International student aid

Financial aid options for international students

If you’re an eligible noncitizen, you may qualify for federal loans and grants. To be eligible, any one of the following must be true:

  • You are a permanent U.S. resident with a permanent resident card (I-1551), also known as a Green Card.
  • You are a conditional permanent resident.
  • You have one of the following listed on your Arrival–Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security:
    • Refugee
    • Asylum Granted
    • Parolee
    • Cuban-Haitian Entrant

If you are not a permanent resident and do not have a Green Card, you may still be able to get money for your education.

  • Apply for IU East scholarships and use the 'Citizenship' filter to find those available to you.
  • Apply for external scholarships and grants.

    There are many additional scholarship and grant resources available. Spend time doing Internet searches for international scholarships, and be patient—most scholarships are available only to U.S. citizens.

  • Research funding possibilities in your home country. Contact an overseas advising center to learn about opportunities.
  • Consider student loan options.

Student loans for International Students

A student loan is money you borrow that you are legally obligated to pay back later, usually with interest. This type of loan may be your best option for financing your education, depending on your situation.

What types of loans am I eligible for?

As an international student, you are not eligible for U.S. federal loans. However, you have several options for borrowing money for school.

Loans from your home country

Find out if you are eligible to take out a loan in your home country. Contact your federal government or an educational advisor in your country to learn your options.

Private loans

You may be able to secure student loans from a private lender to support your education. Private loans are granted by non-IU affiliated lending institutions.

Before you investigate private loan funding in the United States, consider whether you are eligible for loans in your home country.

You will borrow a private loan in your name, but because loan approval depends on a credit check, you will probably need to find a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to co-sign the loan with you.

Do your research. The terms, conditions, and eligibility requirements vary widely for private loans, so it is important to carefully consider the full financial implications before you borrow.

You have the right to select the private lender of your choice. Neither IU nor IU East is liable for the services provided by the lender you choose.

There are many online resources that provide information about private loans. Here are a few:

  • International Student Loan provides access to loans to international students with a co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
  • Global Student Loan Corporation and the HSBC Bank of India have designed an international student loan program to provide funding to students from India to attend U.S. colleges and universities. A U.S. citizen or permanent resident co-signer is not required, but you must find a co-signer in India.

Always carefully consider the terms of a loan before you borrow, and investigate other funding sources, such as scholarships and fellowships. Never borrow money that you cannot pay back.