Recently there has been news in Indian publications about our 3 years undergraduate degree being accepted by American universities. This made me write to a few top universities. Almost all replied that they require 4 years of study. Here is the responce from a few of them.
Their replies substantiate my contention that a 4 year undergradute degree is required in order to be admitted to a good university.
Good Luck
NBS
1.Princeton University
We require the equivalent of a US 4 year degree. It has been our experience that the three year degrees from India are not equivalent. You will need to do a post-graduate or master's program before applying.
2. Arizona State University
The Division of Graduate Studies does not accept three year degrees. Your undergraduate degree must be equivalent to our 4 year degree, which would be your three year degree plus one year of a Master’s program to equal to 4 years.
3. University of California - Berkeley
No, a three year degree from India is not acceptable.
4.University of Maryland
Thanks for your inquiry. Unfortunately, we do not admit students with 3 years degree. It has to be a 4 years or 3 years plus a masters degree. Thanks again and goodluck.
5.Indiana University
Here's what I can determine about the three year degree
"Completion of a four-year bachelor's degree or the part one master's degree examinations following a three-year bachelor's."
6.University of Illinois at Urbana-Chamaign
Thanks for your email. Regarding your inquiry regarding 3 yr degrees, I am sorry but they do not meet the minimum requirement set by the Graduate College of this university. Best wishes in securing admission to a college or university which best matches your educational background and academic goals.
7.Colorado State University
I'm sorry to report that our Graduate School will not accept 3 year
degrees for admission to our graduate program.
8.Iowa State University
We require a 4 year degree
9.Rochester Institute of Technology
RIT requires the equivalent of a 4 yr US bachelors degree.
Your 3 yr BA is not equivalent of a 4 yr US bachelors degree.
December 7, 2006
Requirement of a four year undergraduate degree
August 7, 2006
Schools with Financial Aid for International Undergraduate Students
Some US schools are more likely than others to offer financial aid for international undergraduate students.
The lists below indicate which schools offer aid (including grants, loans, and jobs) to the largest numbers of international students. The lists are based on a list originally compiled by Douglas C. Thompson.
To be included in the following lists, the schools must have an average award that is greater than 1/5 of the cost of attendance. The financial aid may include grants, loans, and jobs, and often includes both merit and need-based awards. Within each group, schools are listed in alphabetical order.
(Remember that a much greater number of schools provide financial aid for international graduate students in the form of teaching and research assistantships. For information about financial aid for graduate study in the US, you should contact the schools that interest you even if they aren\'t included in the lists below.)
If a school is not listed here, it probably does not have much financial aid for international students.
However, it is worth noting that some schools may have athletic scholarships that are open to both international students and US students. The lists below do not count the number of athletic scholarships awarded to international students.
Schools with Awards to More than 150 Students
Arizona State University (AZ)
Barry University (FL)
Clark Univ. (MA)
Eastern Michigan Univ. (MI)
Grinnell College (IA)
Harding Univ. (AR)
Harvard (MA) Illinois Inst. of Tech. (IL)
Liberty Univ. (VA)
Louisiana State Univ. (LA)
Macalester College (MN)
Marquette Univ. (WI)
MIT (MA)
Mount Holyoke College (MA) Ohio Wesleyan Univ. (OH)
Princeton (NJ)
Univ. of Bridgeport (CT)
Univ. of Houston (TX)
Univ. of Pennsylvania (PA)
Univ. of South Florida (FL)
Schools with Awards to 100-149 Students
Brown Univ. (RI)
Calvin College (MI)
College of Wooster (OH)
Dartmouth (NH)
Dordt College (IA)
Eckerd College (FL)
Florida Inst. of Tech. (FL)
Georgia Southern Univ. (GA)
Graceland College (IA)
Luther College (IA)
Middlebury College (VT)
Northeast Louisiana (LA)
Oberlin (OH)
Savannah Coll. of Art (GA)
Slippery Rock Univ. (PA)
Smith College (MA)
Stanford (CA)
Texas Christian Univ. (TX)
Tri-State Univ. (IN)
Univ. of Miami (FL)
Univ. of Rochester (NY)
Yale (CT)
Schools with Awards to 50-99 Students
Abilene Christian Univ. (TX)
Allegheny College (PA)
Augsburg College (MN)
Beloit College (WI)
Bethany College (WV)
Brandeis Univ. (MA)
Bryn Mawr College (PA)
California Lutheran (CA)
Cleveland Inst. of Music (OH)
Colby College (ME)
Columbia Univ. (NY)
Concordia Coll. (MN)
Cornell Univ. (NY)
Denison Univ. (OH)
Franklin & Marshall (PA) George Wash. Univ. (DC)
Goshen College (IN)
Houghton College (NY)
Ithaca College (NY)
Julliard School (NY)
Knox College (IL)
Lake Forest College (IL)
Lawrence Univ. (WI)
Lewis & Clark (OR)
Lynn Univ. (FL)
Maharishi Intl. Univ. (IA)
Monmouth College (IL)
North Park Univ. (IL)
Principia College (IL) Rochester Inst. of Tech. (NY)
St. Augustine\'s College (NC)
St. Johns College (MD)
St. Lawrence Univ. (NY)
St. Olaf College (MN)
Trinity College (CT)
Tulane Univ. (LA)
Univ. of Maine (ME)
Univ. of Wisc./Eau Clair (WI)
