Are you planning to study in the US? If so, you’ll find the latest study by the U.S. News & World Report to be of particular interest. This report evaluated the financial assistance packages that US colleges provided their international undergraduate students. After reviewing the 776 US colleges that provide financial aid to international students, the top 10 colleges were narrowed down and ranked.
Interestingly, the top 10 colleges offering financial aid to international students averaged $47,469. While it is important to note that this is not the norm, as many of the 776 schools offered a few hundred dollars to its students coming from overseas, this information can be helpful for students budgeting and planning to study in the US.
For many international students, the financial aid packages may just be the final determination of whether the student will go abroad for their undergraduate degree. Especially as tuition continually increases and the economic downfall has widespread consequences, students are more than ever depending on help from their college or university.
Below is the final report of the top colleges offering financial aid to international students along with the average award package given in 2010-2011:
1. Yale University, Connecticut – $51,044
2. Wesleyan University, Connecticut – $50,743
3. Skidmore College, New York – $50,000
4. Amherst College, Massachusetts – $49,010
5. Trinity College, Connecticut – $48,999
6. Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania – $48,908
7. University of Chicago, Illinois – $48,436
8. Williams College, Massachusetts – $47,713
9. Vassar College, New York – $47,623
Georgia College & State University International Student Scholarship
Scholarship Deadline: April 1 and September 1
If you are interested in becoming an international student in Georgia and are in need of a scholarship, you have found the right place. Each year the International Education Center at Georgia College & University awards almost 40 scholarships to international students.
International Student Scholarship (ISS) is given to select students who have been accepted to Georgia College and is based upon extracurricular involvement, academic excellence and financial need. This award grants either a half waiver or full waiver for out-of-state tuition fees and ranges in the amount of amount $20,000 to $40,000 over the course of four years. Full time undergraduate students who will pursue their degree at Georgia College & State University are eligible to apply for this scholarship. All applications must be submitted by April 1 for the Fall semester or September 1 for the Spring semester.
Once the ISS is awarded it is renewable for up to eight semesters as long as the student maintains their eligibility as stated in the application guidelines.
For more information on this scholarship and how to apply, visit our International Scholarship database.
If anyone ever thought that tuition fees do not effect enrollment, a new study recently released showed otherwise. www.YourNextLeap.com conducted a survey that showed that Indian students are choosing more affordable schools – many of which are public universities.
Tuition costs are on the rise in the United States, especially as the US government continues to reduce federal funding. As tuition increases, and the Indian Rupee depreciates against the US dollar, more Indian students are balancing cost and their preference for top universities. As students balance these two important decisions, many students are applying to schools that offer a good balance of both.
According to this survey of 1,000 students, the findings indicated that 43% of Indian students preferred public universities in 2011-2012 which increased to 62% for the upcoming semester. This same study found that cost is a major consideration for international students where students applied to universities with the following cost structure:
| Tuition Fee Annually | Percent of Indian Student Applicants |
| Below $15,000 | 17% |
| $15,000 – $20,000 | 40% |
| $20,000 – $25,000 | 16% |
| $25,000 – $30,000 | 27% |
To compare costs, according to College Board a public four-year college charges on average $12,526 for tuition and fees for out-of-state students annually whereas a private nonprofit four-year college charges $28,500 each year.
This comes as an important indicator for schools looking to attract and grow their international student body. In 2011, India was the second largest sending country of international students after China, sending 103,895 students to the United States (14% of the total international student body).
In the past, many international students came to the United States looking to study at a handful of well-known, prestigious universities and colleges throughout the nation. As the number of international students continues to grow and the price tag among these elite schools is also increasing, many international students are considering other alternatives.
Tech schools, also known as vocational schools, are designed to train students on specific skills such as computer technology or health care. Instead of a traditional University, the emphasis of a tech school is to prepare students for jobs by giving students skills directly related to their employment. Many international students are turning to technical schools to get their US education – and at a greatly reduced price!
Why, you might ask? First of all, many of these tech schools offer more affordable tuition and most degree programs can be completed quicker than a traditional college. With a growing demand for international students, tech schools are combining these offerings with scholarships to further reduce the price for students. Let’s look at Tennessee Tech who in one year grew from 53 (in Spring 2011) to 188 (in Spring 2012) international students. According to Amy Miller, Tennessee Tech study abroad coordinator, one reason for this increase is that students are getting different types of scholarships, including funding from their home country’s government.
