to get a Masters degree in the States, and the problem is - money. Tuition is way too much high for me, having in mind that I live in Europe where nothing can compare to this in terms of prices.
Nevertheless, the worst part of all that is that I have a dual citizenship and I’m still not resided in the States! Which makes me partly an international student and therefore limits my chances of getting any scholarship. Does that simply mean I can apply as an international student even though I have the U.S. citizenship?
The first question is how to apply, the second is how to get the money.
Since I have never lived in the States, I don’t even know what I should do first when I come regarding paying taxes, getting an ID, etc. Is there an option to study AND work on a project at the same college as a technician? By the way, I’m studying Biology. In case I get a job, am I allowed to receive aid and a scholarship? Also, would it be enough to cover all the college expenses?
Some extra information and advice would be great.
If you have citizenship, then you can work while you are a student in the US. You would not need a student visa. Yes, you will have to pay taxes on your earnings. Up to now, you may not have earned enough to require you to pay taxes but you need to check that out.
Qualifications for scholarships are set by the organization giving out the scholarship. Many do require US citizenship. Federal financial aid requires citizenship or permanent resident status, but for Masters degrees there is not a lot available except loans.
Usually, a citizen living in another country applies as a US citizen, but will be considered with the applications from that region (compared to others from that area as far as grades, etc.)
Speaking of loans, is it reasonable to take out one considering that I have no permanent job? How hard is it to pay it out?
Grad students in the sciences normally have teaching and/or research assistantships that pay enough to cover the costs of housing/food/etc., and they usually are awarded tuition and fees waivers. If you aren’t admitted with a package like that, it means that the grad program doesn’t think you really are good enough to be there.
As a US citizen, you are eligible to apply for Direct Unsubsidized Loans to help pay for your graduate studies. Here is one place to start reading about them: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/ How long it takes you to pay back your loans will depend on the kind of job you get after you finish your graduate program. Will your program lead to a good-paying job? What other expenses will you expect to have once you finish your education and are working?
I agree with @twoinanddone, that it will not be easy for OP to get funding for a masters program other than loans.
Even in the sciences, masters degrees are very rarely funded.
PhD students, yes. MS (or whatever) students, no.
Other than loan and the costs of housing and food, I hope nothing. I thought of studying Microbiology and stay employed as a researcher which is considered to be a well payed job in every country.
Before getting employed I think I’ll have to translate and submit for evaluation my high-school diploma, but I’m not sure if that would be the easiest part of all due to the differences in education programes.
Do you HAVE a bachelors degree? You talk about getting your HS diploma translated. Where did you get your bachelors?
@BlueBubble - You could benefit from reading through all the information at https://educationusa.state.gov/ That will help you better understand the steps you will need to take in the college search and application process. You also should contact the closest EducationUSA advising center https://educationusa.state.gov/find-advising-center , or the closest AMIDEAST center http://www.amideast.org/country-offices/where-we-work if you are in a country where AMIDEAST is responsible for advising services. The counselors at that center will be able to give you country-specific advice about your application process. Most of them will have worked with US citizens who have studied in that country.
I don’t have it yet. I’m still on my undergraduate studies, but even before evaluating my bachelor diploma I guess my HS diploma should be evaluated too.
Thanks a lot for the links!
@bluebubbles
When you apply for your masters programs, the schools aren’t going to really care about your HS record. They are going to care about your undergrad record.
@happymomof1 if this student has US citizenship…wouldn’t he be applying as a U.S. .citizen?
OP, you are making too much of a deal about ‘international’. There are quite a lot of citizens who have lived most or all of their lives abroad. If you have the passport, you are a citizen.
Your chances of a scholarship for a biology masters are not good, but it is not because of living in another country, it’s b/c there aren’t a lot of scholarships for Masters. As other posters have said, if you are thinking of going for a PhD, they are usually funded. You don’t say what country you are in, but in many European countries the Masters is just one further year of study, continuing on from undergraduate - usually at a lower cost than a US masters.
Not true: once you have completed undergraduate, your HS record is irrelevant for jobs or for applying to grad school. As a US citizen you are immediately employable, but as always work experience helps.
