What Major Best Fits Your Personality? Find out here.
Update 4/3/2015: Still need financial aid? Find more great sources of financial aid for international students in my latest post 121 of the Best Merit Scholarships Open to International Students.
Are you an international student? Do you need financial aid?
Sorry. It’s a tough spot to be in.
Many colleges don’t offer any aid to international students and scholarships from independent organizations are limited.
What else can you do?
Refine your college list.
Not every college offers good options, but there are a number of great colleges and universities that give away millions of dollars every year to help international students each year.
How do you find out about them?
I’ve done the work for you. After scouring hundreds of college websites, I’ve put together a list of 65 schools that stand out by offering generous aid to international students.
Here are the results:
Full Tuition Merit Scholarship Schools
These scholarships offer full tuition scholarships to international applicants based on student merit. Students apply for these scholarships at the time of their application.
Carleton College – Northfield, Minnesota
Full Tuition Scholarship (up to six per year)
Carleton also gives away partial tuition scholarship. In total, Carleton gave 26 international students aid last year totaling $2,589,268.
Rice University – Houston, Texas
Allen International Scholarship
Rice students are also eligible for need-based aid. Rice gave away $1,828,575 in aid last year to 75 international students.
University of Miami – Coral Gables, Florida
The University of Miami also offers partial tuition merit-based scholarships. Last year the school gave away $3,318,202 to 118 international students.
Washington and Lee University – Lexington, Virginia
Washington and Lee University also offers need-based aid. Washington and Lee gave away $3,640,194 last year to 73 international students.
Need Blind Schools Committed to Meeting 100% of Demonstrated Need
These schools do not consider your ability to pay as a factor in your admissions decision. Once you are accepted, they will cover your full need whether that be a partial scholarship or full tuition.
Harvard University – Cambridge, Massachusetts
530 students, $27,866,340
Yale University – New Haven, Connecticut
350 students, $18,639,436
Princeton University – Princeton, New Jersey
409 students, $16,397,219
Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Cambridge, MA
374 students, $16,854,797
Dartmouth College – Hanover, New Hampshire (UPDATE 9/21/2015: Dartmouth has just announced it will no longer be need blind for international students beginning with the Class of 2020. Likely Dartmouth will still offer some of the best aid for international students, but it can no longer technically be considered need blind.)
251 students, $12,279,562
Amherst College – Northampton, Massachusetts
146 students, $7,655,287
Other schools with generous aid for international students
These schools give away millions of dollars each year to help international students. Most of these schools will take your ability to pay into account in the admissions process but once accepted, these schools offer highly qualified applicants generous aid packages ranging from partial tuition scholarships to full tuition grants.
Bard College – Annandale-on-Hudson, New York
196 students, $7,617,880 total
Bates College – Lewiston, Maine
84 students, $4,081,959 total
Beloit College – Beloit, Wisconsin
111 students, $2,143,021 total
Bennington College – Bennington, Vermont
46 students, $2,024,000 total
Brown University – Providence, Rhode Island
207 students, $8,400,000 total
Bryn Mawr College – Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
157 students, $6,179,834 total
California Institute of Technology – Pasadena, California
26 students, $1,124,845 total
Clark University – Worcester, Massachusetts
165 students, $3,993,130 total
Colby College – Waterville, Maine
82 students, $3,957,995 total
Colgate College – Hamilton, New York
114 students, $5,360,736 total
College of the Atlantic – Bar Harbor, Maine
52 students, $2,164,213 total
Colorado College – Colorado Springs, Colorado
70 students, $3,155,913 total
Connecticut College – New London, Connecticut
57 students, $2,747,848 total
Denison University – Granville, Ohio
153 students, $3,879,380 total
DePauw University – Greencastle, Indiana
$5,090,458 total
Dickinson College – Carlisle, Pennsylvania
133 students, $4,429,897 total
Franklin and Marshall College – Lancaster, Pennsylvania
159 students, $5,951,714 total
Grinnell College – Grinnell, Iowa
157 students, $5,655,157 total
Hamilton College – Clinton, New York
66 students, $2,975,464 total
Hampshire College – Amherst, Massachusetts
87 students, $1,924,573 total
Hendrix College – Conway, Arkansas
$1,687,347 total
Illinois Institute of Technology – Chicago, Illinois
592 students, $10,703,818 total
Kenyon College – Gambier, Ohio
58 students, $2,304,722 total
Knox College – Galesburg, Illinois
$2,976,508 total
Lafayette College – Easton, Pennsylvania
103 students, $3,859,836 total
Lawrence University – Appleton, Wisconsin
110 students, $2,222,784 total
Macalester College – St Paul, MN
222 students, $7,647, 111 total
