myUface Blog

According to this article in the Washington Post, thousands of students who had planned on attending “traditional” four-year institutions are choosing instead to go to community colleges.

Community college enrollment in the Washington region rose by nearly 12,000 students this fall, a 10 percent bump. The recession diverted large numbers of high school seniors from four-year colleges to less-expensive two-year colleges.

“I’ve heard stories of high school students who were accepted at U-Va. or Virginia Tech, and what their parents have done is ask them to wait out a year, come here for a year, purely for economics,” said Deborah DiCroce, president of Tidewater Community College in the South Hampton Roads region of Virginia. Fall enrollment at Tidewater was projected to rise to 30,500 this year from 26,898 last year.

As a result, community colleges have expanded their faculty, and increased their working hours.  At some community college campuses, you can take classes at midnight!

What does this mean for you?  It means that you might consider community colleges as a first step in the American educational system.  More and more, they are attracting high quality students, high quality professors, and high quality technology – and offering it to students at a fraction of the cost charged by “traditional” universities.

Are you looking for a high quality education in the United States, but don’t want to spend four years away from home or hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition?  Community colleges might be the answer you’re looking for.  Community colleges generally offer two-year degrees, called “associates degrees,” in a variety of fields.  Generally speaking, community colleges provide education in emerging technologies or in technical skills.

Dr. Jill Biden, an instructor at community colleges herself, and the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, toured some community colleges alongside President Obama, and had this to say:

Every day in my classroom I also see the power of education to break down barriers and to open students’ eyes to the possibilities around them.

I saw that power again as President Obama and I toured several high-tech classrooms and spoke with students who are being trained in cutting-edge and emerging technologies to meet the workforce needs of their region. There is no doubt that the education gained on [community college] campuses . . . will provide the knowledge that will power the American and global economies of the 21st century.

I have always said community colleges are one of America’s best kept secrets – and I am so pleased that now we have a president who is highlighting their contribution, making a historic commitment to higher education, and bringing more and more students to [community] colleges . . . so they, too, can gain the skills and the confidence they need to succeed in a new era.

You might want to consider a community college for your U.S. education.  Barack Obama certainly thinks so!

The goal of the myUface blog is to collect, in one place, useful information for international students interested in studying in the Unisted States.  For new visitors to the blog, I wanted to create a quick list of the highlights from previous blog posts.

• We started out discussing the benefits and disadvatages of studying in the U.S.
  
• We talked about how you might go about looking for a U.S. university.
• We started a podcast.
• We looked at the idea behind financial aid and also provided you with loads of advice on how to find some.
• We explored university rankings and their limitations.
• We provided summer and fall timelines for preparing an application to a U.S. university.
• We shared our perspective about how to prepare for visa interviews.
• We began to look at the fifty states and what it might be like to study in each of them.
• We discussed how you might handle rejection by a U.S. university (and we hoped you wouldn’t have to).

This is just the beginning.  We’re going to keep sharing as much information as possible in the hope of helping you attain your dream of studying in the U.S.

Please remember to share your questions and comments with us as often as possible.  You can leave a comment on any blog post, and you can always e-mail us at blog@myuface.com.

In the United States, large, “public” universities – universities that are supported in part by the government – are, generally speaking, supported by state governments.  The University of Texas, for example, receives some level of financial assistance from the government of the State of Texas.  Each state usually has a few university systems – with many different campuses scattered throughout the state – each receiving state money.  In Colorado, for example, you have both the University of Colorado and Colorado State University.

Now, state governments support these “public” universities so that they might provide quality, affordable university education to residents of that particular state.  The universities, in turn, offer what is called “in-state” tuition to residents.  In-state tuition is a discounted tuition rate offered only to residents of a particular state.  Residents of another state have to pay more to attend that particular university.

So, for example, if I live in Denver, Colorado, the tuition to go to the University of Colorado would be approximately $7,000; if I live in Boston, Massachusetts, the tuition would be approximately $26,000.  THAT’S A DIFFERENCE OF $19,000 / YEAR, OR $76,000 OVER FOUR YEARS!

Holy Cow!

“But,” you say, “What does this possibly have to do with me?  I don’t live in Colorado, or any other state.  So all you’re telling me is that I’ll be stuck paying the higher tuition.  Thanks a lot!”

Not necessarily!  Some university systems have established rules that allow them to offer in-state tuition to international students.  This is one of the largest potential sources of financial aid.  As the above example shows, if you are accepted to a state university that provides you with in-state tuition, essentially you’re receiving a scholarship worth – in the above example, at least – $76,000!!!

