This document provides information on financial aid for international students attending colleges in the United States. It defines key terms, outlines the types and sources of financial aid including need-based aid and merit scholarships. The application process involves completing forms like the International Student Financial Aid Application, CSS Profile, and providing tax documents. Creative ways to reduce costs include taking community college courses first, pursuing scholarships, and attending schools with tuition waivers for international students. Proper planning and applying early is advised to maximize aid eligibility.

1. FINANCIAL AID FOR
INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS

2. GOALS
 What Financial Aid Is
 Terms & Acronyms
 Types & Sources of Aid
 Application Process & Forms
 Creative Ways to Pay
 Timeline

3. INTERNATIONAL OR
FOREIGN STUDENTS
 Defined as:
Students that will need a visa (F-1) to
study in the United States

4. WHAT IS FINANCIAL AID?
Money supplied by a source outside the
family to help pay for the cost of education.
 In reality, many colleges separate
Financial Aid (need-based)
Scholarships (merit-based)

5. FINANCIAL AID IS...
 An assistance device
 Not designed to replace a family’s (primary)
contribution
 Not based on what the parent’s would LIKE to pay

6. COST OF US INSTITUTIONS

7.  Need Based
Merit Based
 Need Blind
TERMS
 Need Aware (Most US Colleges & Universities)

8. EXPECTED FAMILY
CONTRIBUTION
Parent’s Contribution
+ Student’s Contribution
Expected Family Contribution
Calculated ability to pay may not match
family willingness to pay!

9. DETERMINING NEED
Cost of Attendance
- Expected Family Contribution
Eligibility or Financial Need
COA
• Billable Costs: Tuition, Room &
Board, Fees, Health Insurance
• Indirect Costs: Books, Spending
Money, Transportation from Manila,
etc.

10. SOURCES OF AID
 Institutional
 Private
 Student/Family
 Community Organizations
 Civic Groups
 Religious Organizations
 Businesses
 Industry

11. Measure of Quality
Academic
Athletic
Artistic
Special Characteristic
 Family resources not a factor
 Award levels based on sponsors’
goals, institutional priorities and
funding levels
Always double check to see if merit aid is an “automatic”
process or a separate application.

12.  Family ability to pay
 Eligibility may vary
Cost of college
Availability of funding
College calculates family
contribution
College awards aid based on level
of need and available funding

13. HOW TO APPLY

14. APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL
AID
 Research required: forms and deadlines
 International Financial Aid Form
 CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE
 College-Specific Forms

15. INTERNATIONAL STUDENT
FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION
 College Board Generic Form
 School based form
Be sure to use the form
the school asks for!

16. CSS/FINANCIAL AID
http://student.collegeboard.org/css-f inancial -aid-prof i le
 Verify if the university also requires CSS Profile
 Beyond the FAFSA: Medical
expenses, elementary and
secondary school tuition, home
equity, variety of unusual
circumstances
 Tailored to an institut ion
 Popular with ED schools
 Fee based form
PROFILE

17. FORMS & DOCUMENTS
 Parent tax returns
 Student tax returns
 Divorced or separated parent information
 Other information to verify
 Income
 Assets
 Family Size
 Special circumstances

18. WWW.INTERNATIONALSCHOLARSHIPS.COM

19. CREATIVE WAYS TO “PAY”

20. IB COURSE WORK
Credit Or
Scholarships
http://blogs.ibo.org/funding-opportunities/
Did you know that most
Florida universities will
grant a full year of credit for
an IB Diploma score of 32?
Also Southern Methodist,
Ohio Wesleyan, U of
Minnesota, Oregon State,
and other public
universities

21. NON-RESIDENT TUITION
SCHOLARSHIP
• Oklahoma State
• Colorado State
• Auburn
• U of Texas
• U of Washington
• Idaho State University
• Minnesota State University Campuses

22. WOMEN’S COLLEGES
Women’s colleges are
traditionally generous with
scholarships for international
students.

23. COMMUNITY/JUNIOR
COLLEGE
Pay lower
tuition for two
years
Guaranteed
matriculation
to a top
university

24. COMMUNITY/JUNIOR
COLLEGE
Pay lower
tuition for two
years
Guaranteed
matriculation
to a top
university

25. CO-OP EDUCATION
Work, Make Money, Earn Credit at the
SAME TIME!
• California Polytechnic State
University, Sam Luis Obispo
• University of Cincinatti
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• Johnson & Wales
• Kettering
• Long Island University, CW
Post
• University of Louisville
• UMass, Dartmouth
• Merrimack College
• Miami Dade College
• University of Michigan,
Dearborn
• Northeastern University
• Pace University
• Rochester Institute of
Technology
• University of Toledo

26. WHAT TO DO NOW

27. JUNIOR YEAR
 SEE YOUR COUNSELOR
 Determine what your real level of need is
 Research colleges and financial aid websites
thoroughly
 Talk to representatives who visit ISM. They don’t
work for the Financial Aid office, but can provide
some insight.
 Do well academically

28. THE STRATEGY (SUBSTANTIAL NEED)
 Narrow down to one school by May for Early Decision
 Have all testing done by October
 If not ED, then ED II
 Check your ego at the door
 Trust in your counselor

29.  Amherst
 Dar tmouth
 Harvard
 MIT
 Princeton
 Yale
 NYU Abu Dhabi
NEED-BLIND

30. SELECTIVE PRIVATE COLLEGES
 Wi l liams
 Swar thmore
 Middlebury
 Carleton
 Haver ford
 Vassar
 Hami lton
 Grinnel l
 Smith
 Colby
 Bowdoin
 Bates
 Colorado
 Colgate
 Occidental

31. SENIOR YEAR: 1ST
 Get organized
SEMESTER
 Deadlines: Scholarship/Aid deadlines might be earlier
 Complete college applications
 Register for CSS Profile if needed
 Gather information needed for:
 CSS Profile
 International Financial Aid Form
 Check each university’s website

32. SENIOR YEAR: 2ND
 February – April
SEMESTER
 Receive award letters
 Evaluate awards
 Contact University if necessary
 Make decisions
 April – June
 Follow university’s procedures
 Send required forms
 Signatures
 Deposit

33. POINTS TO REMEMBER

34. POINTS TO REMEMBER
 US View: Paying for university may require some
sacrifice (vacations, helpers, etc.)
 Deadlines vary by institution
Write or call the institution if any information is
unclear or if there are any unanswered questions
(DO NOT ASSUME!)
 Be prepared to provide documentation of family
resources

35. POINTS TO REMEMBER
 Some aid requires you to re-apply every year
 Some aid may be contingent on grades/GPA to
maintain aid
 Keep copies of forms completed as well as
supporting documentation
 Tax forms
 Employer ’s statements
 Bank statements

36. THANK YOU FOR
COMING!
This presentat ion wi l l be posted on the HS
Guidance blog in the next week.
ht tp: / /guidance. ism-onl ine.org/