<p>As you know most of the financial aid at colleges is said to be limited to “U.S. citizens and permanent residents.” My case is a one-in-a-million. I am a Colombian citizen, but I was granted political asylum in the US. This is essentially the same status as anyone who is considered a refugee. So… I contacted FAFSA and they said I was definetely eligible for financial aid, just as much as a resident or citizen, and Im eligible everything else such as Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, etc. I wont be eligble to apply for permanent residence until early 2006, and it takes about 2 years to get it.</p>
<p>So my question is, are colleges aware about my situation and do they know this (it would be great if anyone who’s worked in a college here knows this)? Also, would i be eligible for the colleges aid and is it determined any differently than federal aid? Is anyone else in a similar situation or know somebody who is in my situation? Should I contact colleges I plan to apply to and ask them? PLEASE, HELP ME!!!</p>
<p>I have no experience in this situation, but maybe this might be useful:</p>
<p>This is from one university, Virginia Tech, after a quick google search.
If I had to guess, I would think many other universities would have similar policies:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Many colleges give federal aid as part of a larger aid package–it seems if you were elligible for it, you should be elligible for a college’s grants too.</p>
<p>I would definitely contact colleges you are interested in now; they would know far more about the topic than myself. A quick email should be enough.</p>