<p>I'm asking this in the parents section because I feel like parents will be more aware of the options.</p>
<p>This will only be applicable if I am accepted to a college in the US with enough financial aid but I want to plan ahead to see if it is even feasible.</p>
<p>I am an international student and after I go to college, I won't be able to return to my family home during summers (long story). I also don't have other family/friends I can stay with. I will presumably have to come up with a summer contribution for college also so I won't just be able to work and spend that money on rent/living expenses. I've read threads where people are struggling to come up with their summer contribution even without worrying about rent/living expenses so I'm obviously concerned about that. </p>
<p>Does anyone have any idea about what my options would be?</p>
<p>Join a fraternity or sorority. Your dues will pay for your housing for the year (including the summer) and as there may be housemates also staying for the summer, you could pool resources for food and fun. </p>
<p>In a dorm you are out for the summer and your friends are probably gone too. In the Greek system you’ll make friends not just in your house but from others, and you can sort of stick together to tough out the summer. </p>
<p>Some on here are highly critical of the Greek system, but probably none of them actually graduated while still in one.</p>
<p>You could be a camp counselor during the summers. Room and board is provided, plus they pay a weekly wage. You won’t get rich, but it is enough to live. There are a variety of camps (scouting, church, YMCA, etc). You have to like working with kids.</p>
<p>Summer housing was an option for my kid’s summer research position on campus, although it wasn’t free. Something like $21/day, and she had to feed herself. Her stipend as a freshman was about $4,500 for the whole summer. She had one friend who is struggling with the cost of her college (parents can’t meet COA amount), so she researched this summer and got a second job evenings and weekends. </p>
<p>At ds1’s school, a LAC, there was no summer housing for kids staying and doing research because dorms were used for camps and other things. But there was no lack of cheap, local housing. I imagine the research money would only enable you to offset expenses. At ds2’s private uni, you get free summer housing if you work as a part-time RA, plus a small stipend.</p>
<p>You’re smart to think ahead, but it’ll just mean asking at the various places you are considering.</p>
<p>National parks are often looking for college kids to work during the summer. They like foreign students especially because they are less likely to quit on a whim. I worked in Yosemite valley the summer of my junior year and loved it. It’s hard work, cleaning rooms etc., but you can explore on your days off. Each park has a private concession running tourist services, so you need to apply separately depending on the park.</p>
<p>You’ll be here on an education visa, not a work visa. Will you be allowed to work in summer? Would you be allowed to earn enough to pay rent, food, etc?</p>
<p>1) Not every sorority/fraternity house is open in the summer (not at my D’s school for sure) so that could be an option at some schools, but not at every college And joining a frat/sorority does cost additional money (amount varies by school and by sorority/frat) so that may be an issue 2) if you can legally work try to get an summer on campus job which would provide you with a free room or work at a sleepaway camp (you would still have to crash with someone for the month or so between school and camp)</p>
<p>Check on your visa/ability to work. Camps or parks that provide housing are a good bet. When I was in college, each summer I worked at an amusement park and really enjoyed it. I visited that park (Cedar Point in Ohio) a few years ago and know they now hire a lot of foreigners/international students. You have to pay for housing, but would still be able to save $ for school. Pay per hour is low, but you can work a lot of hours.</p>
<p>Agree that you need to check on your visa/ability to work. Camp jobs that include housing tend to have long hours and low wages because they offer lodging. The folks we spoke with who worked at Yellowstone were forced to work very long hours and got NO overtime. We have no idea how that’s even legal, but they seemed to accept that as the situation. More employers are more careful about visa/green card restrictions in hiring, so be sure you consider that FIRST.</p>
<p>Most overnight camps don’t pay enough to cover the expected student summer earnings contribution for most colleges. For example, my DS earned ~$1200 for the whole summer, and there was no chance of additional employment because you are on duty day and night (with some time off, but not enough and not regular enough hours to fill in with another job, beside which the job is exhausting and you really NEED that time off). </p>
<p>I did not receive overtime pay–usually worked 50 and even up to 80 hours per week. Seasonal businesses do not have to follow certain laws like minimum wage/overtime. (Not sure what pay is today, but we made slightly under minimum wage. If we stayed the whole summer, we got a bonus that made the pay a little more than minimum wage. Still, I was very frugal and was able to save a good amount.)</p>
<p>My kids have never been able to come home for the summers either. They have been able to find jobs that provide housing (a summer theatre festival, a national park, housesitting, etc). There are options, if you have a work visa. If you are on an educational visa, you can still work on campus and often they provide free or reduced price housing for the summer. Check with your campus employment office. </p>
<p>Summer camps are good ideas - D worked at one and kids loved international counselors. Like someone else said, not huge salary but nowhere to spend it since room and board provided and not lots of free time. </p>
<p>If you haven’t chosen a school yet, check to see if financial aid can be used during summer school and just stay and take courses so you can graduate early. May not be possible but worth asking. In SC they are looking at letting students use $ for equivalent of 8 semesters whether during traditional school year or summer to give students more flexibility. If you end up as full pay, then just go through summer.</p>
<p>Also, at potential colleges, go ahead and contact international student groups - they may have programs in place to help with issues like this. This may help determine where you go to college.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>If you get admitted to an American college, you will not be unique. There will be at least several other – and maybe scores or hundreds of other – foreign students in each class with similar visa limitations and financial responsibilities. There will be a number of well-worn paths for satisfying both, lots of peers from whose experience to learn, and probably some administrative staff to help you out. It won’t be impossible to deal with this problem. (That’s actually too optimistic, of course. Lots of colleges accept foreign students without giving them realistic, adequate financial aid, and it’s not uncommon for some of those students to be unable to raise the money required to satisfy the colleges, not to mention the F-1 visa requirements. So it’s a real concern, but less so at the few colleges that actually make it their business to educate some non-wealthy foreign students.)</p></li>
<li><p>Getting a summer sublet in a college town is usually dirt cheap, especially if you are willing to share rooms and to settle for less than the most luxurious conditions. Summer housing will not be a barrier to your education.</p></li>
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<p>House sitting and/or childcare for a professor; exchanging odd jobs if you are handy for a room and kitchen privileges; you will probably find opportunities in your college town for cheap/discounted/free lodgings if you are willing to put in some sweat equity.</p>
<p>Agree that the visa issue is a bigger concern.</p>