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It is commonly thought that US Universities are prohibitively expensive for most people, and definitely much more expensive than Universities in the UK. This view is reinforced when we see figures such as $45 000 for one year of an Ivy League education. But this is only half the story, and while it is true that the yearly cost of University in the USA can get that high, it is increasingly rare that a student (whether domestic or international) would have to pay the full amount.

The following article will explain the two aspects of funding for a US University education. The first aspect is Financial Aid; the second is Scholarships.

Financial Aid:

Financial Aid is a grant given to a student by the University, or by a Government agency, in order to help cover the cost of a University education (including Tuition Fees, Room, Board, and Personal Expenses). It is not a loan, and thus will not be repaid; and is usually given on a need-basis. Financial Aid offered by a University will very much depend on the amount of aid they have available to give to International Students, and your parents' income. For example, most of the Ivy League Universities (Princeton, Harvard, Yale etc.) pledge to cover 100% of demonstrated need of any student that they admit. Many other Universities (see the schools list from your profile) offer the same Financial Aid reward, but on a competitive basis - whereby perhaps only 200 students will receive Financial Aid in any given year. Of course, at schools with this sort of policy, gaining admission with a Financial Aid package tailored to your needs will be more difficult than gaining admission with the intention of paying by other means - but still possible.

76 of the top 100 Universities in the USA offer full demonstrated-need Financial Aid to both Domestic and International Students. About 30% of these do not limit the number of admitted students requiring Aid. So if your family earns less than £100 000 (GBP) per year, you can expect to be awarded a significant amount of Aid. Generally these schools cover 100% for families earning less than £50 000 (Euro 63 000) per year. Applying for Financial Aid is similar for all Universities - basic financial information and tax forms to back up the figures. These are submitted shortly after your application, and you will find out your award at the same time you receive your acceptance letter.

Nonetheless, if you are not eligible for Aid (if your family income level is above the threshold), this does not necessarily mean that you will end up paying the full cost of your education. Although the majority of the Universities listed on this site do not directly offer need-based Financial Aid to International Students (usually because of federal government guidelines for State Universities), there are ways to dramatically reduce your direct contribution (often even to 0) through many merit-based financial aid schemes...

Scholarships:

Scholarships are offered by a variety of organisations, including Universities themselves. They are payments towards the costs of University, given on a merit-basis. Many of the Universities listed on this site (all but 15) consider all applicants for all of the scholarships that they qualify for. These Universities have several scholarships specifically for International Students to cover between $3000 and the full cost of attendance each year - and some of these are much less competitive than the Financial Aid packages available. Full details of scholarship amounts and requirements are available by going through the schools section of your profile. The fact that no Financial Aid is offered to International Students should not discourage you from applying to a University that attracts you; and even if you do not qualify for the scholarships listed by them, you can still find the funding necessary to cover the cost of University simply by visiting some of the links below.

Application for the scholarships is simple, and will reduce the amount that you pay to well below the cost of a University education in the UK...

U.S. Department of State

eduPASS

International Education Financial Aid

Institute of International Education

IEFC

OACAC

International Students Org