<p>Yes, I am one of them. Unfortunately, I called FAFSA today and I was told that students without a SSN are ineligible to apply.
-No social security #
-Not a permanent resident (VISA people, NOT an illegal immigrant. Yeesh.)
It's a tricky situation.. because my parents are working here as overseas management, but we don't have green cards yet.</p>
<p>I've found that it's painfully difficult to find financial aid without filing FAFSA.</p>
<p>Does anyone have experience in this area?
Am I considered an international student? (lived here for 10 years)
Am I just the unlucky, ugly duckling here?!??!?! :(</p>
<p>For financial aid purposes, you are an international student. Sorry!</p>
<p>You need to read up on financial aid for international students. Start with the sticky thread at the top of this forum.</p>
<p>You need to contact every single one of the colleges that you are applying to, explain your immigration status, and ask the individual financial aid offices what you can do in order to apply for any financial aid that they may offer to students in your situation.</p>
<p>Some states consider students who have lived in that state for a certain number of years, or who have graduated from high schools in that state to be in-state for tuition/fees at public colleges and universities regardless of immigration status. Check the in-state rules for your public colleges and universities and see if you qualify.</p>
<p>FAFSA is the form used to collect data used to determine your eligiblity for federal (as in U.S. government) financial aid. Only those the government considers eligible are able to receive federal financial aid. If you want to receive financial assistance, you'll have to find a school that gives aid to international students. While you may live in the U.S., you are not a U.S. citizen or eligible U.S. citizen. I imagine that you would qualify for financial assistance in your home country.</p>
<p>if you have lived in California for three years and graduate from a Calif HS, you will be considered instate resident for admissions purposes. But, you will not be eligible for federal financial aid if you are not a US citizen or perm resident. Call a UC campus (or two) and inquire whether you are eligible for state grants (if your income is low enough to qualify).</p>
<p>btw: there are few colleges that are need-blind to internationals. Ability to pay will be a factor in admissions.</p>
<p>I'm in this situation too! I'm going to be receiving my SSN# quite soon but not soon enough to file the FAFSA... and yeah it sucks. No FAFSA for us. :( but I think you can still do PROFILE?</p>
<p>PM me and we can chat/lament/complain together. :)</p>
<p>Since the Op is in CA., so long as you are admitted to a UC you will get in-state tuition. That is like receiving a $ 30,000 scholarship compared to a private University (say USC) tuition.</p>
<p>Try some of the colleges that are ranked in the 50--100 slots in US News college rankings (the notorious August issue). Some of them are recruiting international students intensively, and they are great schools, less attention is paid to them than all the the top-top places (so your chances are better and the competition for $$ is less intense), and they are schools that would love to have you diversify their student body (as a positive thing). And go farther down the alphabet--Arcadia gets a lot of international applicants just because it is near the top of the list. Macalester is a school also that is more highly ranked, that has a strong interest in international students. DO check the thread at the top. Also, PROFILE is the financial aid application that is used by perhaps 300 or so of the mostly highly selective schools in the country (the CollgBd website--don't know if I can write it out fully--has a list of Profile schools). I think that in almost all cases it is used in conjunction with the FAFSA. Previous posters are correct in the advice you have received--go to it. You have work to do, but I bet you can find a wonderful school that will support and educate you. And you are lucky to be in California.</p>
<p>there are probably less than ten US colleges that are both need-blind to internationals AND who meet full financial need. And, of course, those colleges happen to sit atop a gazillion endowment dollars and be in the top ~10 of USNews.</p>