Financing your studies in the Promised Land
TO finance your education in the US, you must plan meticulously. Financial support is available in many forms: scholarships, teaching and research assistantships, and on- campus employment.
You need to figure out what works best for you. Need- based, merit- based and sports scholarships are some of the options for undergraduate students. When you applying for an undergraduate course, the financial support offered is mostly merit- based. Many American universities offer partial to full funding to outstanding undergraduate students. One has to read the instructions and information related to financial assistance very carefully before making your pitch.
“ You have to be academically very strong, demonstrate all- round leadership and extra- curricular skills. You should have a potential to excel, and come across as someone who can contribute to the college community in ways than one. How well you match with the philosophy of the college will also be a factor,” says Luna Das Bangia, Educational Adviser- North India, United State- India Education Foundation ( USIEF).
The First Critical Step
You may get need- blind aid, which is completely merit- based, or you may get need- based aid, which depends on how much you need. Advises Shevanti Narayan, country coordinator, educational advising services, USIEF, “ Students have to make it clear to the universities that they are applying for financial aid while filling out the forms.” You may not always land a complete tuition waiver, but could get employment on campus to help support your education and living expenses. A student may also get the presidents or deans award that will take care of all expenses. The norms vary from one university to another.
But financial aid is easier to come by for doctoral and Masters programmes, says Narayan. The aid amount can vary.
A Ph. D. student has a good chance of getting 95- 100 per cent assistance. “ If a university admits a student at the Ph. D. level, it will try to take care of the tuition and living expenses. Or the university may ask doctoral students to provide for themselves just in the first semester and assure assistance from the next semester,” says Bangia.
Easier for Grad Students
At the graduate level, most of the aid is in the form of teaching or research assistantships, which involve at least 20 hours of work a week. This may or may not cover your financial requirements.
“ The university will offer you aid looking at your need. It wont necessarily commit full financial aid. There are students who get full aid and students who get 50 per cent,” says Bangia.
The other option potential graduate students have is to supplement partial financial assistance from a university with a scholarship such as Inlaks. Well take a closer look at these scholarships in this edition of Education Mail. In subsequent editions, well focus on other scholarships you can tap.
You can apply for the Inlaks Scholarship to finance up to two years of education at leading American institutions.
These are not available for subjects like Engineering, Computer Science, Urban Planning, Business Studies, Medicine, Public Health, Indian Studies and History.
Candidates must get admission to their proposed academic programmes before applying.
Universities will offer you aid looking at your need. They wont necessarily want to commit full aid.
