If you reside in a different country but want to pursue your education in the U.S. you will likely face specific challenges. Paying for the cost of an advanced education is common for most prospective student demographics. Paying for those costs as an international student poses a few different challenges as well, however.

Funds for international students are available for those who qualify and know how (and when) to apply. Several prominent programs offer the financial assistance needed to get the education you both seek and deserve. Such programs include the:

• Fulbright Foreign Student Program.
• International Fulbright Science and Technology Award.
• Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program.
• Kennedy Memorial Trust.
• AAUW International Fellowships.

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is designed for international students pursuing a science, technology, or foreign language-based education in America. The program facilitates two separate programs, which include the Fulbright Science and Technology Award and the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Award.

Three years of financial assistance to help pay for college tuition and more are potentially available. International students pursuing a PhD in specific science and technology fields might qualify. As many as forty awards are disbursed to qualified students studying the following topics:

• Physics.
• Aeronautics.
• Biomedical engineering.
• Neuroscience.
• Computer science-related fields.

It’s designed to provide financial assistance to international students studying English in the United States. This program promotes bilingual education and employment opportunities, while helping foreign students assimilate into American society. Additional programs with study grants for international students are also available.

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) has an AAUW International Fellowships for qualified female international students enrolled in either graduate or master’s degree programs. Funding awards are granted based on applicants’ commitment to improving the academic standing of females in your home country who might also wish to pursue an education in America. The Kennedy Memorial Trust makes funds available to students hailing from the United Kingdom. Qualified applicants must also pursue their studies at either the Massachusetts Institute of Technology or Harvard University to qualify. Each qualified student receives approximately $27,000 when awarded these funds.

Scholarships and grant funding for international students is also available from multiple other organizations. These organizations might be charitable or religious entities. They might also be corporate entities seeking to increase diversity in the American workplace and especially their own companies. Limitations might apply based on your preferred field of study of the country in which you reside. 

Grants sponsored by U.S. federal and state governments are also offered to international students for the same purposes. Take advantage of online search options to locate the grant or scholarship funds you need to start your higher education studies in the U.S. today.