FAFSA (for pending U.S. citizen)

Paying for College
1

Hi,
I got married last year and filed for my green application in January of this year. About a week ago I recieved my “combo” card from immigration. A “combo” card according to the document I recieved from immigration it states that the card is a work permit and can be used a passport (along with my other supporting documents). My case can not be finalized without an interview since I married the love of my life and is applying for my green card in this manner.
I am currently a graduate student and I am currently pursuing a Masters in English graduate degree. I am receiving in-state tuition and while hat is great and all I would like to know the answers to the following questions.

1). Since I have my “combo” card can I apply for Financial Aid (as a part time student doing 6 credits)?

2). Can applying for Financial Aid affect my chances of attaining a green card?

3). Does Financial Aid offers aid to persons pursuing a graduate degree?

  1. Next year I will be pursuing a law degree. Does Financial Aid offers aid for full time law student?

Thanks in advance.

2

Go to the fafsa site and read details of who is qualified. There is a page for eligible non citizens and it will tell you the form names of the documents that qualify you. .(sorry can’t link from my device)

Likely you will only get loans. Loans are the only aid the govt gives grad students.

3

  1. As BrownParent has said, you need to know exactly what is needed to be qualified. My understanding that you have to have that green card, not be in the process, unless you are in some other status pre green card that is also eligible for aid and that’s usually a special category. My SIL was in that situation–green card pending due to marriage to US citizen, and it was very tight with regard to timeing for her to be eligible for any financial aid, which turned out to be all loans anyways in her case.

  2. No, there is no connection or effect on your Green Card process whether or not you are applying for fin aid for colllege. The Green Card process also does not care about your personal and college or other deadlines, for that matter in their speed or lack thereof, for the most part, in getting the process moving. My SIL was nearly deported and they still did not budge.

  3. From what I have seen, what the Green Card does is make you eilgible for federal aid which is comprised of loans for graduate student, and for any grants and aid that are open to other US citizens at the school when comes to grad students. There is very little in grant money from what I know for grad students, and that you are in a masters program and that you are part time cuts down even more options. A lot of what is out there is individual to a school, so you need to visit the fin aid office and site and see what your college offers as well as the law schools you are considering. Most packages I have seen for grad students involve PHD students for academia, not those out for a master’s, certainly not part time and not for those with professional type programs. But look at what your schools offer.

  4. The law schools are offering more aid, merit money these days, but again, like above, it’s individual to the school and you have to see what each one you are considering has to offer. It’s mostly loans that are available from the feds and from private lenders.

4

If you plan on going to law school next year, then you should not be taking loans to get a masters in English. It will not helip you in the jaw school process because the LSAC only considers grades up to your first masters. Use the time to study for the LSAT because 90% of your admissions will be based on LSAT and gpa. If you do really well in both you will have a shot of getting merit money for law school

Another reason you don’t want to start a masters because there is a limit on federal loans, even as a grad student. If you can get a job, get one and save some money because the process can be expensive applying for the LSAT, school applications (unless you do well and can get fee waivers). Since the federal loans will not be enough for law school you will need to builds a credit history to get a grad plus loan. However the job market for new attorneys is horrible do unless you can go for free or close to free, for a T14 with money I would not recommend attending Jae school (and I say this as the parent of a young attorney).