By Nancy Keteku, Education USA Regional Educational Advising Coordinator for Africa West & Central
Pursuing an undergraduate degree at a U.S. institution is an expensive investment, but it will pay off for the rest of your life. Because studying in the United States will cost more than study in your own country, it is important to start your financial planning at least 12 months before you intend to begin your studies, and research thoroughly to find all possible sources of funding. Here are some points to keep in mind:
- Financial assistance from universities and colleges is awarded at the beginning of the academic year (August/September) and is rarely available for students entering at other times.
- Full scholarships covering the entire cost of your education are extremely rare, and extremely competitive. To get a full scholarship, you must be one of the top students in your country. There are 10-20 top students from all over the world competing for each scholarship, so you must distinguish yourself among a pool of outstanding students.
- Private liberal arts colleges award the most financial aid to undergraduate international students, followed by private research universities. The private colleges and universities with the largest endowments and a global outlook are the most likely to award funding to international students.
- Public (state) and two-year institutions (community colleges) are less expensive than private universities, but also less likely to award significant financial aid to international students.
- Seventy-nine percent of students at the undergraduate level paid for their U.S education primarily from personal and family funds, according to IIE’s Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. Eleven percent of international undergraduates were supported primarily by funds from their U.S. college or university.
- Many students save thousands of dollars in tuition by attending two-year or community colleges for their first two years and then transferring to four-year institutions to complete their degree. Before embarking on this route, make sure to plan your course selection and finances to ensure a smooth transfer.
- Another way to save money is to master English and take TOEFL in your home country, so that you can go directly into your academic program in the United States, where English courses are more expensive than at home.
- To reduce the cost of your education, apply to be a hall counselor or resident adviser, which provide free housing and sometimes a small stipend (but also a lot of distractions). If you speak a language that’s in demand on college campuses, you can serve as a language tutor. Immigration law permits international students to work part-time on campus, but don’t expect to earn more than $4,000 a year from working.
- You can reduce the time it takes to complete your degree if you take the maximum course load or if you can receive U.S. college credit for courses taken in your home country. Completing a four-year bachelor’s degree in three years saves thousands of dollars. Students can accelerate their programs by (a) taking one additional course each semester (in selected cases); (b) attending summer school; (c) taking courses at a nearby community college, if tuition is lower and credits are transferable; and (d) earning credit for college-level studies (such as A-levels, Baccalaureate) completed in the home country.
- Application for aid will not prejudice your chances of admission to a chosen program of study, but the more you need, the lower your chances of admission with funding. Because most scholarships cover only a part of your educational costs, you need to state the amount of money you do have available for study, rather than asking for a full scholarship. Don’t ask for more money than you genuinely need, because this will reduce the chances of admission.