International students are not eligible for federal student aid, but they may be eligible for institutional aid. It is important to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, even if you are not eligible for federal aid, as some schools may require it to determine if you can get help directly from the school or the state where the school is located. You can't submit the form online, but you can print a copy and mail it. The sooner you send it, the better, as part of the financial aid is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. The minimum scholarship aid available to international students is mostly reserved for postgraduate studies.
Institutions offer little or no discount on tuition, although both private and public institutions may waive application fees in some situations. The budgeted cost of attendance is a calculation of the total cost of each institution that is used to determine a student's level of financial need. This includes tuition, mandatory fees, room, board (where applicable), and estimated cost of books and other living expenses (and sometimes travel). Separate determinations may be made for students living at home or independently. EduPASS provides a list of costs to include in your personal budget in addition to tuition, accommodation and meals.
Geographic location will affect your spending as a result of different living costs. There are several cost-of-living calculators available on the Internet that can help you compare costs between two U. S. locations.
You may want to create a budget spreadsheet to keep track of the expenses you already know. Check with your university to take advantage of available supplements or fee waivers. Some public and private universities offer financial incentives for students to attend their institution. Most of the institutional aid available to international students is reserved for postgraduate studies in the form of assistantships and scholarships. Because it's uncommon for U.
institutions to offer aid to international undergraduate students, these scholarships are usually quite competitive.Merit-based scholarships are awarded on the basis of skills, talents or special abilities. Your university may have scholarships based on TOEFL scores, academic record, artistic ability, musical ability, or athletic aptitude. Need-based scholarships are awarded based on financial need. Although rare, international student loans are available to people who meet certain criteria. A guarantor is someone who guarantees and is responsible for payment to the lending institution if for any reason they are unable to repay the loan.
A variety of organizations and institutions offer private loans to international students. Non-immigrant students are not eligible for employment in federal work-study positions, and federal regulations governing nonimmigrant categories F, M, and J strictly limit both the type and amount of other types of work students may perform in the United States. Working without authorization in the United States is a serious matter and is considered a violation of immigration status. The rules regarding the employment of non-immigrant students are complex, and you should thoroughly discuss questions about eligibility for any type of employment with your campus International Student Advisor before accepting any job. It's also important to understand that working on or off campus, even if allowed, can't be your only source of funding. Many of the financial resources available to international undergraduate students are considered taxable. In some cases, international students may be exempt from paying taxes on certain forms of financial aid.
These exemptions depend on the type of visa, the length of time in the United States and the type of grant of financial aid. If your home country maintains a tax treaty with the United States, you may qualify for a full refund of taxes withheld from your financial aid grant. You must file a non-resident tax return (1040NR) with a letter stating that your home country has a tax treaty with the United States. According to EduPass, international undergraduate students are more likely to get a tax exemption if their financial aid is designated as an educational award rather than a work-related award.
