This site is offering some basic information about one of your following steps. Higher education is something important to each of us. Make sure that you are making the right decision.
Financing
International Student Scholarships: Grants, loans and scholarships for international students
While the cost of an American education is high and can add up to tens of thousands of US dollars, it is an investment that will benefit you for the rest of your life. Since you will be required to prove you have the necessary financial resources in order to obtain an international student visa, it is very important to first calculate how much your total USA education will cost.
Calculating costs
Note that the yearly costs given below are rough estimates. Costs such as tuition and fees will vary between different schools. Costs such as travel and room and board will vary between different cities in the US. Also, you should assume about a 5% increase per year for each cost. This is due to inflation.
Tuition
Tuition will be the largest component of your education cost. It will vary widely between different schools, so it is best for you to refer to the schools where you are planning to apply to get a realistic amount. As a very rough guideline, the cost for tuition can range from $5,000 to $25,000 per year. Public schools will typically charge lower tuition than private schools, and community colleges usually have the lowest tuition costs of all public schools. For an explanation of the differences between public and private schools, refer to Bachelor’s degree.
Room and board
This is normally the second largest component of your education cost. The cost for room and board can also vary widely between schools, so you should check with the schools where you are planning to apply to get the right estimate. A rough guideline is between $3,000 and $8,000. If you are considering living off campus and getting your own apartment, you will also need to calculate the cost of furnishing that apartment, paying your monthly utilities (such as electricity), and the cost of transportation to and from school. The most practical and economical choice for a fist year international student is often to live on campus with a roommate. You should note that residence halls will often close during the summer. If you will not be returning to your home country during that time, you will have to find alternate housing.
Fees
In addition to tuition, most colleges and universities will also charge fees, such as student activity fees. These help to support student clubs and organizations on campus. They are usually relatively small, only a few hundred dollars per year.
Books and supplies
Students must pay for all their text books, as well as supplies such as notebooks, paper, pens, etc. You can sometimes lower this cost by buying used books from the school’s bookstore. A good estimate for this cost is between $500 and $1,500.
Medical insurance
Because the cost of healthcare in the US is very high, many schools require international students to purchase medical insurance. It is a very good idea to buy insurance even if your school does not require it to protect yourself from extremely high medical bills should you become ill or have an accident. A comprehensive insurance policy (which covers doctor’s visits, medication, hospitalization, and surgery) will cost between $500 and $1,000 for one person.
Travel
You should calculate how much it will cost you to travel between your school and your home country. You will need to determine how many times during the length of your education you will go home and multiply that by the cost of airplane fare between the two locations.
Personal expenses
These expenses include clothing, entertainment, and telephone bills. This will vary depending on where you will live and on your personal lifestyle; therefore, it is difficult to provide an estimate.
General student scholarships, student grants, and student loans
The following is a list of organizations that provide student scholarships, student grants, and student loans for foreign students (graduates and undergraduates) to study in the US. Most student funding is restricted to students who are interested in a specific field of study. Some of the funding is restricted to students from specific countries.
American Council of Teachers of Russian
1776 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, DC 20036
Administering many funds, especially for Eastern European students, in the fields of communication, journalism, education administration, library and information science, and public policy.
American Foundation for Aging Research, North Carolina State University, Biochemistry Department
128 Polk Hall, Raleigh, NC 27695 (telephone 919-515-5679)
Fellowship awards for undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students of biology, cancer, biochemistry, or biophysics in the aging research.
American Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Fund
Central Park W. & 79th St., NY, NY 10024 (telephone 212-769-5467)
Undergraduates and graduates for study of North America wild-life.
American Museum of Natural History, Chapman Fund
Central Park W. & 79th St., NY, NY 10024 (telephone 212-769-5467)
Undergraduates and graduates for research in ornithology.
American Oriental Society, Fellowships for the Study of Chinese Art
University of Michigan, MI 48109 (telephone 313-747-4760)
Undergraduates and graduates, for the study of Chinese paintings. Applicants must speak Chinese.
American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Gennadeion Fellowships
New York University, 113 University Place, NY, NY 10003
Available for research in byzantine studies.
