FINANCIAL AID FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
OVERVIEW
 Financial
aid for foreign students studying in the USA is extremely limited. Also
the competition is very keen, more financial aid is available for graduate
study and research. Financial aid may come from either public or private
institutions or private foundations and organizations. At a
graduate level students should apply for admission and financial aid directly
to the department, and department decides who will be accepted and awarded
financial assistance. Remember, that many schools want to internationalize
their campuses. If a school has no students from Ukraine, or has students
from Kyiv but Lviv, they may be willing to fund such a student to increase
diversity (saying "We have students from 50 countries" sounds more impressive
than "We have students from 10 countries").
WHO
SHOULD APPLY
Students
will have a greater chance of obtaining financial assistance if they:
-
Show
evidence of high level of academic achievement;
-
Have
high standardized test scores;
-
Demonstrate
financial need and/or have private funding to cover some of the cost. Financial
need is not crucial for some awards at the graduate level;
-
A field
of study or teaching experience in a subject offered at the undergraduate
level (opportunities for teaching assistantships);
-
A field
of specialization or research interest which parallels those
of universityÁs department and faculty or the private funding source
(opportunities for research assistantships and grants)
AID FROM
US UNIVERSITIES
Although
availability of financial assistance from university departments varies
directly with the field, many foreign graduate students finance US education
through assistantships. To locate likely sources of aid, first consult
the PetersonÁs Guide to Graduate and Professional Programs, available
in the advising center. General information about the program that you
are interested in also includes information on financial aid awarded by
the department. Loans of work/study programs are not available to foreign
students. Choose several institutions that offer assistantships and consult
other references for further information.
FELLOWSHIPS
are based on academic merit and generally have no teaching or research
obligations. The department normally awards fellowships after the first
year of study. Graduate fellowships may be modest, covering only tuition
and fees, or full grants, providing the cost of tuition and fees, and monthly
cash payments for maintenance Fellowships do not usually cover the
total cost of living and studying.
SCHOLARSHIPS
are
based on academic merit, generally require no repayment obligation and
usually cover full or partial tuition.
ASSISTANTSHIPS
are the most common form of financial aid at the graduate level. Assistantships
are cash awards which require the performance of services related to the
field of study, usually about 20 hours per week. Sometimes an assistantship
carries with it a waiver or reduction of tuition. Awards may range from
as little as $500 to as much as $17.000 (or effectively higher, if high
tuition costs are waived) for an academic year. US income tax must be paid
on all forms of graduate financial assistance including assistantships.
Competition for all types of assistantships is intense, since only limited
numbers are available at any one institution. Foreign applicants must compete
with capable US students. Doctoral students are more likely to receive
support than masterÁs candidates. Although financial need is taken
into consideration, the most important factor in selection is academic
achievement and promise in the field of study. Practically all awards for
graduate study are made one year at a time. Renewal is not automatic and
depends on your performance and the availability of funds. There are several
types of assistantships:
TEACHING
ASSISTANTSHIPS are
based on academic qualifications and preference is given to advanced
students. In university departments with large numbers of undergraduates
in introductory courses, teaching assistantships may be available, even
for the first year of graduate study. Teaching assistants work about 20
hours per week. They may supervise undergraduate laboratory classes, lead
discussion groups or teach small classes. Students are usually paid a salary
or stipend. Increasingly, universities require that teaching assistants
pass the Test of Spoken English (TSE) before receiving a teaching assistantship.
Often universities require teaching fellows to complete seminars which
prepare them to teach in the US educational milieu. If you are interested
in applying for a teaching fellowship, mention any previous teaching experience
you may have.
RESEARCH
ASSISTANTSHIPS are
based on academic qualifications and research interests and rarely given
to first year students. A Research Assistant position involves performance
of research services, about 20 hours per week, related to the field of
study. The student is usually paid a salary or stipend. Find institutions
that have grants in your field, and matches your interests. Professors
who are the principal researcher for grants in your area will often single
out your application for funding, especially if you have proven research
experience.
