You should always carefully evaluate how much money you will need to study in the USA. Then you will need to research and apply for scholarships, financial aid from your school, and find money from any other source, including family funds. After exhausting these avenues, most international students still have a funding gap, and that's where international student loans come in.
What is an International Student Loan

Federal student loans are popular with US students studying in the US, but they are not available to international students. Instead, international students are eligible for international student loans, specialized private education loans available to international students studying in the US.

International Student Loans are now a very realistic way to finance your education in the US. Loans are very flexible, and can offer loan amounts high enough to pay for your entire education, but with extended repayment terms and reasonable interest rates, so you can afford the repayment after you graduate.
Co-Signers

All international students applying for loans must have a US co-signer in order to apply. A co-signer is legally obligated to repay the loan if the borrower fails to pay. The co-signer must be a permanent US resident with good credit who has lived in the US for the past two years. The co-signer is often a close friend or relative who can assist in getting credit, since most international students cannot receive credit on their own.
Interest

Interest is the amount charged by the lender in addition to the amount of money that you borrowed. The interest rate is calculated based on an index plus a margin that will add an additional percentage interest rate depending on your co-signer’s creditworthiness. The two most common indexes used for international students are the Prime Rate and LIBOR Rate.
Prime Interest Rate – This index is determined by the federal funds rate which is set by the US Federal Reserve.
LIBOR – The LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) is based on the British Bankers’ Association and is used on the London interbank market. The rate is an average of the world’s most creditworthy bank’s interbank deposit rates for overnight and one year terms.

When evaluating the loan, the lender will clarify which index the plan uses. Then, there will be an additional margin that will be added based on the borrower’s individual criteria, including the co-signer’s credit history. Based on their creditworthiness, an additional interest rate will be added to the index. This will be the total interest you owe. When your application is approved, your specific margin will be disclosed to you, at which point you can accept or refuse the loan.
Repayment

Repayment will vary depending on the loan option you choose. Since most international students are not able to work while they study in the US, repayment must be considered as an extremely important feature in your loan. You will need to consider how much the monthly payments will be, when payments will begin, and how long you will be able to defer paying back the loan. The repayment period generally ranges from 10-25 years, but the larger the loan, the longer the repayment period. The standard repayment plan options are:
Full Deferral – Students are able to defer payment until 6 months after graduation as long as full-time status is maintained. Students can defer payments for a maximum of four years, which is the typical length of a degree.
Interest Only – International students only pay the interest while in school, up to four consecutive years, and can defer the principal until 45 days after graduation, or when the student drops their course load to part-time.
Immediate Repayment – Payments on both interest and principal are due immediately once the loan has been dispersed.
Frequently Asking Questions
Who is eligible to apply for international student loans?

Students who are not US citizens or non-citizen permanent residents and who are attending an eligible US college or university may apply for international student loans.

What can international student loans be used for?

International student loans can be used for education-related expenses such as tuition, books, fees, insurance, and room and board.

What is the maximum loan amount I can apply for?

You can apply for up to the total cost of education, minus other aid, as determined by your school. In order to determine your maximum loan amount, you will need to contact your school’s financial aid office. After you apply and receive credit approval for you and your co-signer, your school must certify the amount of the loan.

If you are planning to live, learn and grow in the United States, you already possess a well-known American characteristic—a sense of adventure! As an international student, you will experience many new and exciting things. In this section, we hope to prepare you for some of the adventures involved in living in the United States.
It is difficult, if not impossible, to discuss exactly what "Living in the U.S." means to everyone. American culture has been enriched by the values and belief systems of virtually every part of the world. From an international student's perspective, that diversity is very valuable. If you choose to live in a completely different environment, you may be challenged with new situations every day; but if you decide to live in a part of the U.S. that resembles your home country in some ways, you may find comfort in those similarities.

Learning more about yourself is perhaps the most important part of your decision to travel to the U.S. Once you know what you want to achieve, then you can identify the right place to study and live and grow in the States.
On-campus Dormitories

Once you are enrolled in a U.S. school, the Admissions Department or International Student Office will most likely send you a "pre-departure orientation" packet. Options for where to live are generally included in this information.

Some American schools offer accommodations for international students on-campus, or near the school's classrooms, libraries and other facilities. "Dormitories" are buildings with many rooms for sleeping and living, often with two or three people (of the same gender) per room. Dormitory residents typically share large bathrooms which include showers and toilets. Many first-year students prefer to live in on-campus dormitories because they are convenient to both academic and social activities. Another advantage is that it is not likely that you will not need a car to commute to campus.

