How to apply for US financial aid
Once you have determined the best fit for your financial situation, there are two types of admission you need to know about: need-blind and need-aware. Each university takes a different approach, and sometimes they even use a combination of the two.
With need-blind admission, universities do not pay attention to how much you and your family can afford to pay when deciding whether to accept you as a student. With schools that are need-aware, however, if you can’t pay the total cost, it decreases your chance of admission.
This means if you and your family can afford a university with a need-aware admission process, it may be wise to not apply for financial aid to give yourself the best chance of being accepted.
Financial resources are tight right now, and some schools have been cutting resources to international students, says Pallas Snider Ziporyn, author of The International Student’s Guide to American Colleges. Unfortunately, the number of schools that are need-blind for international students has shrunk over the past few years.
Prepare to make an investment
According to the Institute of International Education (IIE)’s annual Open Doors report, international students and their families end up covering the bulk of college expenses by themselves. In the 20142015 academic year, personal and family income made up an estimated 80% of the total cost of college, with a remaining 8% coming from the school and 9% from a foreign government or university. An additional 3% came from other sources, like a sponsor organization.
What’s more is that international students are actually required by US law to prove they or their family can afford to pay for the entirety of their university studies in the United States. This is taken into account during the visa application process.
In order to assess your ability to pay, you will need to provide your potential US universities with information about your www.getbadcreditloan.com/payday-loans-ne/orchard/ and your family’s income and assets.Continue reading→