Middlebury College – Middlebury, Vermont
129 students, $6,313,628 total
Mount Holyoke College – South Hadley, Massachusetts
448 students, $15,480,183 total
Oberlin College – Oberlin, Ohio
146 students, $4,343,742 total
Ohio Wesleyan University – Delaware, Ohio
149 students, $3,368,998 total
Reed College – Portland, Oregon
45 students, $2,080,424 total
Sarah Lawrence College – Bronxville, New York
$2,592,487 total
Skidmore College – Saratoga Springs, New York
80 students, $4,281,849 total
Smith College – Northampton, Massachusetts
168 students, $7,339,206 total
Soka University of America – Aliso Viego, California
164 students, $5,308,880 total
St. John’s College – Annapolis – Annapolis, Maryland
39 students, $1,229,271 total
St. Lawrence University – Canton, New York
155 students, $5,939,516 total
St. Olaf College – Northfield, Minnesota
$5,309,947 total
Stanford University – Stanford, California
187 students, $9,088,919 total
Swarthmore College – Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
56 students, $2,604,476 total
Trinity College – Hartford, Connecticut
146 students, $7,446,464 total
Union College – Schenectady, New York
82 students, $2,706,410 total
University of Pennsylvania – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
332 students, $14,245,353 total
University of Richmond – Richmond, Virginia
128 students, $5,628,674 total
University of Rochester – Rochester, New York
328 students, $6,538,139 total
University of Southern California – Los Angeles, California
221 students, $4,254,535 total
Vassar College – Poughkeepsie, New York
92 students, $4,445,049 total
Wabash College – Crawfordsville, Indiana
53 students, $936,950 total
Wellesley College – Wellesley, Massachusetts
114 students, $5,417,075 total
Wesleyan University – Middleton, Connecticut
83 students, $4,270,370 total
Wheaton College (MA) – Norton, Massachusetts
103 students, $2,344,486 total
Williams College – Williamstown, Massachusetts
80 students, $4,373,650 total
Worcester Polytechnic Institute – Worcester, Massachusetts
350 students, $8,148,755 total
Yeshiva University – New York, New York
133 students, $3,209,689 total
Hopefully this list provides you with a good place to start in your college search. There are a number of other schools that also offer substantial aid to international students.
Check as many college websites as you can and contact the financial aid departments directly to ask questions.
There is a lot of aid out there available, and if you look hard enough, there is a good chance you’ll be able to find some!
Wonderful info. Thanks for posting.
Hi I’m Nsamba Pius from Uganda Africa,,, can I get help from you guys ,,I love education
May I ask which year these data come from? Are these from the admission cycle of fall 2013 or fall 2014?
These statistics are for the 2012-2013 school year although I don’t imagine they have changed significantly in one year.
Thank you a lot! This was helpful 🙂
Fabulous. May i know the process. Im im mumbai. India. I need financial aid for my child. She is brilliant kid. has done very well in her 10 std boards is not in the 12 th std. ISC Level
Hi Ritu! The process varies for each scholarship. Some are automatic with an application and other require a separate application due earlier in the year. Applications may be entirely written by the student or require an interview, recommendations, or audition. If you click on the links I’ve provided above for the scholarships your daughter is interested in, you can find the specifics for each one.
-Pallas
Hey! I am currently a student in grade 11 studying in New Delhi, India. I would love to come and study in the USA but I won’t be able to afford the full price of education. I have a 10/10 GPA in 10th grade. I have good extra curricular’s but nothing exceptional. I would like to pursue an economics major. Which university would you recommend which has a good economics program but also gives sufficient financial aid to international students. Also, in terms of ECs, what all can I do in 1.5 years time that will impress ad-coms? PS- I haven’t given the SAT yet but am planning to give it this November.
Bika, there are over 4,000 colleges in this country so it is difficult to give you names of a couple of schools based on that criteria alone. There are hundreds of good options, and I’d need to get to know you better to give you a good recommendation for what would be a good fit and realistic given your profile. I recommend you check out my book “The International Student’s Guide to American Colleges” though since it will help you figure out other preferences (size, location, curriculum type, etc.) and help you narrow down a list of specific options. As far as your EC list, 1.5 years is plenty of time to build an impressive list. Start new initiatives in your community, run for leadership positions, enter competitions, etc. Colleges want to see leaders and self-starters. The book also gives some tips on specific things you can do. But the guiding principle I follow is do something you actually enjoy and are passionate about – it will be much easier to find opportunities to distinguish yourself in activities you actually like and the passion will shine through on your application. Best of luck!