A few things to know about in-state tuition discounts for international students:

• Not every state school offers them
• Sometimes you have to wait for your second year to be eligible for the discount
• Many in-state tuition discount programs operate like scholarship competitions, with only the best students getting the discount.  There may even be a separate application process to get the discount.

The bottom line is, if you’re applying to a “state” or “public” university – and we’ll have a post later this week on the different kinds of U.S. universities – make sure to ask them if they have a program that offers in-state tuition to international students.

Once you’ve exhausted all other options, if you still need more funds in order to study in the U.S. you might consider taking out a student loan.  But before we talk about the process of getting a student loan, let’s be clear about one thing up front:

Right now – the summer of 2009 – is probably not the best time to be looking for loans from banks.  As InternationalStudentLoan.com notes on its website:

We are also experiencing processing and funding delays due to the turmoil in the student loan marketplace. Borrow as little as you can — make sure you exhaust all other avenues for funding first.

The same site has a great description of the impacts of the “credit crisis” on student loans, so I won’t go into details here.  The money quotation:

Student loans will be harder to get, and for those that get them, they will be more expensive. The harsh reality is that there will be less students who can afford to go to school this coming year. Of course the majority of those impacted will be US students, but international students will face the same hurdles.

The problem stems from the fact that student lenders typically sell their student loans, to raise more capital to make more loans as well as for overhead and profit. Right now, no one wants to buy those loans.

Having said all of that, it is still technically possible to get a student loan, and if you need extra funds, it’s an option you should look into.

Three websites that will serve as good starting points for your search for a student loan:

InternationalStudentLoan.com – although the loan process is currently closed due to the credit crisis, this site is still a good resource for understanding the way international student loans work.

Global Student Loan Corporation – a company with a broad reach, the Global Student Loan Corporation claims to be the only company that will give you a loan without a co-signer in the U.S.  This is due to their partnerships with financial institutions and universities in a variety of countries.

SalliMae – the student loan giant that is familiar to every U.S. graduate, Salli Mae also offers loan programs for international students.

There are undoubtedly many options besides these particular companies, and if you are going to take a loan it’s worth your time to search for the best deal.

A few points that are worth bringing up in regards to student loans:

1. Many – even most – international student loan programs will require an American citizen to cosign the loan.  “Cosigning” means that someone guarantees that the loan will be repaid.  If you don’t repay it, they may be forced to.   Obviously, people will be hesitant to cosign loans and will do so only for people they trust.  Do you know anyone in America who might be willing to cosign your loan?
2. Many international student loan programs will only provide loans to students studying at a list of pre-approved universities.  Generally speaking, these universities have signed on as a partner of the loan company, and agree to follow all of their rules and regulations.  If you’re interested in a specific university, ask their admissions department if they work with any international student loan companies.

The bottom line is that loans are a good way to bridge the final gap between what you have and what you need for study at a U.S. university.  Just make sure the gap isn’t too big to begin with, or you’ll begin you life after graduation with a large pile of debt!

Posts in this Series

1. Your Education is an Investment - 08 Jul
2. Researching Scholarship Opportunities - 07 Jul
3. How to Ask Questions About Financial Aid - 28 Jun
4. Ninth Option for Financial Aid: Loans (This post)
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

In the past three days we’ve gone over three different ways for you to look for financial aid in your own country.  I’m sure many of you are thinking, Sure, that sounds good, but when are we going to get to the REAL information about scholarships from the U.S.?

Many international students seem to think that getting financial aid from the United States should be easy.  After all, U.S. universities are some of the wealthiest in the world, as are U.S. foundations.  Surely there’s a better chance of getting funding from the U.S. than from your own country.  Right?

Wrong.  Remember – between 66% and 80% of all funding for international students comes from outside of the U.S.   Much of that is from the students themselves, or from their family; but a growing percentage is from “local” sources of giving, such as governments, businesses, foundations and individuals.

In other words, if you don’t consider these sources of aid, you’re going to be missing out on a huge pool of potential resources.

There’s another reason to consider aid from local sources:  generally speaking, the competition for such resources is not as intense as the competition for the relatively small amount of U.S. support that exists.  Think about it:  students from all over the world will compete for scholarships or fellowships for international students, whereas students only from a particular country (and maybe only from a particular region or even city) may compete for more “local” scholarships.

The hard part about getting “local” support is finding it.  Such opportunities aren’t always well publicized.  But if you are able to locate opportunities in your home country, you’ll have a much better chance of securing that aid than you will of securing aid from hyper-competitive scholarship programs in the U.S. (although you can, and should, try to secure assistance from both).

