As we all know, college costs a lot more than it used to. According to a 2010 Trends in College Pricing report by College Board, since the year 2000, public four-year tuition and fees have increased more than 5 percent annually above inflation, and that percentage is still growing. As international students, we tend to pay more tuition and fees than in-state students, so opportunities for scholarships can give us some economic support for our living expenses.
My first grant was a conference travel grant sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Research. The application asked me to submit my estimated fees for travelling and for registration for the conference, a research proposal, and a flight itinerary. Later on, I received an email informing me that I was selected as a recipient of this travel grant. I was also asked to present my poster during the Undergraduate Research Symposium to successfully get reimbursed. After I came back from the conference, I emailed my receipts to the Office of Undergraduate Research and I received my reimbursement after a few months. Through this experience, I learned that we should seek more opportunities like this and actively look for available financial options if necessary.
Financial aid vs. Scholarships
- There are some critical differences that you should know before you apply for any type of financial aid. Financial aid is usually available for eligible students to use toward paying educational costs while enrolled in a degree-seeking program and, more importantly, it is generally need-based (awarded on the basis of the financial need of the student). According to federal financial aid regulations, the total financial aid award cannot exceed the cost of attendance.
- Scholarships vary but are usually given for one or more of the following reasons: academic excellence, financial need (using different guidelines than the federal financial aid), community service, work history or field of study.
Financial aid
As far as I know, federal student aid is restricted to U.S. citizens and permanent residents (students who graduated from high schools in the United States might also be eligible to apply). Yet, there are some options available to international students. According to the University’s Office of Student Financial Aid page, international students are eligible to apply for:
Scholarships
As I said, there are various types of scholarships. There are more available scholarship opportunities than financial aid options available to international students. Here are some on and off-campus opportunities that I found:
- University of Illinois Scholarships – over 1,500 scholarships are available based on a variety of factors, including academic achievement, talent, leadership, geographical location, field of study, and financial need. You can check out the Scholarship Database for a dynamic list that contains all the current available scholarships available to University of Illinois students. There might be some requirements, but usually they are department or college- specific. I highly recommend that international students check out this database before applying for any scholarships.
- University YMCA Bailey Scholarships – I barely knew about the University YMCA when I first came to the U of I, but I soon learned that it’s an organization that puts on various kinds of events, from diversity and inclusion to human justice and leadership. The Fred S. Bailey Scholarship is available to U of I students who demonstrate a deep commitment to service and action and is open to incoming international freshman, sophomores and juniors.
There are always opportunities out there that are waiting to be found. Please check out the Scholarships and Financial Aid page on the ISSS website for more clarification about various financial assistance terms and for more information about available opportunities. Also, if you have a situation that you think might qualify for financial assistance, please contact ISSS to discuss your options with an ISSS advisor.