Macalester College – St Paul, MN
222 students, $7,647, 111 total
Is it 222 or 111?
It should be 222 although the data set I used is several years old. Currently, “US News and World Report” says 202 international students are receiving aid.
Hello! I am currently a student in grade 11 studying in Cape Town, South Africa. I would love to come and study in the USA but I won’t be able to afford the full price of education. I have an excellent academic record and been involved in various extra curricular activities including arts and culture. I would like to in the medical field as a doctor. Which university would you recommend but also gives sufficient financial aid to international students. Also, in terms of being accepted what can I do in 1.5 years time that will give me the opportunity to be accepted. Presently I am involved in several community outreach programs. Thanks
Radhe, there are many universities in this country that offer scholarships to international students. The schools on this list are a good place to start as are the schools listed in this article:
http://thecollegematchmaker.com/121-of-the-best-merit-scholarships-open-to-international-students/
As far as your admissions questions, I strongly recommend you check out my book “The International Student’s Guide to American Colleges” which will guide you through that process. You can check out the book here:
http://amzn.to/1RGsrjY
In short though, I recommend that you start preparing to take the SAT or ACT as early as possible, maintain your grades, and participate in a range of extracurricular activities (community service, sports, artistic and civic endeavors, etc.). American colleges especially value leadership experience so trying to gain some experience in that capacity is also useful.
this is not a correct list..hope college does not provide full scholarship to international students.
You are correct. It looks like Hope has changed their website since the time I wrote this article. They now say they offer international students need-based scholarships of up to $13,000 per year. I have removed Hope College from this list. Thanks for the update!
First of all thank you,
But,Can you provide information about 15-16. within two years, this might have changed
For more updated data, I recommend you check out US News and World Report’s College Compass which was one of my main sources for this data.
What about cornell university
Cornell offers relatively good aid to international students but not as good as many of the schools on this list. Cornell is need blind in the admissions process (which is great) but is not committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated need for international students. The data I have from several years ago says they were giving 73 total international students aid for a total of $2,909,006.
Dartmouth is no longer need blind for International students. Please update your article. Thanks.
Yes Dartmouth made this announcement several days ago. It is very unfortunate news, and I am hoping the decision will be reversed, but it seems unlikely.
If any international student gets 2300+ in SAT will he get financial aid in MIT or Harvard ?
Harvard and MIT offer need blind need-based aid to international students. What that means is that if you get accepted, you will be considered for need-based aid regardless of the specifics of your academic (or extracurricular) background. Both MIT and Harvard offer some of the best aid of any universities for international students overall.
The amount awarded are for one year fees or 4 years? For example: Union College – Schenectady, New York
82 students, $2,706,410 total. Lets divide the aid awarded by the number of students. It is $33,005. So, on average, a student got $33,005. Is that for her 1 year of college education or for 4 years? Thanks
That amount is the average award per student per year (though keep in mind that some students might receive much less and others much more depending on need).
@psnider I am from a small country neighboring India. Also from a middle class family who can’t afford my studies in USA. Being avrage student my dreams have been shattered to study in US. Is it possible for me to get better scholarship. My SAT 1400 GPA 3. I know its sucks… My GPA but the highest is only 88% out of 100% so please recommend me any thing thats gonna meet my needs.
Ankit, scholarships can be based on need or merit, although often international students need to exceed the typical admissions requirements to be accepted to receive need-based aid. While your current scores and grades may be good enough to get into some second and third tier colleges in this country, those schools are less likely able to provide you with generous aid. One recommendation is to consider enrolling at an American community college which usually have open enrollment (i.e. everyone gets in) and significantly lower tuition rates than most 4-year colleges. After one or two years there, you can transfer to a 4-year college for your remaining two years, saving you money and giving you the opportunity to earn higher grades.
I’m a Vietnamese student and I’m currently a freshman at High school for the gifted-one of the best high schools in Vietnam.My GPA is 8.7/10 and I haven’t taken SAT yet.My IELTS is 7.0 and I’m planning to retake it this June.I didn’t involve in many extra curriculars though,I participated in several activies:
– Gold medal in public speaking contest.
