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: