I have a student I am advising who happens to have a US passport as he was born in Ca. whilst his father was working there. He has always, apart from his infancy, lived in Australia. His parents are not US citizens. MUST he apply as a US citizen? This is tricky as they have no US tax records (FAFSA) and no US residence there at all and could work against him.
If he wants to apply to US colleges, it’s to his advantage to use his valid US citizenship. The fact that he’s lived outside the US and his parents have no US tax records or residence is irrelevant. That won’t work against him whatsoever.
His ability to qualify for fin aid will be dependent on what his parents will show as income and assets – even if not from the US or even if they’re not US citizens themselves.
Thank you. But admissions at two schools has told me because he is applying to quite selective schools, his SAT scores, although very good, do not jump off the page as a US citizen, to admissions offices looking to Oz for diversity. He also wants to play sport so is working with coaches.