The MS in US Education a Conundrum for International Students

An MS – or a Master of Science – degree is, like its name suggests, a degree that has been awarded by a university to someone that has just completed their master’s course in the science field.

This degree is generally granted to those that have finished sciences, medicine, or engineering – and have a more scientific purpose to them. The field is generally decided upon by the university – but each choice will stand in contrast to arts and humanities.

Can International Students Get Education Loans in the U.S.?

Yes, you may apply for a loan as an international student. However, it will depend on your non-citizen status – and whether you have a co-signer or not. Depending on your documentation, there are two options that you may go for.

• If you have all your documentation in order and you are an eligible non-citizen, you may go for a federal loan or for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This will make you eligible for receiving scholarships, grants, and work-study. If the only thing that you have on you is your visa, with nothing to qualify you as an eligible non-resident, you may want to get a co-signer with good credit.
• If you can’t find a co-signer and your residency does not allow you to get a loan, then your best shot here would be for you to take out a private loan. Granted, they might have a much higher interest rate compared to a federal loan – and there probably won’t be any forgiveness programs – but at least you’ll be able to pay for college.

5 Options to Fund Your MS Studies before Turning to Loans

Higher education costs go up every year, and more and more students find it hard to support themselves through college. However, when you are looking for sources to fund your education, there are still a few options that you may go for.

1. Online Scholarship Search

There are various online websites where you can find sponsorship and financial aid for college, as long as you have a good GPA. For example, IEFA.org is very popular among students, along with InternationalScholarships.com. With them, you can get grants and scholarships, as well as loans, depending on how good your grades were in high school.

2. Your Home Country

Your home country may actually be a good source for you to receive funding for your education abroad. If you need an education loan for doing MS in the US, you may try with organizations or companies from your own country – or even the government. Some countries provide full scholarships so that the students can get an education in the States – so, make sure that you exhaust every option.

3. International Organizations

When looking for funding for your education, you may also go for international organizations that offer educational aid to students all over the world – some examples being the World Health Organization and the United Nations.

However, bear in mind that some of these organizations require you to be in your home country when you submit your application – so, you may want to plan ahead. They also tend to be fairly competitive. Thus, the earlier you start, the better it should be for you.

4. U.S. Universities

Various universities in the United States provide limited financial aid for international students looking for support. However, they are rarely full scholarships. They are either based on the family’s income or your grades – but regardless, the money covers your tuition only partially. This is because they have much fewer funds available for undergraduate students.

5. U.S. Government

As an international student, you may not always be eligible for receiving a loan unless you have obtained the proper non-citizen status – or if you at least have a co-signer. However, if you are an international student coming to the United States with the sole purpose of studying, you might want to go to your home country’s U.S. embassy and check whether you can benefit from such a loan or not.
However, if none of this applies to you, then you can possibly go for a firm like Prodigy Finance to ensure that you are able to fund your MS in US. As long as you are prepared, things will work out for themselves.