ADMINISTRATIVE
ASSISTANTSHIPS are
based on need and academic qualifications. Some administrative offices
of the university, such as the Foreign Student Advising Office, may offer
administrative assistantships requiring work of 10-20 hours per week. Apply
for these through the Graduate Admissions Office rather than the department.
STRATEGIES
FOR APPLICATION:
-
Start
early--18 months to two years is not too soon!
-
Use references
to find institutions that closely match your specialty and grant programs
or research grants that apply specifically to your field. Do not apply
to programs just because they exist but because they match your interests
and expertise.
-
Try to
take standardized examinations as early as possible. TOEFL and GRE or GMAT
are essential.
-
If you
have published research, documented music performances, an art portfolio
or other evidence of achievement, find a way to submit them as part of
your application.
-
Ask your
educational adviser to offer suggestions about your application and the
documents that should accompany it.
-
Try to
do everything that the university requests in its application procedure.
If you cannot comply with a request, explain why and suggest alternatives.
-
Emphasize
your academic and research achievements, your plans for your academic and
research work, and your plans for the future. At the graduate level, the
primary reason for awarding financial aid is merit, not need. Be honest
and accurate about the level of your need, but place emphasis on your academic
promise rather than your need for total funding.
-
The appearance
of your application is important. Try to type or print neatly all information
requested. Never send copies of letters, but send originals addressed
to the appropriate person in the academic department or graduate admissions
office.
AID
FROM PRIVATE U. S. SOURCES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Private
U. S. agencies, foundations, business corporations and professional associations
may award financial aid in the interest of furthering international exchange.
International organizations such as United Nations, the Organization of
American States and the Institute of International Education are other
possible sources of financial aid. Since these institutions are large and
complex, writing to them directly with general requests for financial aid
will have little effect. Use references available to find specific grants
for which you are eligible, and address the office indicated. Many foundation
awards and grants are directed toward a particular group (e.g. women, irrigation
engineers, children of journalists); you must read carefully to see whether
you fit into any of the categories. Greater foundation support is usually
available for students in the social sciences, humanities and natural sciences.
Apply only for award for which you match the specifications.
For
applied sciences and engineering there are more opportunities for funding
through research grants to university departments or to primary investigation
based in universities than through foundations.
If
an application requires that you write a research or project proposal,
pay particular attention to this step. If possible, have the proposal checked
by a professional in your field who has worked in the United States.
Qualifying
for an Award or Grant: To receive funds for research or study in
the United States, you must often submit a carefully designed plan for
your proposed research. As a rule, your proposal will be competing
with those of other excellent scholars. It is not enough to state
your qualifications by simply citing your diploma, your position or your
experience.
Writing
Research Grant Proposals or Applications: When a department committee or
review board looks at research proposals, they compare competing proposals
with respect to several criteria:
1)
Is the proposed institution appropriate? Does the institution have researchers
that will be interested in the project and able to supervise the work?
If equipment is necessary, is the right equipment available, or are funds
available for buying it? Are library or research collection facilities
adequate?
2)
Does the applicant clearly show the necessary background in education and
experience to be able to do the research successfully? Has s/he demonstrated
research aptitude? Supporting documents or past papers are helpful.
3)
Is the proposal carefully written and neatly presented? The proposal should
begin with a clear statement of goals of the intended research project.
It should include a summary of background information regarding the need
for the research, highlights of related research (with a bibliography),
a step-by-step description of the research plan with expected results or
major theses, and a conclusion. It should be typed.
4)
Is the proposed research significant, timely, and critical? Although creativity,
originality and substance are usually the most important criteria in choosing
among proposals, disciplines differ. In some fields, such as medicine,
proposals that have great promise of practical application may have an
advantage.
5)
If you are applying for a grant or program that supports development in
your country, it may be helpful in your application if you choose a subject
for research that can be applied in your work after you return to your
home country.
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