What determines whether you are 'international'?

Mikalye
Sun, 01 Jun 2014 10:20:13 +0000

Also each school may define international applicant differently. You cite MIT and Stanford, who both define “international” the same way. They define an international applicant as anyone who does not have US citizenship or a green card, regardless of where they live. Every year these schools get a bunch of international applications from students who have lived in the US nearly all of their lives, and a bunch of domestic applications from students who have rarely set foot in the US.

MIT offers need blind admissions for all internationals and promises to meet full financial need for four years for all admitted students. Stanford offers NEED-AWARE admissions for internationals and promises to meet full financial need for four years for admitted students. That in part explains MIT’s 2%-3% admit rate for internationals.