US International Univ. (CA)
Washington College (MD)
Washington Univ. (MO)
Wesleyan Univ. (CT)
Western Maryland Coll. (MD)
Wittenberg Univ. (OH)
Schools with Awards to 15-49 Students
Albright College (PA)
Amherst College (MA)
Augustana College (IL)
Bard College (NY)
Bates College (ME)
Bennington College (VT)
Bowdoin College (ME)
CalTech (CA)
Central College (IA)
Coe College (IA)
Colgate Univ. (NY)
Davidson College (NC)
Dickinson College (PA)
Earlham College (IN)
Eastern Nazarene (MA) Elizabethtown College (PA)
Elmira College (NY)
Gettysburg College (PA)
Gustavas Adolphus Coll. (MN)
Hamilton College (NY)
Hampshire College (MA)
Hood College (MD)
Johns Hopkins (MD)
Kalamazoo College (MI)
Kenyon College (OH)
Lafayette College (PA)
Messiah College (PA)
Michigan State Univ. (MI)
Mount Union College (OH)
Occidental College (CA)
Spalding Univ. (KY) Swarthmore College (PA)
Taylor Univ. (IN)
Thomas Aquinas Coll. (CA)
Troy State Univ. (AL)
Univ. of Chicago (IL)
Univ. of Colorado/Bldr (CO)
Univ. of Oregon (OR)
Univ. of St. Thomas (MN)
Univ. of the South (TN)
Vassar College (NY)
Wabash College (IN)
Wellesley College (MA)
West Virginia Wesleyan (WV)
William Smith College (NY)
Williams College (MA)
August 5, 2006
International student %
Name International %
Auburn University, AL
58
Univ of Alabama-Birmingham, AL
73
Univ of Alabama-Huntsville, AL
70
Univ of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
70
Univ of Alaska, Fairbanks, Ak
68
Arizona State Univ, AZ
73
University of Arizona, AZ
61
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
70
California Institute of Technology, CA
60
Stanford University, CA
51
University of California, Berkeley
37
University of California, Davis
36
University of California, Irvine
59
University of California, Los Angles
42
University of California, Riverside
83
University of California, San Diego
37
University of California, Santa Barbara
49
University of California, Santa Cruz
53
University of Southern California, CA
85
Colorado School of Mines, Co
34
Colorado State University, Co
40
University of Colorado, Boulder
32
University of Colorado, Springs
11
University of Colorado, Denver
39
University of Denver. Co
67
University of Connecticut, CT
73
Yale University,CT
66
University of Delaware, DE
64
George Washington University, DC
63
Howard University, DC
64
Florida Institute of Technology
58
University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
66
University of Florida,Gainesville,FL
51
University of Miami,FL
56
Georgia Institute of Technology, GA
55
University of Georgia
65
University of Hawaii, HL
54
Idaho State University, ID
58
University of Idaho,ID
54
Illinois Institute of Technology, IL
91
Northwestern University, IL
41
Southern Illinois Univ, Carbondale, IL
87
University of Illinois, Chicago, IL
69
University of Illinois, Urbana, IL
52
Purdue University- West Lafayette, IN
59
University of Notre Dame
52
Iowa State University
51
University of Iowa
56
Kansas State University, KS
71
University of Kansas, KS
64
Wichita State University, KS
91
University of kentucky,KY
69
University of Louisville,KY
53
Louisiana State University, LA
83
Louisiana Tech University, LA
90
Tulane University, A
45
University of Lousiana, Lafeyette, LA
90
University of New Orleans, LA
ND
University of Maine, ME
35
Johns Hopkins University, MD
53
University of Maryland- College Park, MD
42
Boston University, MA
44
Harvard University, MA
40
Massachusetts Inst of Tech, MA
39
Northeastern University, MA
70
Tufts University, MA
24
University of Massachusetts- Amhrest, MA
56
University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, MA
88
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA
54
Michigan State University, MI
62
Michigan Technological University, MI
54
Oakland University, MI
43
University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI
50
Wayne State University
88
Western Michigan University
84
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, MN
56
Mississippi State University, MS
65
University of Mississippi, MS
ND
University of Missouri- Columbia, Mo
ND
University of Missouri-Kansas City
82
University of Missouri Rolla
65
Washington University in St.Lious
43
Montana State University, MT
34
University of Nebraska -Lincoln, NE
73
University of Nevada, Reno, NV
ND
Dartmouth College, NH
47
New Jersey Institute of Technology, NJ
65
Princeton University, NJ
55
Rutgers State Univ, New Brunswick, NJ
74
Stevens Institute of Technology, NJ
76
New Mexico Inst of Mining & Tech, NM
57
New Mexico State University, NM
51
University of New Mexico, NM
51
Clarkson University, NY
61
Columbia University, NY
71
Cornell University, NY
48
CUNY, NY
54
Polytechnic University, NY
49
Rensselear Polytechnic Institute, NY
63
SUNY Binghamton, NY
77
SUNY - Stony Brook, NY
62
Syracuse University
78
University of Buffalo- SUNY,NY
82
University of Rochester, NY
56
Duke University, NC
50
North Carolina State University, NC
54
University of North Carolina, Chapel hill
18
University of North Carolina Charlotte, NC
54
North Dakota State University, ND
88
Case Western Reserve university, OH
59
Ohio State University, OH
66
Ohio University, Athens, OH
80
University of Akron, OH
78
University of Cincinnati
73
University of Dayton
ND
University of Toledo, OH
74
Wright State University, OH
75
Oklahoma state University, Ok
65
University of Oklahoma
ND
University of Tulsa, Ok
68
OGI School of Science & Engg, OR
42
