Generous Financial Aid for U.S. and International Students

CBS MoneyWatch recently ran an article examining the number of international students attending college in the United States and the amount of financial aid they receive. CBS created a list of the 10 colleges and universities with the most generous financial aid for international students, as well as the number of international students receiving aid at those institutions (average financial aid packages were at least $48,000.) Here they are:

      Harvard University (MA) – 504 students
      Yale University (CT) – 350 students
      Dartmouth College (NH) – 251 students
      Amherst College (MA) – 141 students
      Trinity College (CT) – 139 students
      Duke University (NC) – 134 students
      Williams College (MA) – 127 students
      Bates College (ME) – 76 students
      Skidmore College (NY) – 64 students
      University of Chicago (IL) – 58 students

Many of the most highly selective colleges in the country have some of the most generous financial aid programs. Institutions such as Harvard, Princeton, and Dartmouth have policies in place that include free tuition and no loans for students who come from families with an annual income below a certain level (typically below $60,000 – $75,000 per year.) Each institution has different policies, so applicants and families should carefully review these policies and use a college's net price calculator to get an early estimate of what the cost of attendance will be for their family. (Don't forget: financial aid, just like admissions decisions, are determined on a case by case basis, so don't let the "sticker price" alone cause you to cross a college off your list. Sticker price is likely not what you will pay.)

The Joyce Ivy Foundation works with students from the Midwest – most are U.S. citizens – so why the interest in international student aid? Students care about who their classmates will be. Many of our Summer Scholars return from their summer experiences talking about how incredible it was to have a roommate from the other side of the globe.

Our students, families, and college counseling colleagues think about financial aid when examining college options – but don't just think about how a college's financial aid policies will ultimately impact your financial aid package, think about how those policies also support the socioeconomic diversity (and diversity in citizenship) of your future classmates, teammates, and roommates. Students want to know if there will be other students like them on campus, as well as students who are not like them. Some colleges even post graphs of the distribution of financial aid by family income, as well as by citizenship, on the financial aid section of their website.

Comments