International students who want to apply may find that they don't have much qualified financial aid information when investigating American schools. But a clause that students often see is to apply for free federal student financial aid (FAFSA). American students fill out FAFSA forms and apply for financial assistance from the federal and state governments. Schools use this form to decide how much they need.
If you want to apply for financial aid to study in the United States, here are some things that international students should know.
Apply for federal aid for free. Although FAFSA is the standard financial aid application method used by American universities and colleges, different schools may have different requirements and forms to count economic needs, especially for international students.
Experts say the school does not require international students to fill out FAFSA. The school does not intend to provide institutional assistance to international students in this form. This form is used to provide federal assistance to eligible non-citizens, such as American citizens or legal permanent residents.
A spokesman for the US Department of Education said that although international students are not eligible for federal student aid, they may be eligible for institutional aid, and their qualifications should be verified with the financial aid office of the institution. If students need financial assistance, they should apply for institutional assistance, not federal assistance, unless they are qualified non-citizens. Students should also try not to apply to universities that do not provide institutional assistance to international students.
Other forms. Although the procedures of the school are different, international students who want to apply may need to fill out the Application Form for International Student Financial Assistance, or the Application Form for International Student Financial Assistance, or the Application Form for Scholarship, which are published by the Council of Non-profit Universities. Some universities may also have their own application methods.
For example, the College Station of Texas A&M University allows international students to use the International Student Scholarship Application Form (ISFAA). Dickinson College, located in Pennsylvania, requires international students to fill out an economic certificate form, CSS profile or International Student Scholarship Application Form (ISFAA), depending on whether their parents work in the United States or Canada.
At Princeton University in New Jersey, all students, including international students, must fill out the Princeton Financial Aid Application Form.
When filling in CSS personal data, students and their families must translate all applicable documents into English, such as tax returns or materials equivalent to their own national tax returns. The CSS system will automatically convert all the numbers from the local currency into US dollars. Experts advise international students to contact schools directly for information about financial aid procedures, because some schools may not have any specific requirements.
For example, Oxford University in Miami, Ohio does not require or encourage international students to apply for federal grants for free. The school does not require international students to fill in any materials about whether the grant is qualified or not, and automatically screens outstanding scholarships when applying for admission. However, two scholarships need to be applied separately, one is the presidential scholarship and the other is the "YouareWelcome" scholarship.
For schools that provide financial assistance to international students, institutional grants and scholarships are the largest single source. Some schools generously provide international students with assistance based on student needs and assistance without student needs. For example, at drexel University in Pennsylvania, international applicants will automatically receive scholarships after completing their application for admission. The school encourages students to fill in CSS personal data, so that they can consider applying for grants as needed.
International students studying financial aid programs in American universities should first read the financial aid website of the university carefully, which usually contains answers to some basic questions, or contact the financial aid office directly. Students can also contact American Education in their own country to see if there are staff there who can help students solve problems. EducationUSA is a network of consultation centers supported by the State Council, USA, which provides free help to international students who want to apply.