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Financial
aid in the U.S.A.
Many Indian students are concerned about the high
cost of education in the US and seek information on opportunities for financial
assistance. The cost of education in the US could range from $11,000 to over
$40,000 per year. In addition to tuition and fees, books and food,
you have to plan for the expenses towards housing, health insurance and
transportation.
State schools and schools in the south and Midwest are often cheaper than private
schools and those located in California or the northeast region. In reviewing
opportunities for financial assistance, it is important to understand that graduate
schools in the US offer financial assistance to international students primarily on merit
and rarely on need.
The amount and type of
assistance offered varies, based on the university, department and level of study.
Availability of assistance is more likely in fields like engineering, physical
science and biological sciences, than humanities, social sciences, business and
management, law, arts and communication.
There is a greater possibility of
assistance at the doctorate level than at the master's level. Resources available
to individual departments at a university in a particular year depend on the funding they
receive from federal and state agencies and private institutions.
It is advisable to generate funds for at least six months, if not one year of your initial
study (education and living) before you expect scholarships. Your initial performance may
turn decisive for getting scholarships subsequently and, hence, serious uninterrupted
initial study may be a good investment for eligibility for financial aid at a later stage.
Upon first entry into your university, you should meet the Foreign Student Advisor and
your Graduate Study Programme Advisor to get complete details about the campus,
educational and personal requirements and future plans.
The Foreign Student Office
could be your initial contact point to receive mail, to obtain information about housing
of your choice and to locate the Association of Indians, if you desire to contact Indians
on your campus for guidance, assistance and friendship. The experiences of fellow Indians
and the foreign student advisor should help you decide on financial assistance among other
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