Applying to US Colleges as an Expat
The application requirements for expats applying to colleges in the US are fairly similar to those students attending school in the US, but there are a few exceptions to keep in mind. Although you are considered a domestic student, you do have the benefit of the international experience and hopefully language skills you have gained while living outside of the US. These are great assets to highlight in your applications.
While expat students are not considered international, there are a few additional factors to take into consideration as you apply. Below are a few tips to help you submit successful applications as an expat.
High School Curriculum and Grades
If you attend a non-American school, you need to be sure that the college understands your grading scale and curriculum. If your transcripts are not in English, you will need an English translation from a reputable or official translator (requirements vary by school). It is recommended to include a key to the grading scale with your translation. Typically, admissions offices have staff which are familiar with the various international curricula, but even if they aren’t, most will review the student’s application holistically without full grade and course conversions.
Your high school counselor or another school official can also prepare a school profile which is a great resource to provide colleges with an overview of the school. It typically includes information about the curriculum, graduation requirements, exams, grading system, demographics and class sizes, and any other important information that would help give general context of the school. This profile can be shared with all colleges the student applies to and should be written in English.
Proof of English Proficiency
Even if a student has a US passport, if English is not their native language or the language of the school they have attended, they will need to provide proof of proficiency. These requirements vary by college, but typically one of the standard tests such as TOEFL, Duolingo, or IELTS will be necessary. Students should familiarize themselves with the format of the test and do a bit of practice even if they are proficient in English. Luckily, these tests can be taken online at home. Although it may seem unnecessary, some schools require an English proficienty test even from expats attending English speaking schools. It is best to plan on taking one of the tests well before you apply to avoid last minute surprises!
Testing
Although testing is currently optional for admission to many colleges, getting a good score can still help you and give colleges another way to evaluate you, especially if you are attending a high school with a curriculum less familiar to them. Many international high schools offer the PSAT and SAT and/or ACT. If you attend a school which does not offer the tests or dates which fit your schedule, you will need to look elsewhere. This will take planning ahead as the locations and test dates vary and you should register for your spot early. Search the College Board website for upcoming SAT dates and locations near you and the ACT website for ACT dates and locations. Note that the ACT is only offered digitally at international testing locations while it is still available in paper format in the US. The SAT has gone digital everywhere.
Timeline
It is important for students to begin their application process early. In contrast to many colleges abroad, US colleges have application deadlines as early as November of the student’s senior year. Students should take the time to familiarize themselves with the requirements for each of the schools they are interested in applying to well before then. Also, students who will need standardized testing should plan well in advance to give themselves time to register for the tests, prepare well and possibly retake them. Visiting colleges in the US from abroad may not be possible during the school year, so families should plan these in to their summer and longer breaks if possible. The college planning process should really begin by 10th grade at the latest so that students have time to explore their options and prepare well.
Check out the other posts in our expat series for more tips regarding financial aid and application status for American expats applying to US colleges.
Budgeting in College
While keeping track of finances before college may not have been of concern to some students, it is a vital skill to learn for all. Parents should take the time to sit with their student and discuss budgeting before they arrive on campus for freshman year. It is important for families to establish a plan for how pay for both expected and unexpected expenses.
While keeping track of finances before college may not have been of concern to some students, it is a vital skill to learn for all. Parents should take the time to sit with their student and discuss budgeting before they arrive on campus for freshman year. It is important for families to establish a plan for how pay for expenses both expected and unexpected.
After the first major decision of how the direct expenses (expenses paid directly to the school) of tuition and fees and room and board will be paid for, families have to take into consideration the indirect expenses which will most likely be incurred. These usually include transportation, books and supplies, and personal expenses such as health insurance. Creating a list of these expenses and calculating what is expected to be needed monthly will help families understand what funds are necessary before the bills come in. A plan should be in place for paying for these expenses before the student sets off for college.
In addition to the expected expenses, it is a good idea to budget for the unexpected such as additional trips or activities the student may want to do and other discretionary spending. Where will these funds come from? Make a plan!
Many students already have their own checking account from saving and working while in high school, but if they do not, it is time to set one up together. Most major banks offer free checking accounts to students, but it is worth considering banks local to the college first in case an issue arises. Parents can easily send money to the account as needed and get access to the account summary (if student agrees of course). Check out this Forbe’s ranking of student checking accounts and what to consider when choosing where to open your account.
There are some very helpful programs to assist with keeping track of budget and spending and it is great practice for life in the 'real world'. Mint is a free program which allows you to set a budget for different categories, keep track of all expenses and bills, and make sure you make your payments on time. At any time, you can log in to see where you stand for the month and get a good look at how well you are staying on budget. They also have a mobile app which is perfect for today's students who never go anywhere without their phone.
Should students get a credit card? College is a great time for students to get their first credit card not only to have in case of emergency, but also to begin building their own credit history. They can also begin to acquire points for spending. As long as the student fully understands what the card should be used for, payments are made on time and you choose one with low or no fees, it can be a great thing to have. Take a look at NerdWallet's May list of Best College Student Credit Cards to get an idea of the associated details to consider.
