Financial Aid for International
Students
For foreign nationals, financial assistance
to study in the United States—grants, scholarships, fellowships
and teaching assistantships—is very limited, especially
at the undergraduate level. Applying for financial assistance
requires considerable research and lead time. You should be
aware that most financial aid is awarded on a competitive
basis, and that application deadlines are often a full year
or more prior to the award date.
Sources of funds for study in the U.S. include academic institutions,
private foundations, the U.S. government and foreign governments,
corporations, research institutes, and bi-national agencies.
If you are seeking financial aid for U.S. study, your first
task will be to research available sources of funding and
identify those that you believe you are eligible to apply
for. Libraries and educational advising centers in your home
country (contact the U.S. Embassy to locate the nearest U.S.
educational advising center) are good places to start your
research. The U.S. Embassy or Fulbright Commission in your
home country can also give you information about how to apply
for a Fulbright scholarship for graduate study in the U.S.
If a university in your home country operates a direct exchange
program with a U.S. institution, find out if you are eligible
to participate and receive financial aid. You should also
look into opportunities offered by your own government or
private organizations in your home country.
If you are already in the U.S., be sure to consult with your
school’s financial aid office, international student
office, career planning and placement office, and/or individual
academic departments to find out what financial resources
are available to foreign nationals and how to go about applying
for them.
The Internet is another excellent source of information for
researching financial assistance for study in the United States.
Here are some websites to get you started:
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