Oregon State University, OR
53
Portland State University, OR
69
Carnegie Melon University, PA
56
Drexel University, PA
67
Lehigh University, PA
51
Pennsylvania State Univ- Univ Park, PA
64
Temple University, PA
ND
University of Pennsylvania, PA
58
University of Pittsburgh, PA
52
Brown University, RI
58
University of Rohde Island, RI
53
Clemson University, Sc
61
University of South Carolina, SC
74
South Dakota School of Mines & Tech , SD
37
South Dakota State University
69
Tennessee Tech University,TN
71
University of Memphis, TN
85
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
54
Vanderbilt University, TN
53
Lamar University, TX
96
Rice University, TX
48
Southern Methodist University, TX
82
Texas A & M University- College Station, TX
76
Texas Tech University, TX
69
University of Houston, TX
78
University of Texas, Arlington, TX
90
University of Texas, Austin, TX
60
University of Texas, Dallas, TX
84
University of Texas, El Pasco
67
Brigham Young University, UT
16
University of Utah, UT
51
Utah State University, UT
63
George Mason University, VA
54
Old Dominion University, VA
60
University of Virginia, VA
46
Virginia Commonwealth University, VA
47
Virginia Tech, VA
41
University of Washington, WA
38
Washington State University, WA
52
West Virginia University, WV
68
Marquette University, WI
48
University of Wisconsin- Madison, WI
54
University of Wyoming
54
Financial Statetments For International Students
You must be preparing to file your applications. Here are some tips on Financial Documents which may help you.
1. Financial Statements what they are?
Financial statements are meant to show to the universities that you or your sponsors have enough liquidity to finance your study and living expenses while you are a student in the American University.
This is a requirement by law and you have to provide it. There is no waiver on this score.
2. What does liquidity imply?
Cash in the saving bank account, Fixed Deposits in the bank, savings in the post office accounts. I call these as \"Pure Liquid Assets\" and if you have these then there is no hassle with the univs.
People who do not have enough funds in the above do group some allied items in their Financial Statements. These I call as \"Allied Liquid Assets\". Demat accounts, PF, LIC policies are normally mentioned here.
Some Univs do accept the Allied Assets and some do not. It is a matter of convincing the univs.
3. How much funds need to be shown?
You have to show two semesters cost comprising of Fees, living and miscellaneous expenses.
Check the univs requirements on these and show the funds accordingly. Each univ has its own cost structure. Select the univs you want to apply and prepare the documents showing the highest expenses. This is done in order that you use the same financial statement for all your Univs.
Note Read below \"What if you I target for assistantship\"
4. How to prepare the affidavit?
The affidavit of support should be on a stamp paper and attested by a Notary Public after your sponsor signs it.
This is done to impress the univ otherwise it has no legal standing in USA.
The affidavit should carry supporting documents from your (sponsors) bank certifying the amount you are having in your account. For FDs get another certificate. Similarly for other items.
Remember that you are targeting several univs. This implies that all your affidavits and bank certificates should be sent in original to each univ. So prepare as many as you intend applying plus one or two more. Preferably send the Univs financial forms along with your affidavit
5. When should the financial affidavit be sent?
It is best to send it along with the application. This helps the university. Sending it later some times causes hassles to coordinate the documents.
However if you are not prepared with them you can send these documents later when the univ asks for them. This will not affect your admission decision.
6. What if I target for assistantship?
If you are targeting for assistantship and are confident that you will get it and have decided not to go to a particular univ unless the assistantship is granted need not send the financial documents initially.
If any assistantship is granted you can reduce the amount of grant from the required finances and prepare the document accordingly.
7. I do not have funds so how should I go about?
People propagate several unethical ways do this. I do not.
Maybe with experience I have mellowed down.
Enough to say that I know some univs do verify with the banks about your documents. If you are caught on the wrong foot then there is no one to save you. The advisor shall not come forward nor the person who prepared the documents for you.
I can only comment that there are legal ways to overcome this difficulty. Use your ingenuity.
To this I will add that over 50% of persons who aspire to study abroad face this difficulty and your are not unique in this.
Think and you will find a correct and legal way out.
8. What is the period of validity of these documents?
About 4-6 months.
9. Can I use these financial documents for Visa purpose?
Yes and No.
While you must carry these documents while going for visa however it will be prudent to prepare separate documents when you go for visa.
More on this later.
Sponsorship Papers for International students
Sponsorship certificate are required to be sent to the universities to get an I-20. These are also needed for getting a visa.