-Contributer and fact-checker for a teen magazine.
And I joined some performances in dacing and singing contests with my classmates and we won first prizes.
How many SAT score should I get?
Also please recommend me some colleges and universities that you think suitable the most since I didn’t involve in much outdoor activies and my grades wasn’t so high.
Thanks in advance.
It sounds like you are off to a great start and your extracurricular activities will definitely be a big asset to you in the American application process. It is hard to give you a specific SAT target because it depends on your specific ambitions, but in general aim for 700+ for each section for the most competitive colleges or 600+ to be seriously considered for merit-based aid at mid-tier colleges. 500+ per section will still give you some options at lower and middle tier schools but will make getting aid considerably more difficult.
Given that the US has over 4,000 colleges and universities, I can’t really spew out a personalized list tailored to your background and interests without getting to know you and your goals a bit better, but if you want to set up a Skype consultation with me shoot me an email at Pallas@thecollegematchmaker.com. You also might want to check out my book “The International Student’s Guide to American Colleges” (on Amazon) which will also help you identify good match colleges.
I have a few queries. Kindly reply back so that i know you’re active. Thanks in advance.
Hi Tarun, Feel free to reach out to me on here or if you prefer, you can fill out my contact form and reach me that way. -Pallas
Is it possible that the above mentioned colleges might have decreased their funds for international students tremendously over the years? I plan on applying this fall, so how accurate can these colleges’ data be in terms of meeting financial needs? (Also, do I checked a few colleges with endowments below $100 m and how are they able to give $3-5 m aid to international students only?) Thank you, for the list.
Hi, These numbers are a few years old so they might be slightly off but not tremendously. Some have gone up slightly and others down, but you shouldn’t find massive variation in the past few years. As far as your other questions, endowments are used for all sorts of things not related to financial aid needed to nurture, expand, and grow a university. And furthermore, the intention is not to use up the whole thing to support every student in one year. Most of an endowment is invested at any given time so that it can continue to grow and generate capital without decreasing in size.
Hi. I am currently studying in the USA but I want to transfer schools. I had 1900 on my SAT and 96 on my toefl. Please which scholarship will I be eligible for?
Hi, Most of these are need-based scholarships. You need to check with each institution to see if they offer need-based aid to international transfer students (not all do), but if the answer is yes, you would be eligible to receive aid.
Sir I have scored 93% in high school,my IELTS score is 7.5 and I have scored 1500/1600 in the new SAT,a I am looking forward for University of Illinois Chicago.
Will it provide me good financial aid?
Hi Satyam,
While your scores and grades are excellent and will make you a highly competitive candidate for the University of Illinois Chicago, I would not recommend this school if you are looking for significant financial aid. The university only offered 24 international students financial aid last year, and the average aid package was only $5,801. To put that in perspective, many of the schools on this list offer hundreds of international students aid each year with average packages exceeding $40,000. It is worth mentioning, however, that the University of Illinois Chicago has a lower tuition rate to begin with than many of the other schools on this list. If you can afford to attend even with a modest scholarship (or none at all) it may still be worth considering.
-Pallas
Hi I am currently doing my a levels from Pakistan with a gpa of 4/4 and my total percentage is 99%.
I am the president of my school’s peer tutoring society
Corespondent of a teen’s magazine
And have done three community service internships
If I apply as an undergraduate for engineering in USA which colleges are my best shot for full ride ?
I will be more than obliged if you assist me 🙂
Hi Aliya,
It sounds like you have many of the things American colleges are looking for, but the process is much more complex and college recommendations require a lot more background information than I would be able to provide with that brief description. I would recommend thumbing through some of the schools on this list many of which could conceivably offer you a full ride (depending on need) and also checking out my other post on merit aid for international students here:
http://thecollegematchmaker.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=2662&action=edit
If you need additional help, please fill out my contact form, and I can give you additional information about setting up a consultation.
-Pallas
This info is amazing !
Hi, doesn’t Kalamazoo College offer financial aid to international students too?
Hi! Yes, Kalamazoo offers aid to international students. This list focused on some of the most generous schools in terms of aid given to international students as reported to “US News & World Report.” While Kalamazoo does list their college as offering aid to international students, they do not report specific figures to this source.