Keep in mind as you are budgeting for future years that you need to fill out the FAFSA each year to continue to receive financial aid and you can continuously apply for outside scholarships throughout all college years. If you have any major changes in your financial situation which would increase your need, be sure to communicate that with the financial aid office as soon as possible.
These are all things you can begin working on this summer while your student is still at home. Make a plan, talk about it, and continue to communicate the importance of budgeting and discussing expenses even after they are on campus. It is a lifelong skill we all need and an important part of your student's journey to adulthood.
What to do after you hit submit
After applications are submitted and the giant feeling of relief has subsided, there are a few things to keep in mind. Each school has their own timeline for when they will inform applicants of their admission decisions. In general, schools which have rolling admissions take 2-3 weeks, schools with November EA will inform you between mid-December and end of January, and schools with RD in January will inform you by end of February or March. What do you do while you wait?
After applications are submitted and the giant feeling of relief has subsided, there are a few things to keep in mind. Each school has their own timeline for when they will inform applicants of their admission decisions. In general, schools which have rolling admissions take 2-3 weeks, schools with November EA will inform you between mid-December and end of January, and schools with RD in January will inform you by end of February or March. What do you do while you wait?
After receiving the application, colleges will create a personal account on their website for you to check the status of your application and submit additional materials. Check your email consistently and make sure you do not miss these emails from your colleges (typically by 2-3 days after submitting application). After receiving them, log in to your student portal and double check that the colleges have received all of your application requirements. While doing this, keep in mind that it may take some time for the websites to be updated as colleges are inundated with materials around their deadlines. If about a week after the deadline you still see that your application is missing something, follow up with the admissions office. Although some colleges will send you a reminder that something is missing, you do not want to rely on that.
If you have not completed the FAFSA and CSS Profile, you should definitely do that right away. Students who applied to colleges which require a Self-Reported Academic Record or proof of residency often submit these through their new student portal after they have applied. Also, some Honors programs, scholarships and other specialized applications are only open for the student after they have submitted the main application. Students should ensure they have followed the instructions from each college regarding completing all of their requirements and supplements.
If you do indeed find out that something is missing, do not overreact. Remember, with so many documents and emails being sent back and forth during such a short time span, it is very easy for something to get lost in the shuffle. If what is missing can be taken care of by you, do it right away. If it is something a counselor, teacher, or testing agency should have taken care of, politely follow up with them yourself. Whatever it may be, respectfully ask them to resend the materials as soon as they can. Confirm with the admissions office that you have taken care of it and verify if they have received the missing materials. While doing all of this, it is important that you advocate for yourself and be patient. Colleges would much rather hear from the students themselves than from a parent or counselor. You want to show them you are ready for college.
It should go without saying, but keep working hard and maintaining or improving your grades. Colleges ask for mid and final reports from your counselor for a reason! If you are given admission to a college and your grades sink, they have the right to revoke their offer. On the other hand, if you end up getting deferred or waitlisted, you want to be able to show progress to improve your chances of acceptance. No matter what your situation is, continuing to work hard and get good grades can only help.
You can use your new-found free time to search for scholarships and continue to learn more about your potential colleges. If you have not had time to tour or attend an information session, now is a great time to do that. You can demonstrate your interest in the colleges while preparing to make an informed choice when your admission decisions do come in. Congratulations on getting this far, get excited for the future!
Additional Resources:
An example of an applicant portal and use: Brown Admission Page
Financial Aid Application Time
As college application season is fully underway, it is important to learn about the primary financial aid applications and types of aid your student could receive. The two most common applications used by colleges across the US are the FAFSA and CSS PROFILE, and they need to be filed prior to each year the student plans on attending college. Both applications open on October 1, so prepare to get them started now.
As college application season is fully underway, it is important to learn about the primary financial aid applications and types of aid your student could receive. The two most common applications used by colleges across the US are the FAFSA and CSS PROFILE, and they need to be filed prior to each year the student plans on attending college. Both applications open on October 1, so prepare to get them started now.
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the standard form used by all schools to determine the amount of federal aid a student will receive. The FAFSA calculates the EFC (Expected Family Contribution), what the government considers a reasonable amount the family should be able to contribute to the student's educational costs whether or not a parent wants to contribute to their child's education. For the 2021-22 school year, you will file using prior-prior (2019) tax information. To make things simpler, use the integrated IRS Data Retrieval Tool which will pull your tax information to automatically fill out a lot of the form for you.
The CSS Profile (College Scholarship Search Profile) is used by around 150 colleges, primarily private, to determine eligibility for non-federal funding aka institutional aid. It is filed through the College Board online. This application uses prior and prior-prior tax year information. So if you are applying for 2021-22, you will use 2019 and 2020 information. Not sure if your college uses the CSS Profile? Check out the list of schools here and check directly with the colleges.
