Fafsa And International Students: Who's Eligible?

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a crucial step for students to qualify for financial aid. However, international students are not eligible for federal student aid in the US and do not have Social Security numbers, which are required to fill out the FAFSA online. In rare cases, international students can complete the FAFSA form to access alternative benefits to federally-funded student aid, including grants, scholarships, and institutional aid.

International students cannot receive US federal aid

FAFSA is available to US citizens and eligible non-citizens. Eligible non-citizens must be US nationals or permanent residents with a Form I-551, I-151, or I-551C (also known as a "green card"). They must also have a valid Social Security number. In some cases, non-citizens can fill out the FAFSA and qualify for federal aid. This includes those with an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) showing one of the following statuses: T-visa holders (issued to victims of human trafficking), children of a parent with a T-1 nonimmigrant status, or "battered immigrant-qualified aliens" (non-citizens who are victims of abuse by a US citizen or permanent resident spouse). Additionally, citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau can access certain types of federal financial aid.

There are other options for financial aid for international students besides federal aid. Some schools, state programs, and other aid sources may require international students to complete a FAFSA to be considered for gift aid, such as scholarships or grants. International students can also apply for education loans from private lenders, although many of these require a co-signer who is a US citizen or permanent resident. However, some lenders, such as MPOWER, offer student loans for international students that don't require co-signers, with fixed interest rates and a discount for signing up for automatic payments.

International students can fill out FAFSA for non-federal aid

International students are not eligible for federal student aid in the US. However, they can still fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to be considered for non-federal financial aid. This includes institutional scholarships, grants, and education loans for international students.

To complete the FAFSA form, international students must fill out a paper version and manually enter their information, as they do not have a Social Security Number. This can be found at StudentAid.gov. The form must then be mailed to:

Federal Student Aid Programs

P.O. Box 7650

London, KY 40742-7650

It is important to note that some schools, state programs, and other aid sources may require international students to complete a FAFSA form to be considered for gift aid, like scholarships or grants. Additionally, some universities may have their own financial aid forms for international students, such as the CollegeBoard College Scholarship Service (CSS) profile, which evaluates a student's finances to determine their eligibility for certain scholarships.

There are also private lenders that offer student loans specifically for international students, such as MPOWER Financing, which offers no-collateral, no-cosigner education loans for international students looking to study in the US or Canada.

FAFSA requires a Social Security number

FAFSA is available to US citizens and eligible non-citizens. Eligible non-citizens must fall under one of the following categories: Be a US national (including natives of American Samoa or Swains Island) or be a US permanent resident with a Form I-551, I-151 (Permanent Resident Card, Resident Alien Card, or Alien Registration Receipt Card), also known as a "green card".

International students cannot apply for federal student aid. However, some schools, state programs, and other aid sources may require international students to complete a FAFSA to be considered for gift aid, such as scholarships or grants. The FAFSA form can also be used by international students to access alternative benefits to federally-funded student aid, including grants and scholarships.

Since international students do not have a Social Security number, they cannot fill out the FAFSA online. Instead, they must manually fill out a paper version of the form. After completing the paper form, students must certify that the information is correct by adding their signature and date and mailing the original to the following address: Federal Student Aid Programs, P.O. Box 7650 London, KY 40742-7650.

A PDF version of the FAFSA for international students can be found at StudentAid.gov. It is important to indicate your status as an international student on the form.

International students can apply for scholarships and grants

There are also other resources available specifically for international students seeking scholarships and grants. Websites like InternationalStudent.com and eduPASS offer comprehensive, searchable databases of scholarships, grants, and loan programs for international students. These platforms provide information on various funding opportunities, such as the Fulbright Scholarship, Rotary Scholarships, Postdoctoral Fellowships, and Merit Scholarships.

Additionally, international students can explore country-specific scholarships. For instance, the Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship offers scholarships to students from select developing countries with no other means of financial support for graduate studies. The American Association of University Women also provides fellowships for non-American women pursuing Master's or doctoral degrees in the USA, prioritizing those committed to advancing women and girls' causes.

Another option for international students is to seek scholarships offered by their host institutions. Many colleges and universities in the US provide scholarships specifically for international students or have financial aid programs that consider need-awareness during the admissions process. It is worth contacting the institutions of interest directly to inquire about such opportunities and their specific requirements.

Furthermore, international students can explore external scholarship providers, such as IEFA, which has partnered with leading providers of international student loans. Platforms like Fastweb also offer access to a vast number of scholarships worth billions of dollars, allowing students to create profiles and track their applications.

Overall, while international students may not be eligible for federal aid through FAFSA, there are numerous other scholarship and grant opportunities available through various organizations and institutions. A combination of these funding sources can help international students achieve their educational goals.

International students can apply for education loans

Some schools, state programs, and other aid sources may require international students to complete a FAFSA form to be considered for gift aid, like scholarships or grants. The FAFSA form can also be used to access alternative benefits to federally-funded student aid, including grants and scholarships. However, since international students don't have a Social Security Number, the FAFSA form must be submitted manually on paper.

Most loans for non-US citizens will require a US co-signer, and this will improve the chances of getting approved and lower the interest rate. The co-signer must be a US citizen or permanent resident with good credit and must have lived in the US for the past two years. Some lenders may offer no-cosigner loans for international students.

International students can also find and compare international student loans and study abroad loans for students looking to study in the US, Canada, and schools around the world.

Frequently asked questions