On-campus accommodations also offer close proximity to the cafeteria and other eating establishments. U.S. colleges and universities offer very flexible meal-plan programs, where you can choose to pay in advance for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On most campuses, you may also deposit a certain amount of money at the beginning of the semester for food that you may buy from designated places. Each item’s cost is deducted from the balance in your account throughout the semester. Again, your pre-departure orientation packet will probably detail your eating options.

Moving into a dormitory setting is relatively simple: utilities such as electricity and telephone connections will most likely be ready to use. Each U.S. college or university has its individual policy on paying for long-distance telephone charges; learn those policies soon after you arrive on campus.
Off-campus Options

Some U.S. schools do not provide on-campus accommodations for international students. However, an off-campus housing office will assist you in finding an appropriate place to live. Often, the office coordinates activities to help students find a compatible roommate to share expenses; they also provide information about the local neighborhoods, including popular restaurants, shopping areas, parks and recreation, and public transportation.
Leasing an Apartment
Ask new friends and other students if they have any suggestions for a good apartment. Check classified advertisements in the local newspaper (Sundays usually have more apartment listings than other days of the week). If all else fails, contact a real estate agent for assistance - though beware of unspecified fees for the service.

Before committing to a lease, or an agreement to rent an apartment, spend some time in the area to decide if it feels safe and convenient to places like school buildings and grocery stores. Read the lease carefully before signing. You will learn, for example, that the landlord is not responsible for your possessions if they are stolen or destroyed, so you may consider purchasing "renter’s insurance." If you do not understand any part of the lease agreement, ask the landlord, a friend, or someone from the international student office to explain it to you.
Utilities

Once you do find off-campus housing, be aware that your rent may well not include utilities. You will need to request that the companies turn on the electricity and telephone service when you arrive. The landlord can provide you with the appropriate contact information

You have a choice of long-distance carriers for your telephone service. Be sure to ask the customer service representatives about special discount calling plans, particularly for international connections. The representative is usually eager to offer you a variety of extra services, most of which are not necessary. Soon after you register for telephone service, you should receive a free telephone directory. Within the directory, you will find the white pages (listing local residents alphabetically by name), the blue pages (government listings), and the yellow pages (business listings and advertisements).

Many U.S. households have telephone answering machines, which record messages from callers when no one answers the phone. You may purchase an answering machine for about $25. Another option is to request that the telephone company provide an electronic answering service, for which they charge a small monthly fee. Please visit the international student phone card center for more information on inexpensive phone cards that will allow you to keep in touch with loved ones back in your home country.

In most cases, the least expensive way to keep in touch with far-away friends and family is via e-mail. Again, each U.S. school has its own policies and procedures for accessing the Internet. If you choose to access your own e-mail off-campus, you can expect to pay about $20 per month to an Internet Service Provider.
Homestays

Homestays are a viable option for students under the age of 18, especially those who are nervous about leaving home and living in a new country. In a homestay arrangement, you will be placed with an American family within 20 to 45 minutes from your campus. You will have your own room, and meals will be provided.



Living with an American family will allow you to fully immerse yourself in American culture as you adapt to the life of the family with whom you are living. You can benefit of the comforts of home and of a family life, even though you are far from home and in an entirely new country.

Online degrees are becoming a major source for international students looking to advance their education. Online degrees cover a wide range of educational subjects and are offered by several different universities throughout the United States. Whether a student is pursuing an undergraduate degree or a graduate degree, they will find studying online offers benefits and opportunities that traditional classroom setting degrees do not.

What are The Benefits of an Online Degree?

Earning an online degree holds benefits that traditional lecture style classroom setting courses do not. Of these benefits, the most valuable is the ability for a student to do class work on their own time. In a classroom setting, courses are given at exact times that a student must attend. This can be a problem if a student has conflicting scheduling problems. Often times, a missed class can mean falling behind in the course. With an online degree, international students have the ability to complete their work on their own time. Classes usually consist of weekly readings and assignments that need to be completed at the end of that specific week. This gives the student an entire week to review their work whenever they are available, be it after work, at night, or on the weekend.