Thank you very much. I would like to know exactly what it would take me to be assured a full scholarahip to MIT, Stanford, Caltech and Georgia Institute of Technology. I’m from Ghana and I’m really in need of this info as an international student
Hi Osei,
MIT, Stanford, and Caltech offer need-based aid to international students. MIT is especially generous in its offerings and is need-blind for international students making it a particularly appealing option. But at any of these schools, if you are accepted, you will be offered an aid package based on your family’s financial need. Depending on need, the aid offered couple be up to full tuition plus expenses. I would not recommend Georgia Tech if aid is a major consideration as they do not offer institutional aid to international students.
-Pallas
does Wheaton college and worcester polytechnic institute
offer more than 50% aid
very good guide
Hey, just wondering why the data isn’t the same as on its webpage for Penn. I realize it’s 2016 now, and the list was from 2012-2013. But $14,245,353 total is way more than $7 million as written on the webpage. Is it that Penn now offer way less than it did before?
Cheryl,
According to US News & World Report from this year, Penn offers 314 international students aid with an average aid package to international students of $44,824, amounting to $14,074,736 in aid dollars. These figures are reported by the university directly.
-Pallas
Hi, I am a Engineering graduate from Lower-mid class fam from India with 5 years experience in Software Industry. I have completed Gre (296), Toefl (86). Could you let me know which colleges will be suitable for me to apply and get full financial need? Loans is also fine which i will payback apart from scholarships. To cover accomodation and expenses, I will be available to use my 5 years experience to work while studying. I can also arrange for 10 to 12k $, but primarily struggling to get the list of colleges who will provide or adjust accordingly in the beginning so that i will pay back as soon as i complete studies.
Hi Sunitha,
It sounds like you are looking for a masters-level program (the GRE is not used in undergraduate admissions). The graduate-level admissions process is quite different and program specific. Not all aid/fellowship opportunities are advertised online. I would contact the programs you are interested in specifically and ask what options might be available through their department or institution.
-Pallas
hello! i m currently studying in 12 grade in India. i would love to come to US for studies but i need financial aid for it.I have 85% in my 11th and hoping it to be 90% in 12th.i have scored 1200 in my SATS and 750 in physics and 780 in maths 2 in my SAT subjects please give me recommendations about some universities
Hi,
It sounds like you have strong grades and SAT subject scores. Given your academic profile, I would imagine you have the potential to increase your SAT score by 150-250 points with some self study. If you were able to score 1300+ (or ideally 1400+), you would increase your odds of getting generous financial support significantly.
If you are interested in getting assistance on building a college list, please fill out my contact form, and I can send you more info about my private Skype counseling. Additionally, you may want to check out my book “The International Student’s Guide to American Colleges” which will help you match your college preferences (including aid, size, selectivity, culture, geography, etc.) to a specific list of schools.
-Pallas
Hi, am Caroline and would want to do a masters program in US.i want read Human Resource Management and I also need funding too.could you please find me the appropriate schools I can apply???
Hi Caroline,
I specialize in undergraduate admissions. Graduate-level programs are very program-specific so checking with program departments about fellowship opportunities directly is generally the best route.
-Pallas
Hi, I am an a-level graduate from Nepal. My subject combination was PCF plus pure maths and english laguage and my grades are A*,B,B,B,c. My ACT score is 30 and TOEFL score is 106. I am planning on applying to St lawrence university for ED 1 this year. Being an international student I will need generous financial aid, my family can only pay like $3000-$4000 per year. Do you think St Lawrence will provide me substantial aid?
Also if you think St Lawrence will not provide such aid, what would be a good option for ED 1?
Hi Hunter,
St. Lawrence University does offer pretty good aid to international students, granting 204 students aid with an average aid package of $33,854 per student. However, keep in mind that applying ED to any school restricts financial aid options as you will not be able to compare aid packages. If you have a true first choice school, the admissions edge might make that sacrifice worth it, but if financial aid is a high priority, you may want to apply in the RD round (and maybe a few schools EA) and give yourself the ability to receive multiple offers.
-Pallas
How much financial aid does UIUC give to international students, on an average?
27% of international students receive merit-based scholarships with an average award of $5,801
Hii I am an international student. I live in India. I scored 90% in 12th exams and 1300 in SAT. But, i cannot afford to go to the best colleges according to my score. If I apply for financial aid my chances of getting in are further decreased. What do I do? Which colleges should I apply to? Please suggest some colleges that may give me some aid according to my scores. How can I connect to you?
Your grades and scores are actually pretty good, maybe not for the most competitive colleges but definitely for one tier below, even as an international student that needs aid. Schools on this list like Trinity College, Beloit, and Clark (among others) may be worth considering.