The Wikipedia entry on “scholarships” sums it up nicely:

It is typical for persons to find scholarships in their home region. Information on these can be found by asking local persons and organizations. Typically, these are less competitive as the eligible population is smaller.

So, by all means, look for scholarships in the U.S.  But don’t neglect potential aid from your own country!

Posts in this Series

1. Your Education is an Investment - 08 Jul
2. Researching Scholarship Opportunities - 07 Jul
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 (This post)
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

In almost every country in the world, you will find wealthy individuals who provide scholarship support to students.  Helping students attend universities is one of the oldest forms of philanthropy, dating back to the very dawn of higher education.  Finding such a “sponsor” for at least a portion of your education may be something you should look into.

The motives behind scholarship support are various.  Some individuals give support to individuals connected to them in some way (for example, their family members, or people from the same region).  Some individuals give support to students based on their financial need.   Some give to the best students.  Some give to a particular class of students (for example, to orphans, or to a particular ethnic group).

Similarly, the way in which individuals decide to offer support is different from case to case.  In some cases an individual will hold a competition open to anyone.  At the other extreme, a sponsor might offer support only to students he or she personally knows and likes.

You should ask students, teachers, school directors and others whether they know of any individuals in the community who offer support to students for their studies abroad.  You should also ask you parents if they know of anyone who might be willing to help.

Try talking to a student he or she has helped in the past.  How did that student approach the sponsor?  What kind of support did they offer?  Were there any conditions (i.e., the student has to work for a company the sponsor owns for 2 years)?

Once you have a good idea of who the sponsor is, what his or her interests are, and what kind of support he or she might offer, start thinking of how you might approach the sponsor.  Do you know anyone who knows him or her?  Could they set up a meeting for you to introduce yourself?  Or does the sponsor have a particular procedure for determining who he or she helps?

It’s a lot of work to research, identify, and approach an individual who might offer you scholarship support.  However, keep in mind that, compared to the chances you have of winning a scholarship through a formal competition (where you’ll be competing with hundreds, if not thousands, of others), your chances of obtaining support from an individual may be quite high . . . if you put in the effort to find a potential sponsor.

What do you think?  Are there individuals in your community who assist international students?  Would it be possible for you to approach them?  Why or why not?

Posts in this Series

1. Your Education is an Investment - 08 Jul
2. Researching Scholarship Opportunities - 07 Jul
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 (This post)
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

The second option for financial aid is businesses or private foundations in your country.  Sometimes such organizations will fund students to study at foreign universities (including those in the United States) in order to achieve their own goals.

For example, the Kokallis Foundation is a charitable foundation active throughout Southeastern Europe.  The mission of the Kokallis Foundation is “the promotion of a peaceful, democratic and prosperous Southeastern Europe through the development of public, cultural and scientific life in the region.”  One program they administer in order to achieve that goal is the Kokallis Program at Harvard, which sponsors students for Master’s Degrees in Public Administration or Public Policy  at the John F. Kennedy School of Government.  It’s important to note that the Kokallis Foundation doesn’t give scholarships to students because the students really really want them; rather, it gives very specific support to particular students in order to achieve its own mission.

When looking for support from private businesses or foundations, you need to keep the missions of those organizations in mind.  A foundation might offer you a scholarship if and only if you can show that your university program in the U.S. will somehow help achieve the foundation’s own goals.

Private businesses are generally even more driven by their own goals, which tend to be the maximization of their profit.  Many businesses do indeed sponsor employees to study at foreign universities, but generally they require that the employee sign some kind of contract promising to work with the employer after the completion of his or her studies.  If you are currently working for a business, you may want to ask if they offer support to their employees for study at foreign universities.  If you’re not working for a business, you might want to ask around and see if any businesses offer students scholarship support in exchange for a promise to work for the business upon graduation.

When looking for support from both businesses and domestic foundations, you’ll need to conquer any shyness you may have about asking for help.  Businesses and foundations that offer support don’t always publicize it, and so you may have to do talk to a lot of different people.  No one will know that you’re looking for help unless you tell them, so don’t be shy.  Also, network with other students who are trying to study abroad.  What are their experiences?  Have they heard of any scholarships offered by private businesses or foundations?

Chances are, there is some private organization in your country that offers students financial assistance.  If you are serious enough and dedicated enough, you’ll find it.

Posts in this Series

1. Your Education is an Investment - 08 Jul
2. Researching Scholarship Opportunities - 07 Jul
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 (This post)
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

A lot of students begin their search for financial aid by trying to find 100% support from U.S. sources.  After a few weeks of effort, most of them realize that a full scholarship isn’t likely.  Discouraged, they all too often give up their dreams of studying in the U.S.