(There are is some difference in I-20 and Visa documents.)
Who can sponsor?
Any one of the following can sponsor. Given according to preference.
1. parents
2. immediate relatives - brother, sister.
3. grandparents
4. preference uncles/aunts
5. preference other relatives
6. friends.
For 4th, 5th and 6th preference be prepared to give a good reason of why are these people sponsoring you.
How many sponsors can be there?
You may have as many sponsors as required.
How old can be bank documents?
Preferably the bank documents should not be older than 3 months.( For I-20 only.For Visa current documents are required)
Details of sponsor papers
A) If your sponsor is from India
If your sponsor is in India, you will need the following documents:
a)Affidavit of support on stamped paper (Rs. 10, 15 or 25) from your sponsor promising to bear the cost of your program for the entire duration of your stay in the United States. This document has to be notarized as well.
b) Bank certificate or passbook of your sponsors to support their contention that they can afford your stay and study in USA.
c) Salary certificate of your sponsors.
B) If your sponsor is in the United States
(a) I-134 (available at Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) offices in the United States or can be downloaded) promising to bear the cost of your program for the entire duration of your study and stay in the United States.
(b) Bank account statement of your sponsor
(c) Salary statement of your sponsor
C) If your sponsor is from a country other than India or the United States:
(a) A notarized letter or statement from your sponsor promising to bear the costs of your program for the entire duration of your study and stay in the United States. The affidavit of support from your sponsor can also be submitted through form I-134 (b) Bank account statement of your sponsor
(c) Salary statement of your sponsor.
Admission Guidance for an Asian Indian Student
Hello Reshma
Since you asked a very pertinent question I am replying this in detail. All that is written below is meant for serious students only.
1. Let me answer first whether you should choose a state or private univs.In your case this is important since you are living in USA. You should go for a public univ if in-state fee is applicable to you.I hope that you understand this. If you are a citizen or a green card holder ( there are other categories and norms as well) then in-state fee can be made applicable to you. Mind you in-state fee is almost 30-40% of the normal fee.
By all what I have said it implies that every American or a green card holder should go for a state univ. But it is not so.Why? The answer is that there are more private universities in top bracket than public ones.This does not mean that there are no public universities in the top range.
So you have to see at your end whether you can afford a private or a public univ will do.
2. Next point you should analyze is the program the Univ is offering . Does it\'s research areas interest you? Do you feel a professor will take you as an assistant or in his group? Try finding this.
3.Now match your credentials with the univs requirements of admission. See what they want also see what were credentials of admitted students. Apply to univs where you are reasonably certain of admissions. You may also try a few top ones as well one never knows when luck strikes.
4.Check with the univs about their past statistics of placements.
5.Lastly see that the univ has conducive environment to your growth.
Useful data to select the universities is given in the Admission Source Blog.
July 23, 2006
Financial Aid for Foreign Students
There is very little financial aid for foreign nationals, with the
possible exception of citizens of Canada and Mexico. Most grants,
Scholarships and loans from public and private sources are
restricted to US citizens.
Some countries provide financial aid for their citizens to study in
the US, and there may be some aid available from the US government
for students from specific countries. US government student loans,
however, are not available to international students. Your best bet
for finding out if there is any financial aid for students from your
country is to contact your embassy, the US Department of State, and
the US Information Agency. You should also write to the Agency for
International Development, Office of International Training,
Washington, DC 20523.
Your own government may have financial aid available. Usually this
support requires that you return home after your education is
complete.There may also be private organizations in your home country
that provide support for study in the US.
Some US schools have direct exchange programs with their counterparts
in foreign countries. Such exchange programs often include financial
aid for the international student. To find out about these programs,
ask your local university.
Fulbright scholarships are awarded to approximately 4,700 students
worldwide each year. For information about the Fulbright Program,
contact the US embassy or consulate in your country.
International students who are already enrolled in a US university
should visit the
+ International Student Advisor
+ Financial Aid Office
+ Career Planning & Placement Office
for information about financial aid for foreign students. The campus
library may also have some relevant books.
Foreign graduate students have significantly more opportunities for
financial aid than foreign undergraduate students. The amount of
financial aid for foreign graduate students is nevertheless quite
limited.
International students who intend to enroll in a graduate program
at a US university should contact the schools that interest them.
Ask both the relevant department(s) and the university's Financial
Aid Office about financial aid for international students. Most
support for graduate study in the US by international students is
provided by the schools themselves in the form of teaching
assistantships and research assistantships. These assistantships
are based on academic merit, not financial need. There is very
little financial aid for international students available from
private sources.
Another suggestion is to read some of the ethnic newspapers that
are published in the US. Some sources of financial aid are
publicized only in such foreign language newspapers. If there
isn't anything listed,
try calling the editor of the newspaper to see if they know of any
possibilities, such as a member of the community who might be willing
to sponsor your education.
Scholarship search services offer to search a database of scholarships
for awards that match your profile. Unfortunately, the vast majority
of awards in these databases are restricted to US citizens and
permanent residents. Don't waste your money on these services.
According to NAFSA (Association of International Educators),
two-thirds of international students in the US finance their education
using their own resources and the resources of their family.