American Schools of Oriental Research, Fellowships
3301 N. Charles St. Baltimore, MD 21218 (telephone 410-516-3498)
A variety of grants for Middle Eastern studies in such humanistic disciplines as anthropology, archeology, Biblical studies, epigraphy, history and philosophy are available for undergraduates and graduates. Mesopotamian Fellowship for the study of Mesopotamian civilization and culture; Albright Fellowship for the study of the Middle East or Eastern Mediterranean; Barton Fellowship for archeological research at Jerusalem; Kress Fellowship for the study of architecture at Jerusalem; National Endowment for the Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowship for archeological research at Jerusalem.
American Society for Microbiology
1325 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20005
Fellowships in the microbiological sciences to undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students.
American Society of Civil Engineers
1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, VA 20191
Administering various scholarships for undergraduates and graduates who study or conduct research in civil engineering.
Bedding Plants Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 27241, Lansing, MI 48909 (telephone 517-694-8537)
Scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students who major in horticulture or related fields.
Center for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health
Atlanta, GA 30333 (telephone 404-639-3343
For pre-doctorates and young scientists.
Countess of Munster Musical Trust
Wormley Hill Godalming Surrey GU8 5SG
Awards for assistance in musical education. Applicants must be of British nationality.
Early American Industries Association, Grants-in-Aid
Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE 19735 (telephone 302-888-4649)
Undergraduates and graduates for the research of American industry and early American tools and mechanical devices.
Elizabeth Greenshield Foundation
1814 Sherbrooke St. W. Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3H 1E4
Grants for young artists working in the following areas: painting, drawing, print making, sculpture.
Entomological Society of America
9301 Annapolis Rd.., Lenham, MD 20706 (telephone 301-731-4535)
Scholarships to undergraduate students majoring in entomology, biology, zoology, or a related science.
Foundation Center
888 7th Ave., NY, NY, 10106
Administers many US foundations and grants.
Foundation Center
1001 Connecticut Ave., NW #938, Washington, DC 20036 (telephone 202-331-1400)
Offers a list of available funds.
Graphic Arts Technical Foundation
4615 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (telephone 412-621-6941)
Undergraduates and graduates in such fields as mathematics, chemistry, physics, industrial education, engineering, and business technology, provided that the area of study has potential application in the printing, publishing and packaging industries.
Herb Society of America
9019 Kirkland Rd., Mentor, OH 44060
Research of herbal plants.
Institute of Food Technologists
221 N. LaSalle St., Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601 (telephone 312-782-8424)
Scholarships and fellowships for undergraduates and graduates who major or conduct research in the area of food science.
Inter-American Foundation
P.O. Box 9486 Arlington, VA 22209 (telephone 703-841-3864)
Fellowships for students from Latin America and the Caribbean. Candidates must have a demonstrated interest in the problems of poverty and development.
International Group Services, International Students Essay Competition
10530 Rosehaven St., Fairfax, VA 22030
Foreign undergraduates and graduates. Grants for winners of essay competition.
International Order of the King’s Daughters and Sons
P.O. Box 1310, Brookhaven, MS 39601
Scholarships for students preparing for career in various health fields. Applicants must be Canadian citizens.
Mongolian Society, Inc.
322 Goodbody Hall, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 (telephone 812-855-4078)
Scholarships for students of Mongolian heritage to pursue studies in the US.
National Women’s Studies Association
7100 Baltimore Avenue, Suite 301, College Park, MD 20740
Administering various fellowships and scholarships, intended to expand the possibilities of women’s studies.
Phelps-Stokes Fund
10 E. 87th St., NY, NY, 10128
For African students.
Society of Exploration Geophysicists
SEG Business Office, P.O. Box 70240, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74170
Awards for undergraduates and graduates whose studies are directed toward a career in exploration geophysics in operations, teaching, or research.
Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
601 Pavonia Ave., Jersey City, NJ 10150
Scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students who study naval architecture or marine engineering. Applicants must be Canadian citizens.
Sons of Norway Foundation
1455 West Lake St., Minneapolis, MN 55408
Scholarships for Norwegian undergraduates and graduates who study American heritage or Norwegian heritage in the following fields: arts, crafts, literature, history, music, and folklore.
Whitney Museum of American Art, Helena Rubinstein Fellowships
384 Broadway, NY, NY 10013 (telephone 212-431-1737) Undergraduates and graduates of art history, esthetics and criticism.