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What is the best place to learn about financial aid for international students?  The question is difficult to answer, as there are a bewildering array of websites, books, magazines and other resources that claim to be the best source for information on the topic.  A quick Google search for “international student financial aid” reveals hundreds of possible sources of information.

In this post, then, I’m going to focus on four places you can go for information.  Two are online resources, and two are “actual” places with “actual” people to help you.  This is by no means an exhaustive list of all financial aid resources. Rather, it is a starting point for you to investigate financial aid opportunities.

Educational Advising Centers

Your local Educational Advising Center.  These centers are supported by the U.S. Department of State, and exist to “advise prospective international students and other audiences on higher education and study opportunities in the United States.”  They give you access to all the online and hardcopy financial aid resources through their libraries.  They also serve as a meeting place for students interested in studying abroad.  Finally, they are staffed by Educational Advisors, individuals with an in-depth knowledge of the process of applying for and receiving financial aid.   If you have an educational advising center in your area, it is probably the best place to begin your search for financial aid opportunities.

The website of the U.S. Embassy

The U.S. Embassy website in your country will have a section called “Education and Culture” (or something very similar).  There you will find a wealth of information about studying in the U.S.  Here, for example, is a list of financial aid links for citizens of Thailand, compiled by the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.

The information you can find at the website of the U.S. Embassy in your country is valuable because, first and foremost, it is specific to your country. If there are scholarships offered by your government, for example, chances are these scholarships will be listed on the Embassy page.  Embassy web pages will also provide links to the more reputable web sites offering financial aid information.

The (international) admissions offices of the universities to which you’re applying.

Here are a few simple questions you should ask to every single university to which you’re applying:

• What financial aid is available for international students through your university?
• How do international students at your university generally finance their education?
• Are there any potential sources of financial aid that you would advise me to look into?

Admissions officers – especially if they specialize in international students – are used to students in need of financial aid.  As such, they have probably developed a very good sense of what financial aid is available.  If you ask politely, they will most likely help.

Scholarship Databases

There are a number of online databases of scholarships and other financial aid opportunities.  These databases will match you and your educational goals with potential scholarship opportunities, and list for you the financial aid for which you’re eligible.  A few things about these databases:

• They do not include every source of financial aid, so do not rely exclusively on these sites for your research
• A number of these kind of sites charge a fee.  DO NOT PAY.  The free versions of these sites are as good – if not better – than the pay versions.
• Many sites require you to provide a lot of information before you can access the database.  This is so they can more accurately “match” you to scholarship opportunities.

To get you started, here are two sites that are quite good, generally speaking:

1. International Scholarships – basic scholarship search.  You need to register in order to get access to scholarship details.
2. FastWeb – good information, but you need to go through a lengthy registration process to access it.

Stick to these four resource at the outset.  In the course of your research, you’ll undoubtedly come across other resources. If you ever come across an invaluable site or resource, please let us know about it (by e-mailing us at blog@myuface.com or leaving a comment).

Happy hunting!

Posts in this Series

1. Your Education is an Investment - 08 Jul
2. Researching Scholarship Opportunities (This post)
3. How to Ask Questions About Financial Aid - 28 Jun
4. Ninth Option for Financial Aid: Loans - 27 Jun
5. The Difference Between Scholarships and Fellowships - 26 Jun
6. Eigth Option for Financial Aid: U.S. Universities - 25 Jun
7. Seventh Option for Financial Aid: Ethnic Communities in the United States - 24 Jun
8. Sixth Option for Financial Aid: Private Organizations in the U.S. - 23 Jun
9. Fifth Option for Financial Aid: U.S. Government Programs - 22 Jun
10. Fourth Option for Financial Aid: Scholarships from International Organizations - 20 Jun
11. How to Ask for Support - 18 Jun
12. Looking for Support in Your Country: Why it Makes Sense - 17 Jun
13. Third Option for Financial Aid: Individuals in Your Country - 16 Jun
14. Second Option for Financial Aid: Private Businesses or Foundations in Your Country - 15 Jun
15. First Option for Financial Aid: Government Programs in Your Country - 14 Jun
16. The Third Step in Financial Aid: Find What's Available - 11 Jun
17. The Second Step In Financial Aid: Identify Your Assets - 10 Jun
18. The First Step In Financial Aid: Identify Your Needs - 09 Jun
19. Finding Financial Aid for your U.S. Education - 08 Jun

So we’ve considered most of the advantages and disadvantages of going to the U.S. for your university education.  But you may still be having difficulty deciding if studying in the U.S. is the right decision.  In this final post, I will present three pieces of advice about how you should go about making the decision whether or not to study in the U.S. (or anywhere else, for that matter):

1. Remember, you won’t be studying at a university called “the U.S.”  You’ll be studying at one particular university in the U.S.  So please, do some research about individual universities.  DON’T think that every university in the U.S. will be more or less the same, because they AREN’T.  Until you bring real universities into your decision-making process, you won’t be making an informed decision at all.
2. Keep your options open. Remember, you don’t need to decide right now that, no matter what, you’re studying in the U.S.  You have should research different programs in many countries, including your own.  You may want to consider pursuing entrance into U.S. universities and, at the same time, applying to universities in other countries as well.
3. Find good advisers. Making the decision to study in the U.S. will be easier if you connect with people who are familiar with the U.S. system of education.  Find such people and develop a relationship with them. The right adviser can help answer all your most difficult questions and lead to a better decision. In your country, look for an Educational Advising Center.  On the internet, you need go no further that myUface.  Remember, you can always ask us questions and we will always give you the best advice we can!

The decision to study in another country is a daunting one, but it can be fun as well.  The options for international students are more diverse and exciting than ever before.  Consider all your options carefully, but always remember:  if you do your research, take your time, keep your options open, and find good advisers, you will find the perfect program for you!

SERIES:  Why study in the U.S.?

• April 20 – Introduction
• April 21 – Diversity at U.S. campuses
• April 22 – Value of U.S. degrees
• April 23 – The Facilities
  
• April 24 – Practical focus of U.S. education
• April 25 – Variety of U.S. programs
• April 26 – The supposed disadvantages of study in the U.S.: visas
  
• April 27 - The supposed disadvantages of study in the U.S.: cost
  
• April 28 - Some real disadvantages of study in the U.S.:  it might not help in your profession
• April 29 – Some real disadvantages of study in the U.S.: will you fit in “going back?”
• April 30 – Other disadvantages
• May 1 – So, should you study in the U.S.?