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.
You may find some of the following publications helpful. Before you
order a copy, check whether your library has a copy. The US
Embassy in your country may have copies in their library.
1. IIE, Funding for US Study - A Guide for Foreign Nationals. This
publication lists more than 600 sources of funding for
international students (mostly for graduate and postdoctoral
programs). It is published by the Institute for International
Education, 809 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017-3580.
Their telephone numbers are 1-212-883-8200 and 1-212-984-5412,
their fax number is 1-212-984-5452, and their email address is
iiebooks@iie.org.
2. Octameron Associates publishes a book entitled Scholarships for
International Students; the most recent edition I've seen has a
copyright date of 1988, which is quite out-of-date. There may be
more recent versions.
3. College Board, College Handbook: Foreign Student Supplement. This
book provides information about college-specific financial aid for
international students, among other topics. You can order the book
for $16 plus $8.31 for overseas shipping from College Board
Publications, Box 886, New York, NY 10101-0886, USA. If you are in
the US, you can call 1-800-323-7155 to place an order.
4. Marguerite J. Dennis, Complete College Financing Guide, 3rd
Edition, Barron's Educational Series, 1994. ISBN 0-81-201-635-1.
One chapter is devoted to funding for international students
wishing to study in the US. You can order the book for $17.50 plus
$15.69 for overseas shipping from Barron's Educational Series,
Inc., 250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788. (The shipping
charge is $2.32 for destinations in the US.)
5. Gregory A. Barnes, The International Student's Guide to the
American University, National Textbook Company, Lincolnwood, IL,
1993. $12.95. 208 pages. Includes a chapter on financial aid.
6. Sidonia Dalby, Sally Rubenstone, and Emily H. Weir, The
International Student's Guide to Going to College in America,
Macmillan, New York, 1996. ISBN 0-02-860-587-0.
7. A Selected List of Fellowship Opportunities and Aids to Advanced
Education for U.S. Citizens and Foreign Nationals, National
Science Foundation, Washington, DC, 1994.
8. Carlotta R. Mills, Foundation Grants to Individuals, 9th edition,
1994. (Updated annually.) This book is published by the Foundation
Center, and includes some scholarships and fellowships available
to international students. You can order the book for $55 plus $11
for overseas shipping from Foundation Center, 79 5th Avenue, 8th
Floor, New York, NY 10003. (The shipping charge is $4.50 for
destinations in the US.)
9. W. Wickremasinghe, Scholarships and Grants for Study or Research
in the USA, 2nd edition, American Collegiate Service, Houston,
TX, 1989, 151 pages, ISBN 0-940937-01-8. This book contains a
compilation of financial aid opportunities available from
colleges, US foundations, and international organizations. You can
order the book for $21.95 from American Collegiate Service, PO Box
442008, Houston, TX 77244. Call 1-714-493-9863 for more
information.
10. Alan Wernick, The International Student Handbook, American
Immigration Law Foundation, Washington, DC, 1992, ISBN
1-878677-42-X, $10.95. This book does not provide any information
about financial aid, but does provide a lot of information that
international students may find helpful. Copies may be ordered
from the American Immigration Law Foundation, 1400 Eye Street, NW,
Suite 1200, Washingotn, DC 20005.
An organization that may be able to provide some information is NAFSA,
the Association of International Educators, located in Washington, DC.
Call 1-202-462-4811 and ask for the "Recording on Financial Aid".
This recording provides information for foreign students interested on
studying in the US and US students who are interested in studying
abroad. NAFSA does not provide any grants to foreign students, with
the exception of a small grant program for students from East Central
Europe (1-202-462-4811 x3081), the Baltic States (1-202-462-4811
x3081), or the former states of the Soviet Union (1-202-462-4811
x3077). Your school's international student advisor should have
information about these programs.
The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International provides grants to
university students and teachers to act as "goodwill ambassadors"
around the world. The Rotary Foundation also sponsors international
exchanges of business and professional people, and provides provides
grants to improve the quality of life around the world. An example of
this is their Ambassadorial Scholarship Program. For more information
about their programs, write to Rotary Foundation, 1560 Sherman Avenue,
Evanston, IL 60201.
The AAUW Education Foundation provides graduate fellowships to women
with the equivalent of a Bachelors degree who are not citizens or
permanent residents of the United States. International Fellowships
support graduate students writing doctoral dissertations and
postdoctoral scholars conducting research in the United States. Upon
completion of studies, fellowship recipients must return to their home
countries to pursue a professional career; preference will be given to
applicants who can verify that they have a definite position awaiting
them. Applications become available from August 1 through November 15.
The deadline is December 2 (Airmail), and the 1996 fellowship stipend
is $15,065. For more information write to AAUW Educational Foundation,
Department 60, 2201 N. Dodge St, Iowa City, IA 52243-4030, call
1-319-337-1716, or fax 1-319-337-1204, or write to American
Association of University Women, 1111 Sixteenth Street N.W.,
Washington, DC 20036-4873 or call 1-202-728-7603.
