Funding Your Education: It is important to make proper plans to finance your education if you decide to study in the United States. Most of us are aware of the fact that United States is an expensive nation to pursue higher studies. Students generally depend on scholarships to finance their educational training. However, other resources are also available that students can utilize. Only after making proper arrangements of financing your education, you can confidently pursue your higher studies. Even colleges and institutions verify if the students have made arrangements for funding their education during their period of stay in the States.
Funding your education
International students have access to limited financial aid and resources in the United States and hence it can be a challenging process. The common resources are Scholarships, University Scholarships, International loans, International organizations and funding schemes available in the home country. This article discusses five possible options for the benefit of international students.
Scholarships
International students can fall back on scholarships to finance their education. Here are the names of some of the popular scholarships – Berkeley College International Student Scholarships, Berkeley International Application Form, College Week Live, CollegeScholarships.org, Federal Student Aid Types, Fulbright Foreign Student Program, GotChosen, Organization of American States – the Leo S. Rowe Pan American Fund, Scholars4Dev, Sport-Scholarships.com, the BrokerFish Scholarship for University Students, and the Ultimate Scholarship Guide. To get more information on these scholarships, students can directly visit the website and contact the authorities to avail the benefits.
University Scholarships
Some U.S institutions provide scholarships specifically for international students. Here you will find a brief list:
- American University Emerging Global Leader Scholarship– This is an undergraduate scholarship for students studying at American University in Washington D.C. The students must have leadership potential.
- Brandeis University Wien International Scholarship Program– This scholarship is specifically for students who are interested in student community contribution.
- Clark University Global Scholars Program– Students will receive $10,000 and $2,500 taxable stipends for an internship program under this scheme.
Click here to get a list of institutions that provide scholarships.
College Financial Aids in USA
International students can apply for the Federal Student Financial Aid (FAFSA) to avail grants, scholarships, work-study and loans. Students can apply through this link FAFSA. There are two websites that provide information on scholarships and financial aid specifically for international students- IEFA.org and Internationalscholarships.com.
International Students Loans
It may not always be possible to receive scholarships. In such a scenario, students can apply for international student loans. To qualify for the student loan, students need to apply with a creditworthy co-signor and they must be permanent citizens of the United States. They can be family members, friends or acquaintances. Here is a brief list:
- Global Student Loan – This education loan is specifically for international and distance learning students. To qualify for this loan, one does not need a co-signor.
- Sallie Mae – They offer education loans and various student loan programs for international students who are pursuing a full degree or are on short study abroad programs.
- StudyAbroadLoans.com – They provide international study abroad student loan program with less interest rates and no application fees. The process is fast and hassle free.
International Organizations
Some of the international organizations that provide funding for international students are United Nations, The Organization of American States (OAS), The International Maritime Organization, The International Maritime Organization, The International Telecommunications Union, The league of Red Cross Societies, The Soros Foundation, The World Health Organization and the World Council of Churches. Students can also apply for Fullbright Scholarships. To know more about this scholarship, students can contact the nearest US Embassy or the Fullbright Commission office.
Educational Finance in USA
Besides scholarship and international loans, students can find resources in their own home country to sponsor their education. One can contact the ministry of education or the cultural section in the home country to know about the funding options that are available. Foundations, private organizations and so on can also be contacted. Most of the financial aid in the U.S. is available for U.S students only. However to learn about financial aid from the U.S government granted to international students from specific countries, you can contact your embassy, U.S department of state or EducationUSA.
Campus Work
Students are also advised to check if there might be any on campus work opportunities that could be available. Money earned from such activities won’t be equal to a full time payment but it is certainly an amount which the students can use for meeting their daily expenses.