And financing isn’t just the end of it; tech schools aren’t stopping there either. In addition to their degree program, tech schools are now introducing English language centers to help students improve English fluency before beginning their coursework. Texas Tech, for example, plans to open an ELS Language Center this June to help expand their reach globally. While there are no scholarships for ELS students at Texas Tech, they are looking into the possibility of extending scholarships to the English learning process as well.
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
Scholarship Deadline: March 1, 2012
Are you a US citizen interested in studying abroad? If you are currently enrolled in a two-year or four-year undergraduate degree then this may just be your opportunity to study abroad. Two undergraduate students are awarded this scholarships based on need twice a year to attend a non-traditional study abroad experience. If you have knocked off Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, this scholarship may just be for you!
“The Gilman Scholarship Program aims to support students who have been traditionally under-represented in study abroad, including but not limited to, students with high financial need, community college students, students in under-represented fields such as the sciences and engineering, students with diverse ethnic backgrounds, and students with disabilities.”
Those awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships will have program tuition, room and board, books, local transportation, insurance and international airfare covered by the scholarship. Scholarships will depend on the expense, need, and length of program however many awards are around $4,000.
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is supported through the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000 and is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. Applications will be available early January here.
As we head into the new academic year, many international students will be looking at international student loan options. Comparing loans is not easy, especially with bank terminology. One of the most important terms that will effect students is how much you are going to pay back over the course of your loan. Loans are repaid in two parts: principal and interest rates. See below for the principal and interest rate defined:
Principal
Principal is the total amount of money you were loaned. Let’s say you are planning to attend New York University and you took out a $30,000 loan to cover tuition, room and board, books, etc. This amount is what you have borrowed from the bank, and thus will be expected to pay back.
Interest Rate
There is a cost to borrowing, and this is known as the interest rate. This is the amount that you pay back to the bank on top of what you initially borrowed (the principal). Lenders typically have a range for the amount of interest they charge, which will depend on you (and your co-signer’s) creditworthiness. Typically this is expressed on an annual basis known as the annual percentage rate (APR) which will be finalized after your loan application has been submitted and reviewed. There are two types of interest rates that will be disclosed before you apply for a loan:
Most student loans are fixed rate interest, however many private student loans do offer variable interst rate. It is important to read the terms and conditions to know how the principal and interest rate are defined, how it will be determined, and how it may change.
If you are an international student planning to come to the US, you may be interested in applying for international scholarships. While you’ll need to fill out the application and meet the requirements for your scholarship, if awarded you’ll receive a payment to support your education. Scholarships can be awarded for academic or other achievement – and there are many available so make the most of it!
We’ve put together a list of tips to help you when applying for international scholarships:
– Deadlines. When it comes to financial aid in general, timing is everything. Make sure that you know what is due, and more importantly when. Many scholarships have limited funding and are competitive with many applicants. Make sure to keep track of when you’ll need to submit the necessary documents to increase the chances of receiving a scholarships. If you use a calendar, make sure to note deadlines and set reminders to keep you on track.
– Essays. Many scholarships require applicants to write essays. You may find yourself writing, reading, and then re-reading your essay. Many students at the end of the process will end up reading what they thought they wrote – instead of what they actually wrote – and will miss small typos or key words. Have friends, teachers, and family members read over your essay and make any changes. Proofreading your essays can increase your odds of being awarded a scholarship.
Read about how to write a scholarship essay.
– Don’t waste time. Many scholarships have eligibility requirements – before applying make sure you read all the fine print. There are many scholarships out there that you can apply for, but spending time applying to scholarships that you are not eligible for is a sure loss of time. We all know that international students are busy, between wrapping up school, working, and the many other day-to-day tasks. Spend your time wisely by reading the details carefully.
– Best foot forward. While content is #1, there is something to be said for presentation. Make sure that your documents are well organized and presented neatly. If you need to handwrite documents, be sure to spend the extra few minutes to make it clear and legible.