But what if you don’t need 100% financing?  What if you need, say, only 50%?  What if you need only 25?  If you can find significant contributions from your own assets, you’ll significantly increase your chances of being able to find enough financial aid.

So, the very first place to start looking for financial aid for your U.S. education is . . . (drum roll please) . . .

Yourself.

First, do you have any savings?  Do you own any assets that you might sell?  How much money could you set aside over the next year if you started saving now?  Are there part-time jobs you could take in order to supplement your income?

What about your parents?  Now is a great time to have a frank, serious discussion about what, if anything, they can commit to your education.  In the U.S., families often take out loans on their homes or other real-estate property to finance college education for their kids.  Is that an option in your country?  Are your parents holding onto a piece of land without a clear plan for using it?  Do they have an extra car they’d be willing to sell?  It’s imperative that you identify as much as possible from within your own family.

Now, let’s pause for a moment.  Right now you might be thinking, Ask my parents to help?  Yeah, right.  They want me to stay at home and study at the local university, which costs MUCH less.  No way they’re going to help me go to study in the U.S. And besides, we don’t have nearly enough.

If you’re afraid your parents won’t help you, try  telling them how important studying in the U.S. is for you, and showing them how seriously you take it.  Don’t just ask for money and hope they’ll take care of everything.  Instead, show them how you’re looking for support from multiple sources – including yourself.  You might want to ask them to give you a loan instead of simply paying for your university (generally speaking, parents offer very good interest rates).  Involve your parents in the process of identifying and applying to U.S. universities, so they can see firsthand the advantages.  And most importantly, share your conviction that  a U.S. education is a great investment in your future.  Remember, the worst thing that happens is that they say “No.”  In which case, you won’t be any worse off.

After you’ve had a frank (and possibly awkward) conversation with your parents, go have the same frank conversation with other relatives.  Remember, you’re NOT asking for someone to pay for the entirety of your education.  You’re simply identifying small pieces of funding that, when added together, can reduce the amount of financial aid that you need from other sources.

Once you’ve identified as much funding as possible from yourself, your parents, and your other family members, it’s time to look for outside sources.

Closing Question: I’d be curious to know whether asking parents for money for university is considered “normal” in your culture.  Do parents generally fund their children’s education?  Do students ask their parents for financial assistance?

Posts in this Series

1. Your Education is an Investment - 08 Jul
2. Researching Scholarship Opportunities - 07 Jul
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 (This post)
18. The First Step In Financial Aid: Identify Your Needs - 09 Jun
19. Finding Financial Aid for your U.S. Education - 08 Jun

It’s the most common question we get from international students:

Can I get financial aid to study in the U.S.?

In order to fully answer that question, we’re introducing a new Series, “Finding Financial Aid for your U.S. Education.” It will start today and run off and on over the next month.

Right at the outset, though, I want to be clear about a few things:

1. I don’t have any “secret” to tell you that will allow you to easily get financial aid. That’s because there is no such secret.  Getting financial aid for study in the U.S. is extremely difficult.  According to the Institute for International Education, 81% of undergraduates finance their own education in the States.  Very few institutions offer any financial support to international students, and the competition for those scholarships that do exist is incredibly fierce.  So you should not expect that you will be able to get financial aid. You should certainly research the possibilities and try to get financial aid, but you should also keep your eyes open to other possibilities.
2. myUface does not have any financial aid available. This is important to note because already many students have asked this question.  We certainly will try to help you find financial aid, but we do not offer any ourselves.
3. If you’re interested in trying for financial aid in the U.S., you need to be very serious about it. There will be more forms to fill out, questions to ask, deadlines to meet, and so on and so forth.  Don’t expect the process to be easy.  We’ll try to sort out as many of the details as possible, but remember, you’re going to have to do some very serious work in order to secure anything.

Now, is it all doom and gloom?  No!  Thousands upon thousands of international students do get financial aid every year, so it is a definitie possibility.  What’s more, out of the 81% of students who do not get financial aid, many are from families without huge cash resources – and yet they manage to find a way to finance their U.S. education.  This series will therefore not only be about financial aid, but also about how, with a little creativity, you can survive without it.

As always, during the course of the series, feel free to ask questions by either leaving a comment or by e-mailing us at blog@myuface.com.

Posts in this Series

1. Your Education is an Investment - 08 Jul
2. Researching Scholarship Opportunities - 07 Jul
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 (This post)