Another major benefit to online degrees is the delivery method of class notes, readings and assignments. In lecture courses in the classroom, students must take notes during their class time while also trying to listen to the professor. This often leads to students missing some parts of the lecture and having to go to fellow classmates to fill in any holes in the notes they missed. In online classes, many programs offer class notes every week. Students have all the course materials and are able to access them any time they want. Classroom students have a set time when they need to listen to a lecture, and once it is over it’s over. Online students are given access to video lectures, which can be watched multiple times in order to fully understand the material. Exams and assignments are also delivered online in distance learning courses. Students take tests and complete homework assignments just like in classroom courses, but they have the ability to use their course materials and textbooks.

A common misconception about online courses is that there is a disconnect between the professor and the student. This is anything but true. Professors are an email or phone call away. Many online students feel they have a better relationship with their professor in online courses because they have the opportunity to ask questions via email or phone whenever they want instead of having to wait after class or schedule an appointment during a professor’s office hours. Online professors are very quick in replying to questions, and are required by some schools to have an answer within 24 hours.

Online students all agree on one thing: that they get the same, if not more, out of their educational experience as an online student as they would as a traditional classroom student. Online students have complete access to all the course materials whenever they need them, and this leads them to have a better understanding of the course materials. Online students have more time to devote to studying the class notes and readings, with the ability to watch video lectures multiple times. When online students find something interesting or have a question about a certain scenario or fact, they have the power of the internet to do their own research. This allows online students to dive deeper into the subject and have a fuller understanding of the material.

Earning an Undergraduate Degree

Schools from all over the United States offer online undergraduate degrees in a multitude of different subjects. Over 75% of universities now offer some sort of undergraduate degree program including some of the most prestigious schools in the United States. These online undergraduate degrees cater to a slew of different students from traditional students, to working professionals, and international students. Online undergraduate degrees follow the same type of curriculum that their counterpart in classroom setting courses do. One such school, Walden University, is renowned for their achievement in top-notch online degrees. Walden University offers over 18 accredited undergraduate programs including business, criminal justice, and nursing. Online undergraduate degrees are as respected as traditional degrees. Online undergraduate degrees help students prepare for future careers in their field while providing them a top-notch education. Online degrees also help students looking to expand on their career or even change career paths.

Earning a Graduate Degree

Many professionals are looking to expand on their education but find it difficult to find time and flexibility to handle their professional career while balancing graduate courses. Many times graduate schools offer classes only during the day, when working professionals are unavailable. Online graduate programs are able to appeal to working professional and traditional students alike who are looking to continue their education. Next to flexibility and timing, online graduate degrees offer the same level of education as on campus programs. Online graduate programs offer a curriculum that is specific to the student’s interests and career while adding management and strategic methods that are needed in the business and professional world. Walden University offers several top-notch master’s and doctoral degrees that are a perfect fit for working professional, all of which can be taken online at the student’s discretion. Walden offers over 35 such programs in many different areas. Programs include public health, public administration, nursing, human services, health services, information technology, education, counseling, business administration and criminal justice. University of Liverpool now offers 20 programs right online in the fields of Management, Health, Law and Computer Science. Students will find that their classes are made up of people around the world providing a friendly, global atmosphere coupled with the flexibility of taking classes at their convenience. In fact, over 5,000 people from 130 countries have completed their postgraduate qualifications right online through the University of Liverpool.

Students will find any type of degree program at any level when searching for online programs. Students have access to thousands of online programs from every region of the United States, perfect for anyone looking to expand their education and advance their career. Online degree programs are as great as traditional classroom setting programs, with the flexibility to fit to a student’s schedule.

Financing Your Education

Careful planning is both necessary and wise. You will be required to prove to the university, to the consular officer (the person at the U.S. Consulate who issues visa stamps), and perhaps to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection that you have sufficient funds to cover your living expenses (housing, food,clothing, etc) and health insurance, as well as university's tuition and fees.

So how much money will you need? You can get a general idea about expenses by looking at catalogs or application information provided by the university. Remember, however, that tuition rates vary tremendously. State (public) universities are generally, but not always, less expensive than private institutions. Some private institutions may be able to offer scholarships that state schools can not. Two-year or community colleges are usually less expensive than colleges and universities offering bachelor's and graduate degrees.

The cost of living in different parts of the United States also varies. In general, living in urban areas (in or near a big city) is more expensive than living in smaller towns or rural areas. Renting an apartment in a big city can cost twice as much as it does in a smaller town because there is such high demand for housing in large U.S. cities. Likewise, food, clothing, entertainment, and other living expenses may be more expensive in a city.

