(Note: In this text, the terms "College", "University" and "School" are used interchangeably)
Many students in Sri Lanka consider applying to United States of America for undergraduate studies but often wonder how to get over the hurdle of paying 30-55K USD per year as an international student. Some have noticed that getting a conditional acceptance is not too difficult, but students are required to show that they are financially able to support themselves which makes accepting such an offer difficult. Most US colleges will ask you to show that you have enough funds to cover the first year of college. This includes, but is not limited to: tuition, room and board, books, etc. However, the estimated cost of attendance is just an estimate, as the name suggests. So you might have to spend more or less than that depending on the situation. Proof of financial support is often asked for in the application package, along with the university application, TOEFL/IELTS scores, SAT scores, personal essays and teacher recommendation letters. Such proof will also have to be produced at the interview for your student visa.
Students who are not able to support the entire cost often wonder how they can show the need for financial aid, while concurrently showing proof of finances for their first year. What should a student who needs financial aid do? Is there a better chance of getting aid by applying to a third tier university where there is presumably less competition compared to a higher ranked university? Does it help to talk to the admission counsellors on campus beforehand?
This article attempts to give some information and advice on getting financial aid for students considering undergraduate studies in the US.
Need Blind vs. Need Sensitive
Some universities provide "need blind" admission, meaning that the university will evaluate a student's application on its merits, regardless of whether the student has the financial means to attend university. These universities generally state that if a student's family income is less than a certain amount, the student qualifies for financial aid. The university will provide financial aid depending on the student's need. As the qualifying income levels are based on income levels in the US, students from Sri Lanka could have an advantage.
Currently, only a very few universities in the US are completely "need blind" for international students. Some of these are:
- - Amherst
- - Dartmouth
- - Harvard
- - MIT
- - Princeton
- - Yale
Applying for financial aid at any one of these universities does not negatively affect an international student's admission. In other words, these universities are able to admit the best students in their eyes without being constrained by finances and have the resources to do so. The hard part, of course, is getting accepted to such a university. The acceptance rates at these institutions tend to be amongst the lowest in the country, often in the single digits.
Most other schools are "need aware" which means essentially that more the aid you apply for from the institution, the more competitive admissions become. In other words, the more you say you can contribute towards your education, the better your chances of admission. There are a number of schools that offer scholarships but admission is quite competitive since these opportunities are limited.
There are also some schools that do not offer financial aid to international students.
Different forms of Financial Aid
Financial aid can be in three forms:
(1) Grants (which students do not have to pay back)
(2) Loans (which need to be paid back, and for which a US citizen has to sign as surety)
(3) Meeting a certain amount of the fees by working on campus
Higher ranked universities tend to have better financial aid packages (besides loans) because they are wealthier, but the hurdle is at admissions since getting acceptance is a more competitive process. Students would need a strong application. Once the university decides that they want you, they will work with you on your financial aid.
On the other hand, lower-tier universities will most likely offer admissions easily but it is not certain whether students will get financial aid. Hence, students are encouraged to apply to a combination of higher ranked and lower-tier universities.
All colleges have a financial aid website and prospective students should see what their aid profile is like for international undergraduate applicants. The two links below also have good information:
http://www.internationalstudent.com/schools_awarding_aid/
http://www.internationalcounselor.org/College%20program/the%20list.htm
Deadlines for financial aid requests are often well before the application deadlines, so students should apply for financial aid before these deadlines. There are also more awards available for the Fall (September) intake when compared to the Winter (January) intake.
Fulbright Commission
The Fulbright Commission in Sri Lanka is well equipped to give Sri Lankan students a good understanding of the US college admissions process in general. They offer free seminars on a regular basis (which are also listed in the Calendar at www.sl2college.org). Students are recommended to sign up for these.
Honesty during the application process
Students should be honest in stating the amount of funds they and family can put up in the event of being admitted. Honesty is the best policy here rather than trying to play tricks on the system. Once the student has put down what s/he can pay, the university could accept the student based on that and provide a scholarship for the rest of it. However, the student should be prepared to show that s/he can actually meet the remaining amount at the visa interview, or they may not be granted a student visa. If you cannot pay, it is pointless saying that you can just in order to get accepted.
Finding that right figure to put down on your application is important. You have to give an honest picture of your background and work within your means, but you should also show that you are willing to do your best to fund as much of your education as you can.
Contacting an admissions counsellor beforehand
Generally speaking, emailing an admissions counsellor to increase chances of getting financial aid will not work. The financial aid office can get extremely busy during the admission period or closer to the deadlines, and counsellors rarely have time to evaluate your portfolio to give you a specific answer. Moreover, they refrain from giving a 100% promise unless you have been accepted.
Applicants are evaluated primarily on the material they send in. Once the university decides to admit a student whom they really want, they will find a way to provide a scholarship to bridge the gap between the cost and what that student can pay. Therefore, getting in touch with an admissions staff member before being admitted would not help. It goes without saying that once accepted it would help to start a conversation if a student has any questions or concerns.
Assess your financial need by yourself first, factoring in how much you can make by working on campus, loans and other funds you can get from Sri Lanka, etc. You should also remember that the first year tends to be the hardest since you are going into a new environment and there are a lot of expectations to meet. After that you will have many more possibilities of getting financial aid such as summer internships, on campus jobs, dean's list scholarships, alumni scholarships, etc.
Other things to consider
Do your research on colleges that have a notable international student population, and consider applying to those colleges. Another idea would be applying to good public schools that struggle to find enough international students. Berkeley, University of Delaware and University of Maryland are a few such examples.
Community colleges in the United States are often cheaper than universities. Students should check to see that the program of study they are interested in is available. They should note however that community colleges only offer 'Associate Degrees'. Some community colleges are linked with universities, whereby credits from a 2-year associate degree in college can be transferred to a university program, allowing students to earn a Bachelors degree.
Students should also consider if there are cheaper options at home (in Sri Lanka) or closer to home. There are institutions in Sri Lanka that allow students to do part of their degree program at home and continue the rest of the program in the US.
Having said all of this, there are generally no short cuts to success with admission to U.S universities, especially the top tier schools. If an applicant does not have good grades or notable extra-curricular activities or if the parents have not saved enough money, getting into a reputed school as an international student with a sizeable scholarship will prove to be very difficult.
Date of publication in the Sunday Observer: December 4, 2011
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely that of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of SL2College. More details about standardised tests and other requirements are available on www.sl2college.org, under the resources section. Please post your queries on the forum at www.sl2college.org or email info@sl2college.org.