– Application. Not all fields on an application will apply to you. Don’t leave any ambiguity as to whether you forgot to fill it in. Make sure that you fill out every field, if it doesn’t apply to you just indicate “N/A” (or, not applicable).
– Create a timeline. Applying for international scholarships can require many steps, including essays, applications, references, transcripts, and much more! Don’t leave it to the last minute. Create a calendar that divides up the tasks to make sure there is enough time to get everything done.
– Make copies. Before submitting the information, make sure you keep copies on hand. It’s always a good idea to be able to refer back to it for other scholarships or to resubmit it in case it gets lost in transit. No need to do the same work twice if you’ve already done a good job the first time. Make it count, and make the most of your time!
– Last glance. Finally, before you submit your work to the organization make sure you go over all the requirements and dates. If you have additional time, have another trusted person take a look at it as well to make sure that you meet all of the requirements.
Good luck applying for international scholarships! Let us know if you have any additional scholarships tips that you’ve found.
The economic downturn is evident worldwide. Even with signs of growth in many countries, the employment figures are lagging behind. Those individuals who have the ability will seek higher education as a way to build skills for the competitive job market.
One way people are doing this is by enrolling at a MBA program in the US. Many students and professionals see education in the US as one way to build connections, increase one’s skills, and develop a worldwide prospective. According to a recent report by Council of Graduate Schools, the increase demand for US MBA Programs jumped 6% over last year. Bloomberg BusinessWeek reported that 33.4% of MBA programs are made up of international students. The primary reason for this increase was due to the number of Chinese applicants, followed by Taiwanese and Vietnamese.
The increase demand for US MBA programs has been helped by the increase in F-1 international student visas issued in the US. An increase of 54,000 visas were issued last year, totaling 385,210 visas. This increase in visas has been directly attributed with increasing the number of foreign students enrolling in MBA programs in the US.
This comes as good news to MBA programs in the US, who are competing with other higher education institutions from around the world. Because of the expense and difficulty of going to a US institution, many international students have been opting for schools in Canada or the United Kingdom. With the help of the Department of State, there has been a shift back to America where this year has been the largest increase in demand for US MBA Programs since 2007.
Cornell saw a 12% increase in their international enrollments in New York. On the western coast, University of Southern California saw that 75% of their one-year international MBA program was from Asia. This is just two of the many graduate programs seeing an increase in their international student numbers.
As economies recover, recruiting efforts expand, and the need for a business degree becomes ever more important, it is likely that this is the beginning of a trend for MBA programs in the US as long as the US State Department continues it’s visa policies for international students.
It’s that time of year again! Many of you have enjoyed your winter vacation filled with holiday cheer and New Year celebrations. As you head back for Spring semester, you may realize that your holiday money did not exactly match the tab for your education. If this is your case, you may consider loans for Spring semester.
International Student Loan matches students will loans for their upcoming academic school semester. If you are an international, study abroad, or foreign enrolled student, you are not too late to apply for loans for Spring semester. To do this, you can simply compare your loan options, and apply right online.
You can apply for up to the total cost of education, as determined by your school, minus any other aid received. After you apply and receive credit approval for you and your co-signer, your school must certify the amount of the loan. The proceeds are then disbursed directly to the school. Most US students and international students must have a US co-signer thatis a US citizen or permanent resident with good credit and income history and who has lived in the US for the past two years.
Check the eligible school list to see if your school has been approved so that you can start applying for loans for Spring semester!
Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad Program
Scholarship Deadline: January 11, 2012
Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Abroad program is offering 55 scholarships to US high school students interested in studying abroad in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, Thailand and Turkey.
Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the Study (YES) Abroad program gives high school students (ages 15-17) the opportunity to study in selected countries. Bringing US citizens overseas, as well as non-US students to the US, this exchange was started back in 2002, “as a key component of renewed commitment to building bridges between citizens of the U.S. and countries around the world, particularly those with significant Muslim populations.”
These are full merit-based scholarships covering program costs, travel, tuition, room and board, food, and much more! These full scholarships will cover students planning to study overseas for a year, thanks to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must be U.S. Citizens, high school students at the time of application, and 15-18 years of age. The deadline for applying is January 11, 2012.
We work with leading providers of international student loan programs to provide students around the world with financial aid options to fund their education abroad.
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