Want to Find A School You Can Afford? Learn How Tomorrow

April 24th, 2014 by Jennifer Frankel

child with education iconsOur partner, InternationalStudent.com, is hosting a Google Hangout tomorrow at 11am EST on how to find a school you can afford.

We all know that going to a US college or university is expensive. But did you know that you have many options to choose from, public versus private as well as community college versus a 4-year university? Did you know that the price tag of a US education can fluctuate from getting a full scholarship to paying upwards of $40,000 per year (and that doesn’t even include living expenses!)?

Tomorrow’s Hangout will discuss these and other options, so that you are well informed as you make key decisions about your future – and your wallet. You won’t want to miss this Hangout where InternationalStudent.com will be discussing what steps to take and what resources are available to you so that you can find a school without breaking the bank.

You are cordially invited to attend tomorrow’s hangout, Friday, April 24th at 11am EST.

Make sure you prepare your questions in advance as they’ll have plenty of time at the end to answer all your education and finance questions. Don’t forget to set a calendar reminder and we hope to see you there!

Want to see other Google Hangout’s about financing your education? Check out International Student Loan’s YouTube channel to learn about budgeting, international student loans, and scholarships!


Full Merit Scholarship At Global College Malta

April 24th, 2014 by Jonathan Frankel

doodle small person - joyful with money478789277Full Merit Scholarship At Global College Malta
Deadline: July 1st

Students who want to study in Malta and not have to worry about paying tuition will want to apply for the Full Merit Scholarship at Global College Malta (GCM). Ten eligible students will receive a full grant that waives tuition fees if pursuing an MBA, a BA in Management or a Foundation Course in Management with English.

Applicants for this scholarship can be from anywhere in the world, but must have been accepted to Global College Malta and apply for this award by July 1st. To apply, students can submit the scholarship application form, their CV and a 200 word statement on why they chose to study at GCM.

The ten recipients of this award will be chosen based upon the first ten applicants who apply for the award and meet the academic merit criteria.

Interested individuals are able to find more information on this scholarship along with how to apply here.


American Honors International Scholarship

April 17th, 2014 by Jonathan Frankel

money thoughts 451065049American Honors International Scholarship
Deadline: May 5

American Honors is an honors program that works with a number of community colleges throughout the United States. Academically accomplished students from around the world who choose to attend a community college prior to a four year university often take advantage of American Honors.

American Honors is now offering 100 $4,000 scholarships to high school students who are graduating this Spring. Students must have a competitive GPA, an English language proficiency score and be accepted into the Fall American Honors program.

To be considered, students must complete an American Honors application along with an essay stating why they have a need for the American Honors international scholarship.

Winners of this scholarship will receive the funds in equal increments over the term of their studies, as long as they remain enrolled in the American Honors program and maintain a high academic standing. The scholarship can be used toward tuition and other educational fees.

To see if you are eligible for the American Honors International Scholarship please visit here to learn more.


International Students to Benefit from Loosening of Work Restrictions

April 16th, 2014 by Jennifer Frankel

Canada love - heart with icons and elements186294358Some great news for international students studying or considering studying abroad in Canada—new regulations have made it the case that international students no longer need to apply for special permits to attain off-campus employment.

While Canada is already a very desirable study abroad destination for many prospective students, this new legislation was introduced as part of a series of regulations designed to double the country’s international student enrollment and make Canada an even more competitive destination for international students deciding where to study abroad.

Previously, as is the case in many countries, international students in Canada were required to complete a complicated (and often time-consuming) number of forms, contact government agencies, and receive special clearance to find work with an employer unrelated to his or her host university.

Effective June 1st, 2014, when an international student studying abroad in Canada receives their general study permit they will be automatically authorized to work off-campus for up to 20 hours per week during the academic session and full-time during scheduled breaks without the need to apply for any separate authorization or permit.

Any international student who has had to navigate the maze of governmental forms seeking an off-campus work permit (as well as pay the accompanying fees) knows how much of a headache they are being saved by this move. Moreover, Canada stands to benefit from the presence of a previously untapped workforce with varying global perspectives—an aspect that can be a real contribution to local economies and employers.

  • Canada has recently launched a number of efforts to double the country’s international student enrollment and make international student life in Canada easier
  • One of these efforts has been streamline the formal application processes required to study abroad in Canada, including those related to obtaining off-campus work permits
  • Before, international students needed to invest in a lengthy and complicated process to receive specific governmental authorization (in the form of an off-campus work permit) to work with an employer unrelated to the host university
  • Now, when an international student is cleared to study abroad in Canada, they are automatically authorized to obtain employment from non-university (i.e. ‘off-campus’) sources during their stay

Looking for financial aid for Canada? Check out these scholarships, grants, and fellowships especially for students studying in Canada.


GotScholarship 20K Give Away

April 10th, 2014 by Jonathan Frankel

Gmoney hands 462077607otScholarship 20K Give Away
Deadline: June 30

Could you use $20,000 for school? Most students can! The good news is you have a shot to win $20,000 since the GotScholarship 20K Give Away is back. International students pursuing any field of study are able to apply for this award before June 30th to be entered to win.