It is important to know that the earlier you file the CSS Profile and FAFSA, the more funding you may receive as some grants are given on a first come, first serve basis. Also, each state and college has their own deadline for when you need to file, and these often fall around the time the college applications are due. Start early and aim to have your financial aid applications complete two weeks before your student's first admission application deadline. You can actually submit them before you finish your college applications. If you are about to make a large purchase or make any significant payments, you should make them before updating your bank balance information. Other than that, do not delay completing your financial aid applications.
The CSS Profile digs a little deeper into your family's financials than the FAFSA. Some key differences are that it includes home equity of primary dwelling, family farms, value of small businesses, and for some schools, the non-custodial and/or stepparent income and cash value of life insurance policies. Before you begin, it is helpful to gather the materials you will need to complete the applications:
An FSA ID to sign the FAFSA electronically (you can apply for this special username and password online via https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm and the student and the custodial parent will need separate IDs. The student needs to get their ID first.)
A College Board account to complete a CSS Profile – the student and custodial parent will share the login, if a non-custodial parent needs to fill out a separate application, you will receive notification after adding your schools to the list
Social Security Numbers
Federal Income Tax Returns, W-2s, and other records of income earned
Bank statements and records of investments
Mortgage statement
Records of untaxed income such as child support and interest income
List of schools student is applying to
Ensure that the information you have entered is accurate and complete to prevent any delays in the processing of your application. Make sure you have added any schools to which you are applying to the FAFSA and CSS Profile applications so that they receive the information. Filing the FAFSA is free, but the CSS Profile costs $25 for the application and first school and $16 for any additional. If you need to add colleges to either application later, you can always log back in and do that.
If your family's financial situation has changed for the current year and the tax information you must use for the application does not properly reflect it, it is important that you contact each of the colleges and inform them of your current situation. Examples may include hurricane loss, death in the family, loss of job or illness. For any questions regarding each college's financial aid policy and types of aid awarded, take a look at their website and feel free to reach out to their office.
Thinking of skipping the financial aid applications? While the FAFSA is primarily used to determine federal funding, some schools also use it to determine the distribution of their own institutional aid if they do not require the CSS Profile. A few schools also use the forms to help determine Merit Aid. Even if you think you will not qualify for additional aid, if you want to get any of the federal loans you still need to complete the FAFSA. And if you skip applying for aid one year and need institutional aid from the school in the future, you may have trouble getting it.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Not sure of which parent should complete the FAFSA? https://studentaid.gov/resources/fafsa-parent-text
FAFSA Tips https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out
CSS Profile Tips https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/student-loans/css-profile
Article on the FAFSA and CSS Profile
As college application season is fully underway, it is important to learn about the primary financial aid applications and types of aid your student could receive. The two most common applications used by colleges across the US are the FAFSA and CSS PROFILE, and they need to be filed prior to each year the student plans on attending college.
Locals can pick up the newest edition of the free Neapolitan Family magazine at various locations in Naples. On page 44 you will find my article all about the FAFSA and CSS Profile. You can also read it online now. Get those financial aid applications in ASAP!
All About the FAFSA
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the standard form used by all schools to determine the amount of federal aid a student will receive. The application opens on October 1 each year and closes the following June 30. The FAFSA calculates the EFC (Expected Family Contribution), what the government considers a reasonable amount the family should be able to contribute to the student's educational costs whether or not a parent wants to contribute to their child's education.
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the standard form used by all schools to determine the amount of federal aid a student will receive. The application opens on October 1 each year and closes the following June 30. The FAFSA calculates the EFC (Expected Family Contribution), what the government considers a reasonable amount the family should be able to contribute to the student's educational costs whether or not a parent wants to contribute to their child's education.
It is important to know that the earlier you file, the more funding you may receive as some grants are given on a first come, first serve basis. Also, each state and college has their own deadline for when you need to file, and these often fall around the time the college applications are due. While the FAFSA is primarily used to determine federal funding, some schools also use it to determine the distribution of their own institutional aid. Therefore, it is often recommended that all students fill out the FAFSA and do it early, whether or not they think they will be eligible for federal aid.
The FAFSA needs to be filed prior to each year the student plans on attending college. It is completed using prior-prior tax year data for the student and parent(s). So if you are filling it out for the 2019-2020 school year, you will use 2017 tax information. If you have not filed your taxes, you can estimate your income and update the application as needed. Before you begin, it is helpful to gather the materials you will need to complete the application:
An FSA ID to sign electronically (you can apply for this special username and password online via fsaid.ed.gov or other U.S. Department of Education websites and the student and one parent, the custodial, for each dependent will need separate IDs)
Your Social Security Number
Your Federal Income Tax Returns, W-2s, and other records of income earned (Note: You may be able to use the FAFSA's IRS Data Retrieval Tool which transfers the data directly from your completed tax returns to your application)
Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable)
Records of untaxed income such as child support or interest income
List of schools you are applying to
Ensure that the information you have entered is accurate and complete to prevent any delays in the processing of your application. Make sure you have added any schools to which you are considering applying to the FAFSA application so that they receive the information. If any financials need adjusted or schools need added, you can go back in and update the application later. If your family's financial situation has changed for the current year and the tax information you must use for the application does not properly reflect it, it is important that you contact each of the colleges and inform them of your current situation.