Two organizations that may have some information are:
* Institute of International Education. The IIE administers the US
Fulbright program and manages more than 250 international
education programs. For more information, write to Institute for
International Education, 809 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY
10017-3580, call 1-212-883-8200 or 1-212-984-5412, fax
1-212-984-5452, or send email to webmaster@www.iie.org.
* Council for International Educational Exchange (CIEE), 205 E 42nd
Street, New York, NY 10017.
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. There may also be restrictions on the type of visa (F1 or
J1). These include:
* The Education Resources Institute (TERI) (1-800-255-8374 x210 or
1-617-426-0681). The TERI Professional Education Plan (PEP) loan
is available for graduate and professional study. Their lenders
include Citibank (1-800-692-8200 x480), Bank of Boston (PO Box
312, Boston, MA 02117-0312), Baybank (1-800-332-8374 or
1-617-320-2422; PO Box 510, Dedham, MA 02026), and Nellie Mae
(1-800-634-9308; 50 Braintree Hill Park, Braintree, MA 02184).
* USA Funds (1-800-LOAN-USA). These loans include US residents with
a green card, but do not include international students. For more
information write to Option 4 Loan Program, USA Funds MC M372, PO
Box 6180, Indianapolis, IN 46209-9303.
* Norwest Bank (1-703-749-0131 or the financial aid department at
1-800-366-6227). These MBA loans are for graduate business and
medical students who are international students. For more
information write to Norwest Bank/HEMAR Insurance Corp., GMAC,
2400 Broadway Suite 320, Santa Monica, CA 90404-3064.
International students should note that in addition to tuition, fees, room
and board, and living expenses, they will have to pay for health
insurance. US law requires universities to verify that foreign
students have health insurance before allowing them to enroll.
The I-20 form requires proof that you have enough funding for your
first year of study. Do not count on being able to scrape up the
funding after you arrive in the US. Getting a job is usually not an
effective means of financing an education in the US. There are
numerous restrictions on employment by foreign nationals, and some
types of Visas prohibit it entirely. You should know where your money
is coming from before you jump on a plane. Several schools require
proof that you have enough money for the entire course of study,
because too many international students are forced to return home
after only a year of study.
The bottom line is that there is very little financial aid available,
and many foreign students do not study in the US because they cannot
afford the expense.
For a more in-depth treatment of these issues, as well as taxes,
visas, the FAFSA form, and financial aid for Canadian students, please
see the International Students area of the Financial Aid Information Page.
*** Copyright:
Copyright (c) 1995-96 by Mark Kantrowitz. All rights reserved.
This FAQ may be freely redistributed in its entirety without
modification provided that this copyright notice is not removed. It
may not be sold for profit or incorporated in commercial documents
(e.g., published for sale on CD-ROM, floppy disks, books, magazines,
or other print form) without the prior written permission of the
copyright holder. Permission is expressly granted for this document
to be made available for file transfer from installations offering
unrestricted anonymous file transfer on the Internet.
Permission is expressly granted for university financial aid offices
to distribute free copies of this FAQ to their students.
If this FAQ is reproduced in commercial offline media (e.g., CD-ROM,
books, magazines, etc.), a complimentary copy should be sent to Mark
Kantrowitz, FinAid Page, Inc., 2010 Wendover Street #1, Pittsburgh, PA
15217-1942 USA.
This article is provided AS IS without any express or implied warranty.
June 25, 2006
3 Year Undergraduate Degree
Is a 3 year undergradaute degree accepted by American universities for a MBA program?
No doubt there are certain colleges which accept a 3 year degree however a visa counselor sometimes refuses to be convinced.
There are 2 alternatives with you
1. Join a college accepting a three year degree
2. Or join a college offering a bridge course leading to a MBA.
While getting good GMAT score is desirable GPA carries more weight to enter
a ranked university
June 6, 2006
Schools with Largest # of Intl.Students
Institution / Total Foreign Students / Total Enrollment / %
1. City University of New York Baruch College,NY 3,043 / 15,423 / 19.7%
2. San Francisco State U, San Francisco 2,566 / 26,804 / 9.6%
3. California State U at Long Beach 2,266/ 33,259 / 6.8%
4. U of Texas at El Paso 2,054 / 16,220 / 12.7%
5. Hawaii Pacific U Honolulu 1,851 / 8,033 / 23.0%
6.U of Bridgeport, CT 1,594 / 3,313 / 48.1%
7 U of Central Oklahoma 1,522 / 14,564 / 10.5%
8 California State U at Hayward 1,480 / 13,487 / 11.0%
9. City University of New York City College 1,475 / 11,136 / 13.2%
10 San Jose State U, CA 1,471 / 27,000 / 5.4%
11. Rochester Institute of Technology, NY 1,433 / 15,160 / 9.5%
12. California State U at Fullerton 1,350 / 29,000 / 4.7%
13. Eastern Michigan U 1,304 / 24,287 / 5.4%
14. California State U - Northridge 1,264 / 29,066 / 4.3%
15. Strayer College (DC) 1,204 / 14,009 / 8.6%
16. U of Nevada at Las Vegas 1,198 / 23,618 / 5.1%
17. D'Youville College, Buffalo, NY 1,122 / 2,486 / 45.1%
18. NYIT - Old Westbury 1,016 / 9,456 / 10.7%
19. Oklahoma City U 1,016 / 3,705 / 27.4%
20. California State Polytechnic U at Pomona 1,016 / 19,041 / 5.3%
21 Fairleigh Dickinson U, NJ 960 / 9,684 / 9.9%
22 U of North Carolina at Charlotte 958 / 18,000 / 5.3%
23 City University of New York Brooklyn College 951 / 15,039 / 6.3%
24 Saint Cloud State U, MN 918 / 15,181 / 6.0%
25 U of Massachusetts at Boston 873 / 12,000 / 7.3%
26. U of South Alabama 868 / 11,673 / 7.4%
27. Golden Gate U, San Francisco, CA 831 / 4,810 / 17.3%
28. California State U at Los Angeles 817 / 19,593 / 4.2%
29 Montclair State U, NJ 814 / 13,855 / 5.9%
30. California State U at Fresno 768 / 20,013 / 3.8%
31. U of Nebraska at Omaha 760 / 15,106 / 5.0%
32 Towson U, MD 740 / 16,729 / 4.4%
33 City University of New York Hunter College 738 / 20,149 / 3.7%
34. California State U at Sacramento 724 / 26,924 / 2.7%
35 California State U at San Bernardino 695 / 695 / 100.0%
36. Santa Clara U , CA 693 / 7,592 / 9.1%
37 Suffolk U, MA 685 / 5,314 / 12.9%
