Funding Options for MS in US

Finance

Expenses = Tuition Fee + Living Cost

Tuition Fee Waiver (50 to 60 %)

Fellowships/ Scholarships (normally given to a few)

Assistantships (teaching, research), On-campus Jobs

Internships (during vacations)

Student Loans

Self funds (savings)

Financial Planning

Plan your finances assuming you will not get any financial assistance for at least the first year of your study.
Do a detailed research on the university that you received admission from, the living conditions, style of living and cost of living. Get in touch with any of the existing students through social networking and enquire about them on the accommodation availability. You are sure find Indian students from the same university on any of the social networking sites.

Your living expenses will be a minimum of 30% more than what you plan. Plan for contingency.
Make a detailed list of source of funds and systematically exhaust everything, such as, own funds, merit based scholarship, campus based jobs, jobs outside the campus etc.

Financial Planning

Estimate of per year cost and various funding options available :

The annual tuition fees The annual tuition fees depends on the University. It is generally low for public Universities and more for private Universities. In general, the tuition fees ranges between US$10,000 - US$45,000 (Rs.9 lacs Rs.20 lacs INR). I got a SUNY-Buffalo MS-CS admit where the 1 year tuition cost (year 2008) was $10,920 and a Johns Hopkins MSE-CS admit with a tuition cost of $35,000 per year.

Financial Planning

Estimate of per year cost and various funding options available :

Living Expenses Living expenses include house rent, food, books, insurance, mobile/internet and other Leisure activities. These expenses vary a lot from place to place. If you are in a suburban area like SUNY-Buffalo, the total cost will be much lesser than what you'll spend in place like NYU in New York.

Scholarships
The reality is that there is very little financial aid available from US sources for international students. International student scholarships are very hard to secure. Other places to look for international student scholarships, international student loans and other forms of international student aid are international humanitarian organizations that want to promote international education and cultural exchange with the USA. Included in these organizations are the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the League of Red Cross Societies, and the World Council of Churches. Some of these organizations have restricted financial aid, international student scholarships and international student loans. For example, the international student scholarships or aid may only be available to graduate students, students from a specific ethnic group, or students who have chosen a specific course of study. Financial aid and scholarships from these organizations are very competitive, so you need to start your search early.

Scholarships
Below are some links for websites that provide information on international student scholarships and financial aid for international students: ScholarshipExperts.com - This site helps international students who want to study in the USA with time-saving international student scholarship search tools. It also contains advice sections for international students. International Education Financial Aid (IEFA) This site provides a searchable database that contains various sources of aid available to international students. It is a free service. International Student Loans This site offers loans to international students, so long as the international student loan is co-signed by an American citizen. Fulbright Fulbright grants are available for international students in graduate school. Rotary International This organization provides some limited international student scholarships. The Soros Foundations Network This foundation offers international student scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students. Many are restricted to students from specific countries. AAUW This organization provides fellowships for international graduate students who are women. American Councils for International Education The councils provide international student grants and fellowships to international students from the former Soviet republics. AMIDEAST This organization provides grants for international students from the Middle East and North Africa. Institute for International Education The institute publishes a book titled Funding for U.S. Study: A Guide for Citizens of Other Nations that provides information on hundreds of grants and international student scholarships offered by governments, foundations and international organizations. Cornell University Graduate School Fellowship Notebook This database contains a list of funding and international student scholarships available to graduate international students. King Faisal Foundation This organization provides an international student scholarship program for Muslim students to undertake post-graduate studies at any USA university.

Fellowships
One of the many challenges of a graduate education is obtaining the funding needed to pay for tuition, fees and living expenses. Fortunately, there are government agencies, institutions of higher education and other organizations that recognize the value of a graduate education, and these parties know it is in their best interest to help students afford to pursue a masters or doctorate degree. Through portable graduate fellowships, these organizations make it possible for many students to fund their graduate studies with a great deal of independence, while institutional fellowships are given by a specific university where the student is expected to conduct his or her research or earn their degree.

Fellowships
Portable graduate fellowships, unlike institutional fellowships, can be applied to the institution of higher education of the students choice. While many fellowships require students to study at an approved school, a portable fellowship affords the student much more freedom than an institutional fellowship from a particular university. Portable graduate fellowships allow students to be more discerning when selecting a program, as they are empowered with both the funds and the choices necessary to enroll in the program that aligns best with their research interests and goals.

Fellowships
Graduate fellowships may be university-awarded, federally funded or may be fellowships offered by independent organizations, and many graduate fellowship programs are targeted to a specific student group or field of study. Portable fellowships are often referred to as external fellowships, and can award funding based on academic need, academic record or merit. The amount of the stipend granted varies depending upon a number of factors, including length of fellowship and fellowship provider.

Fellowships
Federally Funded Portable Fellowships U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Ferguson Fellowship Program U.S. Department of Energy Computational Sciences Graduate Fellowships U.S. Department of Defense National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship U.S. Department of Education Jacob K. Javits Fellowships U.S. Department of Homeland Security Graduate Fellowship Program U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Harriett G. Jenkins Predoctoral Graduate Fellowships U.S. National Institutes of Health Predoctoral Graduate Fellowship Awards for Minority Students U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowships Portable Fellowships from Independent Organizations American Academy in Rome Fellowships (AAR) American Association of University Women The American Educational Research Association (AERA) American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Minority Doctoral Fellowships American Psychological Association Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) American Sociological Association Minority Fellowship Program Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Graduate Fellowships for Talented Minorities Ford Foundation Greenlining Institute Academy Fellowship Program Hertz Foundation Graduate Fellowship Howard Hughes Medical Institute Predoctoral Fellowships in Biological Sciences

Microsoft Research Student Fellowship National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science National Physical Science Consortium Graduate Fellowships in the Physical Sciences Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans United Negro College Fund and Merck Foundation Science Initiative Graduate Science Research Dissertation Fellowships The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation Some Examples of Institutional Fellowships Harvard Medical School National Urban Fellows Urban/Rural Graduate Fellowships Leading to a Master of Public Administration (MPA) (at Bernard M. Baruch College, School of Public Affairs, City University of New York) Tufts University University of California Presidents Postdoctoral Fellowship Program University of New Mexico Graduate Fellowship in Advanced Electromagnetics > University of New Orleans University of Vermont University of Washington, Friday Harbor Laboratories

Financial Planning

Bank Loans: Most banks offer educational loan schemes. Loan Processing takes ample of time. Make sure you plan your loan needs well in advance.

Teaching assistantship (TA), Research assistantship (RA), Graduate assistantship (GA) Various assistantships are available once you have arrived at the University. However, you need to find out what is the aid scenario in a particular University. In most Universities, the TA and RA are not immediately available and you may have to wait upto one year to get any of these assistantships.

Tuition Waivers: The University can waive off part of your tuition fees if it finds your academic record good enough. JHU waived off 10% of tuition fees for many prospective students for MSE-CS for Fall'08.

On-Campus Jobs: The international student visa permits work on campus on a part-time basis for upto 20 hours per week. The positions include student helpers at the university bookstore, campus post office, dining halls, supervisory roles at graduate housing office, etc. The students are paid on an hourly basis and the money earned is usually sufficient to cover ones living expenses. On-Campus job scenario differs from place to place. You need to check with the existing students for the availability of jobs on campus

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