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US
education can be quite expensive. Tuition,
room and board at an undergraduate institution
will cost from $15,000 to $40,000 a year,
depending on the school. A graduate education can be even more
expensive. There is very little financial aid
for foreign nationals to study in the US, with
most grants, scholarships, and loans from
public and private sources are restricted to
US citizens. As a result, international
students will find very little information
about financial aid for international
students.
Preparing
a Budget
When
preparing a budget, you will need to account
for the following costs:
Application
fees average $50 to $75 per school.
Academic entrance examinations will cost you
about $100 to $200 per examination, and most
students take at least two tests. Assume that
you will be spending at least $500 on tests.
Tuition and fees will cost between $5,000 and
$30,000 per academic year (nine months),
depending on the type and quality of
institution.
Books and study materials will cost $500 to
$1,000 per academic year.
Travel costs to the US vary, but will be
between $500 and $2,000. Travel costs within
the US will be between $300 and $700.
Room and Board will cost between $3,000 and
$7,500 per academic year. Allow an extra
$1,000 to $2,000 for vacation periods when the
dormitory might be closed.
If you will be living off campus, the cost of
renting an apartment will be between
$300 and
$600 a month, but could be substantially
higher depending on the location of the
school. Meals should cost about $2,500 a year,
assuming that you do not eat in restaurants
too frequently.
Clothing will cost $500 or more a year.
Health insurance will cost $300 to $500 a year
for one person
Personal
expenses will cost about $2,000 a year.
If
you intend to buy a car, assume that it will
cost you about $4,000 a year.
If you will be traveling during the summer,
assume a cost of $50 to $75 a day for tourist
activities. If you will be continuing your
education during the summer, add half the
figure you calculated for the academic year.
Making a table as below will help you
understand where the dollar is being spent
When
preparing a budget, making a table as below
will help you understand where the dollar is
being spent.
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Application
and Test Fees
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$
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Tuition
Fees
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$
|
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Books
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$
|
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Travel
to US
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$
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|
Room
and Board
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$
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Expenses
when school is closed
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$
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Clothing
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$
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Personal
Expenses
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$
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Health
Insurance
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$
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Summer
Study or Travel
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$
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Other
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$
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Total
for one year
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$
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Multiply
total by number of years in program
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$
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Assume
that your costs will increase by 5% each year
due to inflation. Don’t forget to include an
allowance of about 10% to account for
fluctuations in exchange rates.
When
calculating the annual cost of a US education
at a particular college or university, add at
least $6,000 to the published cost of tuition,
fees, and room and board.
Because sources of financial aid to study in
the US are extremely limited, you will have to
be resourceful and explore every possibility.
Aid
from Your Home Country
One
of the best sources of financial aid to study
in the US, are organizations in your own
country. The nearest educational advising
center may have information about local
sources of support.
Your own government may have financial aid
available. Contact your ministry of education
for more information, since there are many
awards, which require you to be nominated by
your government.
There may also be private organizations in
your home country that provide support for
study in the US. Businesses, foundations, and
religious groups might have funds available.
Aid
from International Organizations
Of the few private scholarships for
international students; most require that you
apply from your home country. If you are
already in the US you might not be eligible.
So you should search for financial aid before
you arrive in the US.
Some international organizations offer funding
for graduate students to study in the US.
These include the United Nations, the
Organization of American States (OAS),
AMIDEAST, the International Maritime
Organization, the International
Telecommunications Union, the League of Red
Cross Societies, the Soros Foundation, the
World Health Organization, and the World
Council of Churches. These awards are
extremely competitive.
Then there are the Fulbright scholarships are
awarded to approximately 4,700 graduate
students worldwide each year. Applicants are
required to take the TOEFL and GRE or GMAT
exams. Professional education, such as medical
studies, is not eligible.
Aid
from US Educational Institutions
Unfortunately the US government student
assistance programs, including the Pell Grant,
Stafford and PLUS loans, and work-study
programs, are not available to international
students.
Financial aid for international undergraduate
students is extremely rare. Foreign graduate
students have significantly more opportunities
for financial aid than foreign undergraduate
students do. The amount of financial aid for
foreign graduate students is nevertheless
limited.
Most support for graduate study is provided by
the schools in the form of teaching
assistantships and research assistantships.
These assistantships are based on academic
merit, not financial need. The school will
probably require you to pass the Test of
Spoken English (TSE) to qualify for a teaching
assistantship.
Aid
from Private US Organizations and Sponsors
There is very little financial aid for
international students available from private
sources, such as foundations and individual
sponsors.
You're more likely to find a sponsor in your
home country than in the US.
Loans
A few US banks will offer student loans to
international students if the loan is
co-signed by a creditworthy US citizen or
permanent resident (holder of a "green
card"). There may also be restrictions on
the type of visa (F1 or J1).
Student
loans from Indian Banks are definitely the
better option
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