@thumper1 - This student doesn’t have any visa issues as a US citizen. However, as someone who as been educated outside the US, the student has to go through the same steps as a truly international applicant educated in that country in order to validate the foreign academic records. That’s why I recommend the visit to the local EducationUSA/Amideast office. The people there know the right steps to follow to validate the academic records. Most offices will have at least one counselor who has worked with US citizens educated in that country - and if they haven’t, they have access to a huge network and can get advice from someone with that experience.
I can address this at least in part.
If you are looking to get a masters degree in biology, you need to understand how funding for grad school works. Grad school funding is merit based. It is based on the strength of your application, and the schools desire to have you as part of the grad school cohort. Grad school aid is not need based like undergrad aid…it,is,merit based.
Grad school aid comes in the form of scholarships. Assistantships, grants, sometimes work study, and loans.
Most grad schools do not provide full finding for masters degrees in biology.
As for finding a job, I thought of coming to the US before completing my bachelor in Europe. That’s why I think my HS record needs be validated.
When talking about merit, what does a grad school expect from an applicant to get a merit based scholarship? To have research papers, working experience in that field of study or just good grades on undergrad? I ask that because I don’t know what type of activities other than classes students in the US exactly do on their undergrad studies.
Is it possible for my undergrad record to not be fully validated and that I need to do additional exams?
- A completed bachelors degree. So coming here first isn't really going to be a benefit to you. You will be competing for admission and any money besides loans with students who have successfully completed their bachelors degrees.
- Many schools require a GRE score. This is sort of the graduate school version of the SAT or ACT. You want to take it and get an outstanding score if you want merit money.
- Excellent undergraduate college grades. I can't think of one masters program that would care...at all...about your high school record.
- Excellent letters of reference in the field in which you are applying for,the masters degree.
- Relevant internship or work experience to the type of masters degree you are seeking.
I think you need to learn more about graduate school admissions. It sounds like you really don’t know about those. To get funding, you will need to be an applicant that the school highly desires.
And like I said…in biology…not likely to get masters degree free funding…but you could,take out loans, which I would NOT suggest.
What is your career goal? Why do you need that masters degree from a college here?
Are you thinking about transferring to a college or university in the US and completing your bachelors degree here? That would make good sense if you are intending to start your working life in the US. Whether is would help you get into grad school here is a different story - it might or might not depending on where you would be finishing your degree in Europe and where you would finish it if you came here.
@b@r!um transferred to a college in the US, finished her bachelors here, and then applied to grad school. Look for her posts in the International Students Forum. She will have useful ideas for you.
I can’t find the user.
I thought of it but I think that would be even more complicated than getting into masters studies. Currently I’m junior, so until the time I prepare for GRE exam and evaluate my former record, I will be ready to apply for master studies (because application goes usually one year prior to beginning of the school year). In other words, I think it is too late for me now. I need time to prepare for the exams. As for where I will finish and where I am currently studying, I can say that it could be a problem. I study in Serbia (former Yugoslavia) and there isn’t a lot of people who had such experience with evaluating and transferring.
Why isn’t it going to be a benefit for me? How do you mean? Why do you suggest not taking out loans?
Because if I finish masters degree in Europe I don’t think I would really learn anything useful. Let me explain. It is really hard to study here. BUT! On the other hand, European education system is focused on theory only unlike many of American universities. If I finish it here, I will not be able to find a job in the US. Employers care about your actual knowledge and experience in the field. My goal is to work as a university researcher. And yes, the one who have never studied in Europe can never say it is actually good. Believe me. Speaking of science, European universities fall behind the American ones. European ones don’t do science; they don’t give their students an opportunity to do research papers because it actually costs PRETTY much.
You will apply for admission to grad school NEXT year…during your senior year of college. You have plenty of time this year to take the GRE, and whatever else you think you need to do to study here.
Cost WILL be an issue. You don’t reside in any state, so for public universities, the costs for you will be OOS costs. Private universities will be costly as well. I’m going to guess that a masters will cost you $50,000 a year…or so. Remember, you will have living exoenses as well as tuition.
As a U.S. citizen, you can take out grad plus loans up to the cost of attendance. But really…that’s a LOT of debt to leave school with. Salaries for entry level research positions here are not all that high.
@happymomof1
Could you put the poster name again. It looks like there might be a typo in what you put in post 16.