Since applicants of this scholarship do not need to submit their GPA, an essay or pay a fee to enter, students can simply register, then apply. This scholarship is also transferable.

The winner of the GotScholarship 20K Give Away can use the funds on tuition, fees, books, supplies and other educational equipment.

This is the fifth GotScholarship sponsored by GotChosen. GotChosen is “an innovative startup in multimedia technology, advertising, and business development headquartered in Orlando, Florida.” They have a focus on ensuring that you have control over the content you see.

You can get more information on this scholarship and how to apply here.


Come Hangout With Us This Friday: Finding A US Cosigner

April 9th, 2014 by Jennifer Frankel

If you are looking to apply for a student loan to help finance your education, then you’ll need to have a US cosigner. All international students and most US students need a cosigner to join their student loan application in order to get a US student loan. That’s because these banks and lenders need to have solid credit history to issue their approval. For many students, this can be a stopping point. But don’t let it stop you!

Join me, Jennifer Frankel, this Friday where we will host an entire Google Hangout devoted to giving you the information you need to help you in finding a US cosigner. We will discuss important issues including:

  • What is a cosigner?
  • Why should you care about getting a cosigner?
  • What are the requirements your cosigner must have?
  • Where can you find a cosigner?signing the agreement187120344
  • How should you start the dialogue?

Joining the conversation is easy – and it’s brought to you free.

When Is It?
Attend the Google Hangout this Friday, April 11th at 3:00 EST Set your calendar to remind you when you’re ready.
Be sure to check your local time so that you don’t miss it!

What Do I Need to Know?
Here’s how to join the free information session:

  1. Join us on our On Air Hangout from your Google + account.
  2. Send in your questions through the Hangout.
  3. We will also be available to answer any questions on Twitter or Facebook using #FinancialAidTalk

We hope you’ll join our Hangout and we look forward to seeing you there!


Employers Report Students Don’t Have Enough Work Experience

April 4th, 2014 by Jennifer Frankel

Finding a job 477036985The Issue:

Finding employment after college is often difficult. Traditionally, few degrees offer work integrated learning, internships, or actual job experience as part of their programs. Even fewer programs and degrees offer straightforward career placement upon graduation.

This lack of infrastructure to support students’ transitions from the university to the workplace hurts both students and employers—students graduate and move on to the “job hunt”, wherein they regularly must settle for nearly any employment opportunity (often completely outside of their specific field).

Employers, on the other hand, are left with a series of new hires with absolutely no prior training or hands-on experience from which to draw—according to Inside Higher Ed, nearly two thirds of employers surveyed cited these new hires as drains on productivity and resources.

The Solution:

In response, institutions around the world are taking actions to emphasize and increase work integrated learning and networking opportunities into both the curricula of an increased number of programs, as well as broader university infrastructure.

These actions include:

  • increasing the amount of hands-on training within particular career fields (while introducing it to others)
  • providing research and employment networks through the university
  •  a shift toward competency-based degrees, wherein degrees are awarded based on evidence of learning rather than earned credit hours, etc.

For students, this shift toward competency-based learning can be a real boon in that students can use supplementary resources (like MOOCs [Massive Open Online Courses]) to enhance their understanding of a field and thus, shorten the time it takes to receive a degree in an area in which they have demonstrated mastery.

  • Many students have a difficult time finding employment that pertains to their degree upon graduation due to a number of factors, including: limited or no prior experience in the workplace, lack of access to research or career networks within the university that would assist in finding employment, and no career-oriented education
  • Many employers find themselves with new hires who are a drain on resources as they have no prior experience
  • Work-integrated learning and competency-based degree systems are current ways of addressing these issues—making employment easier to find for graduates, and making graduates more competent in the workplace and, hence, more employable.
  • International students can benefit tremendously by getting ahead of this trend in international education and employment by looking into programs that offer work-integrated learning, internships, mentorships, or offer competency-based degrees.

Want to learn more? Check out International Student Loan’s article on how you can find a job in the US after graduation.


Don’t Text and Drive Scholarship

April 3rd, 2014 by Jonathan Frankel

textingwhiledriving177359010Don’t Text and Drive Scholarship
Deadline: September 30

Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens according to the CDC, and texting while driving has not helped this statistic to improve. To help spread awareness of the dangers related to texting and driving, Digital Responsibility is sponsoring the t Text and Drive Scholarship.

US citizens who are High school, undergraduate and graduate students are all able to apply for this scholarship before September 30th for a chance to win. Applicants must complete the online application that includes a 140 character message about texting while driving. This message is a personal statement that requires applicants to answer the following question:

“I pledge not to text and drive because.”

The top 10 applicants will be selected as finalists and required to write a 500-1000 word essay on texting while driving.

From there, one winner will be chosen and receive a $1,500 scholarship along with one runner-up who will receive a $500 scholarship.

To find more information on the Don’t Text and Drive Scholarship you can visit here.


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