Financial Aid for A1 students

International Students
1

<p>Hello, I am a high school junior. I live in NY, US on a diplomatic A1 visa and I am the dependent of a high-ranking diplomat. The visa will expire at about mid-2012, and my college applications will be done at least half a year before then.</p>

<p>This means that when I am applying to colleges, I will be applying with an A1 visa. I have lived in the US for over 2 years. Do these add up to enabling me to apply for in-state tuition or will I ultimately be in the same bar as far as aid is concerned as F1 and J1 visas.</p>

<p>I know that I will completely ineligible for all scholarships that are US only, but I am not talking about scholarships, I am talking about tuition costs that take state status into account.</p>

<p>Does the same apply to private universities, who typically do not recognize any difference between in-state and out of state?</p>

<p>I have a similar question involving G1 visas. Are they stronger, or weaker than A1 visas, and if so, to what extent? I have the choice of choosing between either.</p>

<p>MOST IMPORTANTLY, when my A1 visa expires, it will revert to an F1 visa. Does this mean I have to reapply for financial aid for the remaining years in college? Is it possible that I will be able to apply to graduate school inlcuding aid, by then the A1 visa expires? </p>

<p>The problem is that my A1 visa will expire before my post-graduate applications.</p>

<p>Also, after finishing undergrads, is it possible to go straight into working for a doctor’s degree? Is a master’s degree a prerequisite for a doctor’s degree?</p>

<p>Thanks and all the best,
Eq</p>

2

<p>Judging from the following document, you might qualify for in-state tuition at SUNYs, but you should double-check that with the actual university you wish to attend: [Residency</a>, Establishment of for Tuition Purposes](<a href=“http://www.suny.edu/sunypp/documents.cfm?doc_id=402]Residency”>http://www.suny.edu/sunypp/documents.cfm?doc_id=402)</p>

<p>A few public and a bigger number of private colleges give scholarships to international students from institutional sources.</p>

<p>

You should check the conditions of whatever financial aid you get, but as long as it’s all private, it’s probably not tied to your visa status (as long as you are legal). However, switching to F-1 will most certainly set you back to out-of-state tuition status at public universities. </p>

<p>

What field do you want to go to graduate school for? The arrangements vary quite a bit between disciplines. In the sciences, it is common for students to go straight from college to graduate school. Most PhD students in the sciences are funded on research or teaching assistantships, which are open to international students. Other disciplines might expect a Master’s degree first, or work experience, or may not have much funding for foreign students. </p>

<p>I have a question for you: does you A-1 visa allow you to accept employment? If not, it might be worth to consider switching to an F-1 visa for college earlier. F-1 visas come with a limited work permit (off-campus jobs related to your major and anything on campus) that might be worthwhile for internships and such.</p>

3

<p>The A1 visa allows both full and part-time employment as long as it is intact. This means I am free to work in America as long as my parents are in the country. Although franly I am not too interested in internships as I intend to pursue a major in mathematics.</p>

<p>I feel lucky to have an A1 visa lol.</p>

4

<p>

There are summer research programs for graduate school-bound math majors - and they pay a salary for participation. So it’s definitely good to have a work permit, even as a math major!</p>