<p>Many international students desire to study in the United States. For most, the financial cost will prevent them from doing so. Often you will find many international students on sporting scholarships or other school scholarships. Schools want to, and need to, attract international students and they will go out of their way to accommodate their needs. </p>
<p>As an international student you will find it very expensive to study in the United States. If you dont have a scholarship or financial backing then you could be faced with costs of $10,000 to $40,000 depending on which school you attend. And this is each year! Many foreign students often pay their way through college with a sports scholarship.</p>
<p>Most of the loans, grants and scholarships available are restricted to US students and citizens. If you are from Canada or Mexico you may be eligible for some form of financial aid so you will need to check into these exceptions for your self. </p>
<p>The obvious issues will be the ability of the student to speak English. You will sometimes come across international students who can barely speak English yet pass their classes with ease. This is just part and parcel of having these foreign students at your school.</p>
<p>As a foreign student, your first step after being accepted to a college in the USA is to obtain a student visa which can be a stressful task. A visa is a grant of permission that is required to enter the USA. Visas are issued by the State Department of the United States. You will need to go to a U.S. Embassy in your country in order to obtain your visa. You will also be required to present photo I.D along with filling out numerous forms before your visa can be processed. </p>
<p>The best way to go about this whole process is to follow the advice and guidelines of the International Student Advisor at your school. They have lots of experience in assisting their International Students with entering the USA and will guide you through the process. (from CollegeHelpGuide.com)</p>
<p>Ways to Pay for college for international students:
Get a Resident Assistant / Resident Director job
Work over summer for one of the camps and thus have your room and board paid for
Become a tutor
Work off campus if visa permits
Get an assisantship
Apply for international students scholarship
Obtain an athletic scholarship
Obtain loan for int students
Work over summer and save money</p>
<p>Visa Issues - To Gain a Visa You Will Need to:
Be able to financially support yourself while in the USA
Not have a criminal record as this could be grounds for deportation
Be healthy and free of certain diseases
Leave the USA as soon as you complete your studies
Have an I-20 form from your college
Fill out the visa application form
Have a valid passport
Have a recent passport-sized photo of yourself
Proof of payment for the visa (receipt for the processing fee)</p>
<p>Issues confronting international students include:
Language barriers
Financial issues
Being homesick
Culture shock
Feelings of loneliness
Not having family support
Religious differences
Diet food differences
Living in more modern facilities
Dealing with getting a visa
Maintaining the requirements to keep your visa
Working restrictions
Lack of funding / scholarships
Not having a car
Having nowhere to stay during the long summer holidays
Being alone at important times such as Christmas
Adjusting to the fast pace of American life
Being targets of conmen or being taken advantage of by salesman
Understanding the currency and relating to its value
Issues with customs and visas when leaving and entering the country
Potential to be deported
Being unable to remain in America once you graduate and your student visa becomes invalid
Insecurity and uncertainty of forming a relationship with an American citizen
Not knowing the USAs different laws
Following the drinking age laws of being 21 years old
Finding a good host family
Trying to understand the traditional American sports
Acclimatizing to the extreme weather conditions of different states</p>
<p>Things To Do for International Students Upon Arriving in the USA:
Get a social security number (SS#)
Get a drivers licence
Convert your currency to American currency
Open up a bank account
Meet with your international student advisor
Check that all of your financial papers are up to date
Seek out other international students for assistance
Set up a PO Box at the post office
Find a safe place to store all of your important documents such as passports and money
Find a good phone plan</p>
<p>More info can be found at <a href="http://www.collegehelpguide.com%5B/url%5D">http://www.collegehelpguide.com</a></p>
<p>Best to seek advice from financial aid office and international student dept.</p>