Hi, I’m an international student currently living in the United States. I have been living in the U.S for 9 years under my parents. My father has an F-1 Visa and I am F-2. I will be getting my F-1 when I’m accepted into colleges.
However, my financial plans do not work out so well. And as we all know, we must report our financial documentations to school after enrollment.
My family is being financially assisted by a close uncle of ours of $4,000 - $4,500 dollars a month. Which totals to around $48.000 dollars to $54,000.
Since we dont have citizenship or a green card, we cannot ask for financial aid.
I’m really worried right now because even if I get accepted into schools, I don’t think my family will be able to pay it.
And so far, I have applied to big schools which costs a lot of money.
I am not the brightest student so there’s no way for me to receive a big scholarship or any sort of full-ride
The schools I’m applying to and have applied to are
Virgnia Tech - This is my number one school.
Penn state
Pitt
G tech
OSU
Purdue
UIUC
These schools are very expensive. and I’m very worried. What should I do??? Please help!!!
Also my stats if you’d like
ACT :31 math 34 sci 29 read 28 eng 32
SAT 2: Math 2 (I only sent this to Gtech)
Unweighted GPA : 3.85
Weighted : 4.04
(My transcript shows a gradual increase in more challenging classes. (I was very lazy freshmen/sophomore year)
Our school doesn’t report rank but it is a very prestigious school in the region and possibly the state
Well, you can certainly ask for financial aid. Not from the federal govt, but the colleges themselves often give aid. Some do and some don’t give to international students. You should be seeking schools that will give you aid, as you are not in a position to pick and choose. In general, public schools do not give to internationals so they are a poor choice unless you know that they do, I see you have some schools that will not give you any aid. Unfortunately you are asking very late in the process and have likely missed some deadlines. Here is a list for schools that give ‘automatic aid’ but you will have to cross check with allow it for international students. If so, then there are some options for you for full or part tuition and expenses.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1348012-automatic-full-tuition-full-ride-scholarships.html#latest
In addition there are lists on the forums, if you do a search you will find them, for colleges that give aid to internationals, there are quite a few of them.
Did you find out what your parents say they can pay each year? What about colleges you can live at home and commute to? What about home country colleges?
Do you have instate tuition for any of these? I don’t think the schools are out of reach academically, just financially. Look closer to home. Is there any school you can commute to, even if for 2 years?
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/1678964-links-to-popular-threads-on-scholarships-and-lower-cost-colleges.html#latest
Follow the links and look for places where you would be guaranteed big merit-aid, or be competitive for big merit-aid. You need to check each place separately to find out if that money can go to international students. Unfortunately, you have missed a number of the application cut-offs, but if you email the colleges/universities, they might still take your application. Alternately, you could take a gap year, and apply for fall 2016
Those are all public universities. Since you don’t have permanent resident status, I’m going to guess that you would be considered out if state at all of these schools. None of the schools on your list guarantee to meet full need.
Do you have outstanding SAT scores and GPA? Any chance you are comoetitive for merit awards at any of these schools?
Please clarify…are you saying your family has lived here for nine years, but neither of your parents work, and you get all of your support from your uncle? Or do your parents also have income?
all of our support is from our loving uncle. we’ve lived him for a long time. My parents do not have income because they are not allowed to work. my father is f-1 visa, my mother and i are f-2 visas
I’m so depressed right now because I feel like I am very late on this. I’ve already applied to five schools and I’m not sure if I even have time for scholarship opportunities because their deadlines are already gone
Maybe this uncle could pay for your education too?
You are not fatally late in my opinion; . What I’m really worried about is that it sounds like you mostly apply to state schools. If you’re classified as an international student those schools might not be super-generous with aid which it sounds like you might need since your uncle is your family’s sole source of support. As thumper1 points out these schools are also expensive if you are out of state, comparable in cost to private universities in some cases.
Please consider applying to some private universities that have good merit aid. There should be some links on this site and since you’re at a good school your guidance counselor should be able to help you a lot since they probably have experience dealing with the college admissions race.
Well, I’ve talked to my counselor about my status as an international student, and he told me he never had a student in that position, so he didn’t have much knownledge of it.
Also if it helps I’m maojring in engineering
@4kidsdad He’s been verys upportive but I don’t think he’ll help us with this one.
Do you have instate tuition at any of these schools or at any others?
I know I googled a while back and a few states grant in state tuition status to illegal aliens that live in the state. I believe California is one. I know you are a legal alien but it might also apply to you since your family lives and pays taxes in a state. Try doing a search. You might end up only affording a community college. You can wait to apply after you’ve exhausted other options. Good luck.
Several states grant instate privileges to students (any student) who live in the state 2-3 years and graduate from a state high school. That’s why I asked if he/she was instate anywhere.
Again…in what state do you reside? Some community colleges will grant you instate tuition status as they are more lenient, and you have been residing in the state. Some states will grant you instate status for tuition, but you still would not be eligible for their state aid as you are not a permanent resident.
Is there ANY community college where you could attend that is within commuting distance from your home?
If you have excellent SAT or ACT scores, AND a great GPA, you should consider a gap year, and you should look for colleges where international students garner very significant merit aid…and apply for the following year.
The schools you applied to are public universities. You only have instate status at ONE of them…which one? Are you in contention for a very very substantial merit aid award?
If not, I hate to say it, but unless someone is willing to pay your costs, you applied to the wrong list of schools this time around.
And for engineering…pick an ABET accredited college. One that you can afford.
And for clarification…are you saying that your parents have been here for NINE years to study on the college level? Who is paying for their schooling?
I live in Pennsylvania. My parents will leave for South Korea (Our home country) after i graduate high school and I will be here by myself. And my uncle has been giving us support, my parents went to small-time schools that didn’t cost much so we were able to survive.
And my mother has told me that since I am an international student, I won’t be able to pay in-state tuition but only out-of-state
Your mother is probably correct. I don’t think PA four year colleges give instate status to international students who have resided in PA. But you might want to check the community colleges. Sometimes community colleges are willing to do this.
Do you have competitive SAT and GPA to garner any merit aid anywhere where you applied?
oh haha probably not. I received a 31 act score which isn’t even close to acquire scholarships that I applied to.
However, I found Illinois Institute of Tech and I feel like I might have a chance there, because they give aid to int.students i believe and might give out merit aid
And I believe that most(some?) schools don’t give out scholarships to int. students?