Can expat students get in-state tuition and other financial aid?

Unfortunately, expats are generally not eligible for in-state tuition as this is tied to where the student and their parents have resided in the time leading up to the college application. While you may have spent time living in the US before, you are not eligible for in-state tuition in most states unless you have lived in that state for at least 12 months before applying to college. Also, living in the state later does not change your eligibility after starting college.

If you are living abroad due to a parent’s military service,  it may be possible to get in-state tuition if they are only abroad for their service and still have domicile in that particular state. This is very dependent on the state and situation, so it is best to discuss it with the colleges you are considering beforehand.

Financial Aid for Expat Students

The good news is, unlike international students, American expats are eligible for federal financial aid and much more institutional aid at colleges in the US. Pay attention to financial aid and scholarship deadlines announced by each college of interest and follow all instructions to apply.

In order to apply for federal aid, you must complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) each year. This is the application you would use to qualify for potential Pell Grants, Subsidized and Unsubsidized student loans, Direct PLUS loans and Work Study. This application is usually submitted starting in October of the student’s senior year. All US citizens (and some non-citizens) are eligible to apply for federal aid regardless of where they reside. Pay attention to documents required to complete the form and note that all entries must be converted to U.S. Dollars using the exchange rate published by the Federal Reserve.

Some schools (many private colleges) also require the CSS Profile to determine institutional aid awards which are given by the school directly and do not need to be repaid. All students, regardless of citizenship, may be required to complete this form to be eligible for institutional aid. This form automatically converts entries into USD, so you are able to enter the amounts in your local currency if needed.

Familiarize yourself with both the CSS Profile and FAFSA and gather the documents needed to complete them early. Check the instructions to apply for financial aid, both need and merit based, at each of your colleges before you even submit your application for admission. Deadlines for some scholarships may be very early and you don’t want to miss out!

Check out our other blog posts in our American expat series for more tips!