38. U of Texas - Pan American 661 / 13,640 / 4.8%
39. U of Houston at Clear Lake 616 / 7,738 / 8.0%
June 4, 2006
Indian Student Associations
Indian Students Associations are very helpful. You may contact them for landing
facilities, pickup from the airports and initial stay on reaching the universities.
• Auburn University - Indian Students Association
• Arizona State University - Indian Students Association
• Boston College - South Asian Students Association
• Brown University - South Asian Students Association
• California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo - Indian Students Association
• Carnegie-Mellon University - Mayur
• California State Polytechnic University
• Columbia Univ. - Club Zamana
• Cornell University - Society of India
• Drexel University - Pragathi
• Duke University - Diya
• Emory University - Indian Cultural Exchange
• Florida International University—Indian Student Association
• George Washington University - Indian Student Organization
• Georgia Institute of Technology - The India Club
• Gujarati Samaj of Tampa Bay
• Harvard-Radcliffe—South Asian Association
• Harvard University - South Asian Association
• Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government - South Asian Caucus
• Illinois Institute of Technology - Indian Students Association
• Illinois Institute of Technology - SPICMACAY
• Indian Cultural Exchange at Emory University
• Indiana State University - Indian Students’ Association
• Kalamazoo College - Asian Students Association
• Kansas State University - Indian Student Association
• Lehigh University - Indian Student Association
• Louisiana State University - Indian Student Association
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Hindu Students Council
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Sangam
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology - South Asian Association of Students
• Miami University of Ohio - Indian Students Association
• Michigan State University - India Club
• New Jersey Institute of Technology - Association of Indian Students
• Nicholls State University - Desi Club
• NorthWestern University - Indian Students Association
• Nova Southeastern University
• Purdue University - Indian Students Association
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute - Indian Students Association
• Rice University - Indian Students at Rice
• Rice University - South Asian Society
• Rochester Institute of Technology - OASIS
• Rutgers University - Indian Graduate Students Association
• Southern Illinois University Carbondale - Indian Students Association
• Southern Illinois University Edwardsville - Indian Students Association
• Southern Methodist University - Indian Students Association
• Stanford University - Sanskriti
• State University of New York, Buffalo - Indian Students Association
• Tulane University - India Association
• Temple University
• University of Akron - Indian Students’ Association
• University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa - Indian Students Association
• University of California, Berkeley - Delta Phi Beta
• University of California, Berkeley - Indus
• University of California, Los Angeles - Indian Student Union
• University of Chiago - South Asian Students’ Association
• University of Cincinnati - Indian Students Association
• University of Colorado, Boulder - South Asian Students Association
• University of Connecticut—Indian Student Association
• University of Dayton - Indian Student Association
• University of Florida - Indian Student Association
• University of Central Florida - Indian Students Association
• University of Illinois, Chicago - Hindu Students Council
• University of Illinois, Chicago - Indian Students Association
• University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign - Indian Students Association
• University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign - SPICMACAY
• University of Iowa - Indian Students Association
• University of Kentucky - Indian Students Association
• University of Louisville - Indian Students Association
• University of Maryland - Students Council of India
• University of Massachusettes, Boston - Indian Club
• University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth - Indian Students Association
• University of Memphis - Indian Students Association
• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor - Indian American Student Association
• University of Minnesota - Indo-American Students Association
• University of Mississippi - Indian Association
• University of Missouri, Columbia - Cultural Association of India
• University of Missouri, St. Louis - EKTA, Indian Students’ Association
• University of Nebraska Lincoln - Indian Students Association
• Univ. of New Mexico - India Students Association
• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill - Sangam
• University of North Carolina, Charlotte - Triveni
• University of Noter Dame - Indian Association of Notre Dame
• University of Pennsylvania - South Asian Society
• University of Pennsylvania - Indian American Political Aweareness Committee
• University of Rochester - Campus of India Association
• University of South Alabama - Indian Students Organization
• University of Southern California - Indian Alumni Association
• University of South Florida - Students of India Association
• University of Texas, Austin - Indian Students Association
• University of Texas, Austin - Tamil Students Association
• University of Texas, Dallas - Indian Students Association
• University of Texas, El Paso - Indian Students Association
• University of Virginia - Indian Students Association
• University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee - Students of Indian Association
• Utah State University,Logan - Indian Students Association
• Vanderbilt University - South Asian Cultural Exchange
• Vanderbilt University - Vanderbilt Indian Students Association (Graduate)
• Virginia Tech - Indian Students Association
• Virginia Tech - Socitey of Indian Americans
• Westchester University - Indo-American Students Association
• Western Michigan University - Indian Students Association
• Wichita State University - Indian Students Association
• Worcester Polytechnic University - Indian Students Organization
• Yale University -South Asian Society
May 30, 2006
Financial Documents Required By Intl.Students
You must be preparing to file your applications. Here are some tips on Financial Documents which may help you.
