IEFA Blog

Most international students in the United States hold an F1 visa, which is the US non-immigrant student visa. F1 students are allowed to work in the United States, but only under certain conditions and in accordance with complex guidelines and restrictions issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). Generally, all employment is…

International students cannot and should not rely on employment during school as a primary funding source for their education. For one thing, you typically cannot use future employment income to meet the financial requirements of your visa. In addition, students cannot earn enough to fund their education solely or primarily through work. However, there are…

Today there are 2 scholarships that I’d like to draw attention to, both for students from particular countries, and a quick update on the Saudi scholarships. First, the Karim Rida Said Foundation provides full and partial scholarships for Master’s degree study in the UK to Iraqi, Jordanian, Lebanese, Palestinian and Syrian students. You must have…

After our short series on evaluating school program costs, budgeting and opening a US bank account, I thought this article from the Jacksonville Times-Union online was very interesting and timely. The point — everyone knows that college tuition has been increasing rapidly, but recently there has been a significant rise in all other college-related costs….

Why Open a US Bank Account? A US bank account will make managing your finances a lot easier, and you should set one up as soon as you arrive. You can deposit your financial aid awards, loans and stipends, all of which are typically paid to you by check, as well as money from home….

When you are admitted to a US institution, take a close look at the international student budget provided by your school. These estimated expenses will also appear on your I-20, and they are usually accurate insofar as they go. International students are required to prove that they have funds to cover the full amount shown,…

International students spend a lot of time and energy trying to find enough financial resources to fund their foreign study. An important part of this effort is understanding exactly how much money you will need for your time overseas, and then carefully managing your finances to stay within your budget. Dealing with a new currency…