Paying for Higher Education: Scholarships
- Natalia
- Nov 18, 2016
- 4 min read
After months of consideration, you decide to take the plunge and enroll in a graduate or undergraduate program. As you may know, higher education in America comes at a very high cost. For many of us immigrants, it’s simply too much to afford. Some expats are beyond the college age, already have children, are breadwinners, or cannot count on parent’s savings to finance this decision.
I love talking to my American friends about this issue to get their perspective on increasing tuition and tuition debt. As a person who earned an undergraduate degree abroad, it’s easy for me to notice the huge bubble in U.S. college tuition. It’s still sad to witness so many young people drowning in debt simple for pursuing an education, something that benefits and supports society! It’s particularly strange when you realize how many other developed countries are able to provide affordable, high quality education for their citizens.
But that’s my modest opinion and definitely a subject for another time. The game we’re playing here is how to study in U.S. universities with sky-rocketing tuition rates.
/So… what are your options?/
Not to give up for sure. Some of us are fortunate enough to have family/spousal financial support to help through school. If you don’t have this benefit, don’t worry! There are other options. Federal and state loans, as well as scholarships might cover a good chunk of your education expenses. I’ve done some research on scholarships for myself and found some interesting information.
/ Merit-Base Grant/
We all know universities offer several types of scholarships to make their student body more diverse. Many schools offer merit-based and low-income grants. In this case, if you belong to a low-income family and have an outstanding academic record, you may be eligible. Please note: this type of scholarship is more common at the undergrad level than the graduate level. At the graduate level, financial support opportunities are closely related to fellowships, research, and assistantships.
/ Every scholarship has a specific set of criteria you have to meet to be eligible/
Many scholarships require citizenship or residency. So, your first step is to ask about immigration criteria before you invest time researching and applying to the grant.
Others are sponsored by companies, the government, or a particular entity. Due to the nature of these scholarships, very strict, specific requirements often apply. For example, financial aid is often provided for veterans and children of police or firefighters. Banking and financial professionals often have opportunities to receive scholarships or tuition reimbursement through their companies. If you’re related to any specific American organization (army, police, research facilities) you should contact your target university and learn about their scholarships.
/ Diversity Scholarships/
Through research, I’ve discovered that the majority of immigrants may take advantage of scholarships dedicated to diversity and women. I want to share some useful links with you here:
AAUW International Fellowships
Awarded to full-time female students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
La Unidad Latina Foundation
Forté Fellows Program
American Association of Japanese University Women
/Broader Websites/
There are a great number of scholarships you can find on your university’s website or online. I found it useful to look at broader online resources that discuss scholarship opportunities, useful articles, financial aid, and student loans all in one place. Here are a few examples:
/ Government Scholarships/
There are some scholarships offered at the federal or state level. The U.S. Department of Education, for example, offers more than $150 billion each year to help students pay for higher education. I also found a very useful scholarship search tool provided by the U.S. Department of Labor that allows you to search by award type, state of residence, level of study, gender, etc. Check it out:
U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Department of Labor
/Scholarship Deadlines vs Admission Deadlines/
I have found that scholarship deadlines are not necessarily the same as admission deadlines. For scholarships, the application months are usually from February to May. Of course this can vary according to the funds available, but it’s good to have this timeline in mind.
To keep yourself organized, a helpful timeline can be seen here:
/Tips/
For grad students, another keyword when researching the topic is “fellowship”
Search for “diversity scholarship” instead of “immigrant scholarship” – “immigrant scholarships” will show results related to international students studying abroad instead of expats
If you are a permanent resident or have American citizenship, don’t forget to fill out your FAFSA! It’s a government form to define your family income. The information helps determine if you are eligible for federal loans and grants. As I discovered, there are some universities that don’t grant any scholarships (even merit-based scholarships) if you don’t have this form completed. The deadline for FAFSA application is from January through June every year.
/ That’s all, folks!/
Honestly, higher education in this country is so expensive that I feel as if I am buying real estate. It’s basically a down payment.
To avoid bankruptcy and serious financial issues, do your research! Narrow down the universities you intend to apply to and look at their websites for scholarship programs. Pay special attention to their concept of diversity and immigration requirements. You’ll notice that some areas like STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) have more opportunities than others.
Also, most scholarships are awarded to full-time students. Although you can still find part-time and executive scholarships available at some schools with limited financial support (mostly MBAs)
For grad school, there are less traditional scholarships available. However, depending on your area of study, you may be able to become a Teaching Assistant, earn a fellowship, or support the research department.
I hope you found this postand the recommended websites helpful! If you have other financial aid advice, please let us know.
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