I am an aspiring international student from Nigeria, planning to attend a good college in the US. I have 82% CGPA in Chemistry, GRE score of 149V, 158Q, IELTS-7.0, Can I get financial aid for Masters, if yes which schools are best to apply. Thank you.
I focus on undergraduate admissions which is very different than the graduate-level (i.e. masters level) process. There is aid available for masters programs, but it is very program specific. You should check with each school on your list to get more information about what they offer.
Hello .
I am shahid from Pakistan . I have BBB in a levels and 1230 in SAT . which university would be good for me . plus, i want financial help or scholarships to meet my ends .
Hi Shahid,
There are a number of schools on this list that could be good fits depending on your other qualifications and interests. Just a few you might want to look into more are University of Miami, Bard, Clark, Trinity, Beloit, Denison, DePauw, Franklin and Marshall, Hendrix, Knox, Soka, and WPI. These schools are all very different so read through their websites and see which ones are your style.
-Pallas
I live in India and I have 82% in 10th and 95% predicted scores in 12th(according to my school), 1470 in the new SAT with 6/5/6 essay scores, and I can write a mean college essay. Pretty okay right? However I have non existent EC’s, no time to take the subject tests, no counselor, no recommendations, need a lot of financial aid, and I think my SAT scores are pretty dismal for the colleges I’m aiming for. But I still want to try to get into a decent college, so…
1. Which one of the colleges on this list do you think I have a chance to get into which is decent and also provides aid?
2. Does taking a gap year affect my chances if I do something worthwhile during that year?
Thanks and hope to receive a reply.
Hi Scott,
Your academic credentials are definitely within the range where you would be considered a serious applicant pretty much anywhere. That said, your extracurricular background will be a problem. You probably have done more than you think which is something I could talk to you about via my counseling services (send me an email if you are interested). As far as taking a gap year, you can absolutely improve your chances by doing something interesting during your year off.
-Pallas
I have a low GPA of 2.56 but a decent SAT score of 1160. Am I eligible for full tuition scholarship in any university?
Many schools (including most on this list) administer aid not on academic merit, including up to full tuition + expenses as support. If you can get admitted and qualify for aid, you could receive it. In general, the schools that offer the most aid are also the more competitive ones, but there are less competitive schools with very generous aid.
One college is notably missing from this list: Berea College. Berea offers full tuition scholarships to EVERY admitted student including international students.
Please i would love to know if there is any Community College in Texas that provides Full funding or Partial funding for international student and what are their requirements. Thanks
Hi
My name is Aayushi and i am from india.It is my dream to study in us, I want to study psychology but i need a lot of financial aid. I am in currently in class 12.
My cgpa in 9th was 8.8, in 10th was 9.2, and in 11th for some personal reasons dropped to 6.4(i know it sucks but i saw some people of admission office of college on internet saying that sometimes grades does not tell the passion that you have). I seriously thought that no college in us will ever select me because of 11th. What do you think about that?
Here are some little achievements or extra curricular activities that i have done or will be doing soon….
i play violin and will be taking more tuitions
will be going to an ngo for community service(related to my major)
i was a part of various campaigns like cleaning the environment, making posters etc.
took part in science, maths and computer olympiad (i know it kind of comes under academic)
played basketball at school level
pls tell me if i worked hard and managed to score 80-90% in 12th mid term and give valid reason for not doing well in 11th will they accept me?
Thanks
How about CMU? Do they offer any kind of financial aid to international students (in MS in CS)? And if not, is it still worth attending college at reputed universities like CMU on an education loan?
Is there a reason this list is missing Pomona College? Meets full need with no loans for international students and 36% of enrolled international students received an average award of $48000+.
Pomona has pretty good aid (I rated it as a “good aid” school for international students in my book) and has improved in recent years, but it still lags behind some of these other schools in terms of total aid dollars and percentage of students receiving aid. To compare it to another top liberal arts college for example, take Williams where 60.5% of international students receive aid with an average aid package of $60,944.
Hello, I am a high school graduate from Nepal. I have secured 81.2% in high school final exam. Regarding extra curricular activities I have once volunteered teaching in a government school and besides that there are none. I would love to come to USA for mechanical engineering program . Even though I have not appeared SAT test I think I will score above 1430. Since, my parents cannot afford all of my expenses(my parents can afford approximately $9000 per year) for my US study I am looking for colleges/universities that can provide me suitable financial aids. Would you please suggest me some of the colleges/universities that are worth applying.
