What are the ways for a foreign national to be admitted (enrolled)
into a U.S. college and what kind of financial aid is available for a
foreign national enrolling in a U.S. college?

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Clarification of Question by knowser-ga on 12 Aug 2003 09:49 PDT

Clarification: the foreign national is NOT a permanent resident or any
other kind of legal immigrant

Hi! Thanks for the question.

The US Department of State website has a very valuable section on the
essentials of studying in the US for foreign-born nationals. Studying
in the US requires preparation, funding and patience in getting that
admission and the subsequent application for a student visa. I was
also able to find other resources aside from the official government
site. I will insert them as well whenever such resource parallels or
adds information to the ones given by the US Department of State.

1. First at the bat you must have some sort of familiarity with the US
educational system before attempting to file for admission. This is so
because the system in the US might be very different from the ones in
your home country. It will be wise to familiarize yourself with these
initial concepts. Please click on the link that is more appropriate
for your situation.

Undergraduate Study Profiles
http://educationusa.state.gov/undergrad/about.htm 

Graduate Education
http://educationusa.state.gov/graduate/about.htm

Specialized Professional Study
http://educationusa.state.gov/professional/admissions.htm 


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2. After your initial research, the eduPASS website advises that you
should also check with the US Embassy in your country.

“Your first step should be to contact the US embassy or consulate in
your country to locate the nearest USIA educational advising center.
The educational advising centers are located in US Information Service
offices, in Fulbright Commission offices, at Institute of
International Education (IIE) offices, and at other locations. They
provide much information and advice free of charge.”

“USIA Educational Advising Centers”
http://www.edupass.org/admissions/eac.phtml 


-----------------
3. Our next steps talk about college admissions. First you have to
choose the best college for you and then you must prepare a successful
application to get admitted at that target school.

a. Choose the best College for you.
http://educationusa.state.gov/undergrad/admissions/best.htm
http://www.edupass.org/admissions/schoolsearch.phtml
http://www.foreignborn.com/study_in_us/2-finding_right_school.htm
http://www.foreignborn.com/study_in_us/12-how_fit_in.htm 

Since expensive tuition fees are a primary concern when studying in
the US, it would be nice to read on this particular matter while you
are on the preparation stage.

b. Financial Aid
http://educationusa.state.gov/undergrad/aid.htm 
http://www.edupass.org/finaid/ 

The next tips are about preparing a successful application.

c. Preparing a Successful Application
http://educationusa.state.gov/undergrad/admissions/application.htm
http://www.edupass.org/admissions/preparingapp.phtml

d. Timetable for the Application Process
http://educationusa.state.gov/undergrad/admissions/process.htm
http://www.edupass.org/admissions/calendar.phtml
  

Please take note: 
“All schools require the Test of English as a Foreign Language
(TOEFL). See the English as a Second Language section for additional
information about the TOEFL.”

“Schools may also require tests of general academic preparation, such
as the SAT or ACT, and field-specific tests such as the Achievement
Tests.”

“About one month after the examination, your scores will be sent to
the institutions you specified on the application form. It will take
an additional two to four weeks for you to receive your copy of the
score report, so it is best to not wait to see the scores before
sending them to the schools to which you have applied.”

“Academic Entrance Examinations”
http://www.edupass.org/admissions/tests.phtml 
 

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4. Once you have chosen a school and passed the admission
requirements, it’s time to go. Predaparture Information and tips are
also available from the US Department of State website.

a. Predeparture Explanation
http://educationusa.state.gov/predeparture/planning.htm

b. Student Visa
http://educationusa.state.gov/predeparture/visas.htm
http://www.edupass.org/immigration/index.phtml 

c. Traveling to the US
http://educationusa.state.gov/predeparture/travel.htm
http://www.edupass.org/travel/

d. “Finding Housing”
http://educationusa.state.gov/predeparture/housing.htm
http://www.edupass.org/living/housing.phtml


-----------------
5. The next information has something to do with your actual study in
a US college or university and what life would be like in the US for
foreign students.

“Beginning Your U.S. Education”
http://educationusa.state.gov/predeparture/begin.htm

“Practical Information for Everyday Living”
http://educationusa.state.gov/predeparture/everyday.htm 

“Living in the USA”
http://www.edupass.org/living/ 

“Adjusting to a New Environment”
http://educationusa.state.gov/predeparture/environment.htm 

“Working Through School”
http://www.foreignborn.com/study_in_us/10-work_thru_school.htm 


Search terms used:                
studying US college foreign
       
I hope these links would help you in your research. Before rating this
answer, please ask for a clarification if you have a question or if
you would need further information.
               
Thanks for visiting us.               
               
Regards,               
Easterangel-ga               
Google Answers Researcher

Thank you.

Just going to share some comments because I have dealt with this in
the past...

Each college/university's requirements vary but students must show
official documentation of high school graduation, appropriate test
scores, insurance and financial documentation.  It's important to keep
in mind that the school has to abide by INS/BCIS rules by requiring
the student to show evidence that he or she will not need to rely on
the US government while they live and study here.  Consequently, most
are required to show bank documents that prove the student or someone
sponsoring the student, has the required money in a bank account to
satisfy the finanical needs of a student for one year.  Amount varies
by school and state but it's almost never lower than 15,000 USD.  This
also means that international students are not elible for federal or
state financial aid.  The options for them are private scholarships,
and school scholarships which include athletic and merit based.  The
scholarship can be used in lieu of the bank statements. Once a student
has satisfactorily completed the the application process the school
will issue an I-20, which the student takes to the US embassy in his
her country to apply for a F-1 visa.  The embassy may or may not
approve it for a myriad of reasons.  Even after getting the visa the
student still has to get by immigration once they get in the country. 
It's not common for them to be turned away at this point but is also
not unheard of.  Once they get in the country they are being tracked. 
If they don't show up at the school or enroll and drop out, it is
reported to INS by way of the new SEVIS (student exchange and visitor
information system).
Also, keep in mind the student is not allowed to work- except for 20
hours on campus only if they can find a position open.  As you can
see, money is a critical issue and needs to be examined carefully
before beginning a full-time study program at a US college or
University.  I recommend calling the institution and applying for
scholarships before hand if the student is not able to bear the cost
on his or her own accord.  Good luck!