Creating a Budget

Budgeting is a continuous process. At this stage, work on a "big picture" budget that will include tuition, room and board, transportation, and living expenses. Later you can be more specific, taking into consideration all the additional expenses of moving and settling in. One very important factor in the "big picture" budget is health insurance, which can be as little as $1,000 annually for an individual or as much as $5,000 for a family.

Sources of Financial Aid

Locating financial aid for international students is sometimes not the easiest task, however we have compiled the most popular and common places that students can find international financial aid and put them into one easy to read resource page.

International Student Loans

Loans are available to international students that are planning to study in the USA, as long as they are planning to attend an approved school and have a US Citizen or permanent resident who can co-sign the loan with them.

International Scholarships

There are hundreds of resources available online that offer scholarships or access to search for scholarships, but not all are legitimate and some are there just to scam students. Learn how to spot a scholarship scam and locate the resources that are tried and trusted.

USA has the world’s largest international student population, with over 800,000 students choosing to broaden their education and life experience in the United States. Nearly 4% of all students enrolled in higher-level education in the USA are international students, and the numbers are growing. From the mid-1950’s, when international student enrollment was only just reaching 35,000, international education in the USA has come a long way.

We look forward to helping students who, like you, are considering continuing your education in the United States. You will find all of the tools you need to compile your necessary research in deciding if the United States is the best place for you — we have gathered valuable information on educational, social, cultural and economic aspects of studying in the U.S.

Study in the USA - College & University Search

Find, research, contact and save schools you are interested in through our USA School Search. With listings of all universities and colleges in the USA that accept and enroll international students, once you create a free account it can be your central place to find the right school for you! With searchable data on over 3,000 schools, you can match to schools based on program of study and degree, state or other geographical location, tuition range, public vs. private and many other data points. We know that choosing the right school and program can be an extensive and exhausting process, and we have built this resource specifically so that you, an international student, can find the right program.

which uses six performance indicators to assess and compare the top universities in the world each year. The very top the table has remained fairly stable, with just some minor shifts in position each year. Indeed, the differences between these top-ranking institutions are incredibly small; all perform impressively well across all of the assessment measures used. (To see how the top universities in the world compare on each performance indicator, visit the interactive ranking table.)

 
Top 10 Universities in the World

Top 10 Universities in the World
	Country	Position in 2014/15	Position in 2013/14
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	US	1	1
University of Cambridge	UK	2=	3
Imperial College London	UK	2=	5
Harvard University	US	4	2
UCL (University College London)	UK	5=	4
University of Oxford	UK	5=	6
Stanford University	US	7	7
California Institute of Technology (Caltech)	US	8	10
Princeton University	US	9	10
Yale University	US	10	8

The global spread of top universities
As this table illustrates, the top of the ranking is dominated by universities in the US and UK, which each claim half of the top 10 places. A further five US universities and two more UK entrants appear within the top 20, but beyond this the list does become much more internationally diverse. US universities account for 28 of the top 100 places, and UK universities 19 – so in fact more than half of the top universities in the world are located outside of these two nations.

Switzerland’s ETH Zurich, retaining 12th position, is the highest-ranked institution from elsewhere, followed by its country-mate Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) at 17=. Canada’s University of Toronto and McGill University place 20th and 21st respectively, with the National University of Singapore (NUS) following directly behind in 22nd. Also ranked within the global top 30 are France’s Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris (24th), Australian National University (25=) and the University of Hong Kong (28th).

South Korea, Japan, Denmark, China, Germany and the Netherlands all also have at least one representative among the top 50 universities in the world this year, while the top 100 also features universities in Sweden, Finland, Ireland, Taiwan, Belgium and New Zealand. The global top 200 universities are spread across a total of 31 countries.

Success of STEM-focused universities

Another trend reflected at the top of the table is the growing success enjoyed by universities with a focus on the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) spectrum of subjects. This is exemplified by table-topper Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and its fellow US STEM specialist California Institute of Technology (Caltech), which has gained two places this year.

Meanwhile the UK’s Imperial College London, another STEM-focused institution, boasts the biggest leap within the top 10 universities this year, rising from 5th to share second place with the University of Cambridge.

The rankings also suggest a wider-reaching pattern of success for STEM specialists. ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne both fall into this category, meaning that STEM-focused universities account for a quarter of the top 20 places. Other science and technology-oriented institutions which have gained ground in this year’s ranking include France’s Ecole Polytechnique ParisTech (climbing six places to 35th), Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (up two places to 39th), and South Korea’s KAIST (rising nine places to reach 51st).