1.Financial Statements what they are?
Financial statements are meant to show to the universities that you or your sponsor have enough liquidity to finance your study and living expenses while you are a student in the American University.
This is a requirement by law and you have to provide it . There is no waiver on this score.
2.What does liquidity imply?
Cash in the saving bank account,Fixed deposits in the bank,savings in the post office accounts. I call these as "Pure Liquid Assets" and if you have these then there is no hassle with the univs.
People who do not have enough funds in the above do group some allied items in their Financial Statements. These I call as "Allied Liquid Assets". Demat accounts, PF, LIC policies are normally mentioned here.
Some Univs do accept the Allied Assets and some do not. It is a matter of convincing the univs.
3.How much funds need to be shown?
You have to show two semesters cost comprising of Fees,living and miscellaneous expenses.
Check the univs requirements on these and show the funds accordingly.Each univ has it's own cost structure.Select the univs you want to apply and prepare the documents showing the highest expenses. This is done in order that you use the same Financial statement for all your Univs.
Note Read below "What if you I target for assistantship"
4.How to prepare the affidavit?
The affidavit of support should be on a stamp paper and attested by a Notary Public after your sponsor signs it.
This is done to impress the univ otherwise it has no legal standing in USA.
The affidavit should carry supporting documents from your(sponsors) bank certifying the amount you are having in your account. For FDs get another certificate. Similarly for other items.
Remember that you are targeting several univs. This implies that all your affidavits and bank certificates should be sent in original to each univ. So prepare as many as you intend applying plus one or two more. Preferably send the Univs financial forms along with your affidavit
5. When should the financial affidavit be sent?
It is best to send it along with the application. This helps the university. Sending it later some times causes hassles to coordinate the documents.
However if you are not prepared with them you can send these documents later when the univ asks for them. This will not affect your admission decision.
6.What if I target for assistantship?
If you are targeting for assistantship and are confident that you will get it and have decided not to go to a particular univ unless the assistantship is granted need not send the financial documents initially.
If any assistantship is granted you can reduce the amount of grant from the required finances and prepare the document accordingly.
7. I do not have funds so how should I go about?
People propagate several unethical ways do this. I do not.
Maybe with experience I have mellowed down .
Enough to say that I know some univs do verify with the banks about your documents. If you are caught on the wrong foot then there is no one to save you. The advisor shall not come forward nor the person who prepared the documents for you.
I can only comment that there are legal ways to overcome this difficulty. Use your ingenuity.
To this I will add that over 50% of persons who aspire to study abroad face this difficulty and your are not unique in this.
Think and you will find a correct and legal way out.
8.What is the period of validity of these documents?
About 4-6 months.
9. Can I use these financial documents for Visa purpose?
Yes and No.
While you must carry these documents while going for visa however it will be prudent to prepare separate documents when you go for visa.
More on this later.
Good Luck
NBS
May 29, 2006
Financial Help - International Students
Financial help is a very dicey subject I have discussed about this in detail in several messages to the group.
Every university claims it offers financial help to students and to this
they add even international students. Mind you I have used the term
financial help and not financial aid. Aid and scholarships are mainly meant for local candidates.This is their marketing technique to attract students.
I have seen universities offering a token aid of 1000-5000 dollars for the first year in order to get more students.
The percentage of students who get aid is different for different
universities depending on the program of your study and local situation of availability of funds with the professors. For it is the professors who can offer you research assistantship. Along with this comes fee waiver.
My experience is that percentage of students who get aid sitting in India is negligible.Yes there is a positive aspect to this that percentage who are able to get the assistantships during the first semester of their study is quite high.
The conclusion of the above discussion is that while you should try for
financial help you should be prepared to spend for at least first six
months. If you get any help you will be lucky. If not there is a great
chance for your getting it on joining the university.
If you adopt this strategy your initial efforts and money shall not be
futile.
If money is your main concern then I would suggest you apply to universities whose expenses you can afford. There are good universities available with low costs. This in itself can be considered as some sort of financial help.
Good Luck
NBS