Most students have more extracurricular experience than they realize, but if you fall short in this area, I would recommend starting immediately to bolster this aspect of your application as it is critical to the American admissions system. If you need additional assistance figuring out what experience counts and some ideas for improving this aspect of your application, please fill out my contact form, and I can give you some more information about my private counseling services.
Hi,
I, Sarthak, am a student who completes 12th grade in March 2018 from India.
Colleges in the USA demand Final Year Report of the student, (which i’ll recieve in May 2018, exams = feb/march 2018) along with the application form which must be submitted by Jan 2 2018 for fall 2018 class, how can I submit a report before even giving my finals?
Enlighten me.
I don’t wish to wait a year to get into fall 2019 class.
SAT Score
Math 2 – 800
Phy Subject Test – 800
SAT (dec 2017) (expected) – 1550+
(subject test marks are declared of course not everything’s ‘expected’)
American high school students are in the same situation. Admissions officers do not take into account your final semester grades when making admissions decisions. However, you still must send your final transcript in before you are allowed to start college to confirm that you passed and graduated. Colleges reserve the right to rescind your admission if you fail to complete your studies or if they see a significant decline in performance, but keep in mind that this is very rare.
You will want to submit a copy of your transcript at the time of your initial application and send a Midyear report with an update of current grades in January/February. You will get most admissions decisions for the RD round in March, commit to a school by May, and can send in your final grade report over in June.
Excellent compilation –
I hope it help people.
Hi. So currently I am studying in Pakistan but would like to transfer next year to study in U.S. Could you please guide me about universities who are generous in providing international transfer scholarships or aid. I’ve been particularly trying to get to some university in Chicago, but I am open to other universities as well.
I currently possess a decent GPA backed up with great extra-curricular activities and some professional leadership experience.
Hi Anusha,
I have gotten this question before, but I haven’t gotten around to putting together this specific list yet. It is very hard to find good data on this topic. In general, many of the schools on this list offer strong aid to transfer students as well, but you will need to check with each individual school to confirm eligibility. In general, it is harder to get good aid as an international transfer student than as an international first year student, but there are still opportunities.
-Pallas
Hi,
My name is Hamza and I am from Pakistan.I want to apply into a university in U.S but my grades are average.Can you please guide me according to the financial aid provided by the universities.do they give the aid during all 4 years of bachelors or is it just for the first year?
Most colleges offer aid for all four years if you get an aid package for the first year, but the exact numbers vary from year to year, and you will be asked to resubmit your financial aid application each year with updated information about your family’s financial situation (for need-based aid). There are some merit-based scholarships will guarantee a fixed-based amount for all four years upfront, but many will make renewals contingent upon a minimum GPA.
Hi sir/mam
First of..let me thank you for doing such a wonderful job of compiling this useful list
I would like to ask that whether ivy league would ATLEAST consider a 1390 SAT score..with a 3.8 gpa..
I do however have some ECA’s like i was selected for student coucil from a class of 1100 students
I got straight A*’s in Cambridge Olevel and Alevel
Im part of the event managment society
Volunteery works include teaching the working staff at college and some others
Participated in entrepreneurship competition
Was house captain in my school
Im currently at a 75% scholarship in my college..would I be able to get a significant to full tution waiver at the aforementioned colleges
Hi Hashir,
With a strong enough application, 1390 is a strong enough score for any Ivy League school. Breaking 1400 (ideally 1450) is often advised for the very top school, but a strong personal story, essay, or presentation of extracurricular activities can compensate for a slightly lower score and plenty of students with scores in the 1300s get in each year. The breakdown between section scores is also a factor. A wide disparity between the CR and M scores can be looked on less favorably than scores that are closer together, but if English is not your first language a slightly lower CR score may be forgiven. I’m happy to give you a more personalized analysis of your chances. If you fill out my contact form, I can send you some more information about my counseling services.
-Pallas
Hello!
Sir you mentioned above that the universities offer scholarship on merit basis.
what do you mean by merit?
Is this the sat score or any other?
Merit can be defined differently depending on the specific scholarship or school. They key distinction is that the award is based on some sort of accomplishment not based on your need. Sometimes merit is measured by SAT scores and/or grades. Other times it is about overall strength of the application academically, personally, and in terms of extracurriculars. There are merit scholarships based on community service or leadership, athletics, artistic ability, and a variety of other considerations.
The amount you wrote in each college next to a number, probably of the number of international student studying in a respective college, what is it?
