IEFA International Scholarships and Financial Aid

Graduate and PhD students who are USA citizens or permanent residents

Programmes: Master and PhD studies in various fields

C ountries of origin: USA citizens or permanent residents

Federal aid: is available for USA students seeking to study abroad.

Federal Student Loans: If you are studying inside the U.S. or abroad, there are a number of different federal student loan programs and financial aid options. If you’d like more information on federal loans, you can learn about Stafford Loans here. Stafford loans are for students attending college at least half time. They provide an excellent educational funding resource for US citizens and permanent residents.

Study Abroad and Foreign Enrolled: One of the biggest differences in the financial support for international studies is the duration of the intended study abroad program. At IEFA we generally talk about 2 main categories of international study: Study Abroad and Foreign Enrolled.

The type of program, duration of study and your status as an undergraduate or graduate can affect your eligibility, just like it does at schools in the USA, but there are some differences when applying for this type of funding:

“Study Abroad” would be the term for those taking part in a short program of one semester or up to one academic year at a foreign university.

Students on this type of program may be able to receive financial aid from the government if they fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), meet the eligibility requirements and get the required paperwork completed by the financial aid office both at their home (U.S.) college and the foreign university they will attend.

Unfortunately, if your college is not part of the federal program then you would not be able to receive federal support for your study abroad costs.

“Foreign Enrolled” students are USA citizens or permanent residents who are taking their degree program entirely at foreign universities.

These students don’t have a “home institution” – a college in the USA. They must therefore navigate the application process and study abroad experience themselves directly with their chosen school.

The good news for foreign enrolled students is that at many top universities around the world federal student aid is available and those same universities may have relationships with lenders who offer private loans for eligible students, too, meaning there are more funding opportunities and your study abroad dreams may be closer than you think.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid: is a federal government form that determines your financial needs and informs most colleges’ financial aid offers.

From federal student aid to study abroad scholarships and from private sponsors, state organisations and your schools’s financial aid office – there is a financial aid package that will help you cover your study abroad expenses, to be found through IEFA.org.

Varies per scholarship

Varies per scholarship

Varies per scholarship