That is the number of international students at that institution who are receiving aid.
my sat score is 1340/1600 , sat subject tests are 800 in maths level 2 . 800 in physics and 800 in chemistry . I got 7.5/9 in IELTS and my class 12 th percentage is 96% ( Indian HSC). I got 10/10 cgpa in class 10 and
A gold medal in Brilliant international science Olympiad
A appreciation certificate from Ministry of Higher Education India for excellent academics in class 10
I was a prefect and I got a National award in drawing from government of India.
I have some other 20 school level certificates which range from poetry to singing .
I took 3 internships in a local company in robotics and embedded systems.
I volunteered in a foundation for initiating a club for orphans . and i went to remote areas for promoting the use of computers and other devices .
please tell me a good college i can attend with maximum amout of scholarship ad my EFC is just 16,000 USD.
I hope you reply me and this will definitely be the most valuable advice of my life . I heartfully thank you a lot for compiling such a wonderful list .
please reply me .
I’m from Ethiopia. I am currently a high school senior learning in a boarding school in the US. The high school has been giving me full scholarship because of my grades and financial need. I have 3.95 GPA and my SAT score is 1250 which is not good enough (I will take it again in March). Anyways I’ve already applied to 5 colleges, and one of them already accepted me but not enough financial aid. It’s already past the regular decision deadline but I still wanna apply to some colleges, in case the schools I applied don’t gave me enough financial aid. I looked almost all colleges you listed but I missed almost all of their deadlines. Could you give me a list of universities with rolling admission, and can provide me with enough financial aid? Is there anything you would advice me to do?
Hope to hear from you soon,
Thanks
Hi Joe,
While there are schools that have rolling admission, most of them are not places that will give you the kind of financial aid that it sounds like you need. In a situation like yours, I would recommend one of two things:
1) Take a gap year and reapply in the fall. Do something really cool that will boost your application next year and that you will enjoy and spend time next year crafting a college list carefully where you focus on schools you know give generous aid to international students upfront and where you will stand out in the applicant pool.
2) Start a community college next year (you can enroll into the late spring and summer of this year for the fall semester and tuition is significantly less expensive than at most 4-year colleges and then work on transferring for the following year.
It is tough to be in your situation but either of these options could lead you to a good place so think about what fits you best and make a plan, and I’m sure you will figure it out!
-Pallas
Hello Joe reach out to me james.cockshott@salemu.edu we have scholarships available for internationals
Is it still valid?
Yes most of these should still apply though the figures given may be slightly out of date.
What about graduate studies ?
This list is specific to undergraduate studies. Graduate aid is more complicated and can vary tremendously department to department across the same institution.
Hi
I’m from Ghana and I’m in 11th grade. I got a 1350 on my SAT; my current GPA is 3.8 and I don’t have my final examination results. Can I still apply to college this September and get in with a full ride?
You will want to apply this fall for entrance during the fall of 2019. Early Action and Early Decision deadlines are usually between October 15th and November 1st and Regular Decision deadlines between November 30th and January 15th (with a few schools slightly later). Some schools will consider you for financial aid or a scholarship automatically with your application, and others will require a separate scholarship application.
what are some of the newly colleges that are not rally known
I am an international student and i am about to graduate from US high school. I gave my sat this month and i am expecting to get like 1400 on it. My GPA is 3.93 and i want to major in computer science. Which of the above colleges do you think is good for me?
Your grades and scores are good enough that they alone will not bar you from any school (though a modest increase in your SAT score of 50-100 points would significantly increase your chances at the highly competitive schools on this list). Having strong essays and extracurricular presentation will likely make or break your application so pay attention to these parts of the application (my book gives the basics of what colleges are looking for in this regard, and there are some other posts on my blog that could be helpful). Most of the schools offer solid CS programs so I would recommend visiting some of the websites and seeing what appeals to you, also considering other factors like campus size, location, student culture, dorm life, general academic requirements, etc..
Hi. I am a Pharmacist from Nigeria, and I have a GPA of 3.35 out of 4.0 (undergraduate degree), and a score of 301 (Quantitative 150, Verbal 151) on the new GRE (out of 340) and a score of 4.0 out of 6.0 in the Analytical writing, as well as ten years of professional, research and clinical experience.
I am looking for graduate programs in pharmaceutical sciences/pharmacology, where all my scores/grades could be competitive enough for financial aid, funding and or graduate assistantships.
Thank you