Anonymous
Post 04/08/2025 22:49     Subject: I heard international students admitted to ivies get needs based financial aid and free tuition?
Anonymous wrote:Is this true? How does that work and who pays for it?


I am a substantial (for me) donor for financial aid to an ivy league, so I guess I pay for it in small part. I hope so!
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2025 22:41     Subject: I heard international students admitted to ivies get needs based financial aid and free tuition?
Anonymous wrote:Is this true? How does that work and who pays for it?


Why on earth would this be an issue? One of the good things about the US is that we have some of the best universities in the world. And very often, those working or middle class students from abroad who study here go on to do major research or start companies that generate billions in revenue. Why is that a problem?
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2025 22:32     Subject: I heard international students admitted to ivies get needs based financial aid and free tuition?
Anonymous wrote:Is this true? How does that work and who pays for it?


Just like if you got financial, the school pays for it by giving a discount…
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2025 22:29     Subject: I heard international students admitted to ivies get needs based financial aid and free tuition?
About 15 US schools including most (all?) of the Ivies give full aid to internationals. They are funded by kids who are full pay.
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2025 22:24     Subject: I heard international students admitted to ivies get needs based financial aid and free tuition?
Yes. We are from Mexico. My son is finishing up his Freshman year at Harvard. Full tuition.
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2025 22:16     Subject: I heard international students admitted to ivies get needs based financial aid and free tuition?
Anonymous wrote:I was an international student and I can definitely refute this. No international student I knew, at the undergrad OR grad level, had help from their university, unless it was to receive the same grad student Teaching Assistant stipend every American student received from a specific department that had those funds available.

Indeed, it usually works the opposite way: universities rely increasingly on international tuition, which is usually far higher than tuition for citizens.



You are incorrect. Several private universities are needblind for international students. I'm sure there are others. Just google.
Harvard: https://college.harvard.edu/student-life/student-stories/applying-financial-aid-international-student
MIT: https://mitadmissions.org/help/faq/need-blind-admissions/
Princeton: https://admission.princeton.edu/cost-aid/how-financial-aid-works#:~:text=Admission%20is%20need%2Dblind%20for%20all%20applicants%2C%20including%20international%20students.
Notre Dame: https://financialaid.nd.edu/apply-or-renew/international-students/
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2025 22:08     Subject: I heard international students admitted to ivies get needs based financial aid and free tuition?
If you check the college's Common Data Set, you can see the average amount of aid internationals receive at that college. You can also calculate the percent of international undergrads receive financial aid.

The acceptance rate for internationals is often published as well, in section C1.

Top US colleges that meet full need for internationals and are need-blind for international admissions have extremely low acceptance rates for internationals. Like 2% or less.
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2025 22:05     Subject: I heard international students admitted to ivies get needs based financial aid and free tuition?
There are a handful of top schools that both meet full need and are need-blind for internationals.

More meet full need but are need-aware in admissions for internationals.

Most don't give need-based aid to internationals.

Some give merit scholarships to internationals.

Keep in mind that need-based financial aid depends on the student's financial need as determined by the college. Both income and assets are considered.
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2025 20:57     Subject: I heard international students admitted to ivies get needs based financial aid and free tuition?
I was an international student and I can definitely refute this. No international student I knew, at the undergrad OR grad level, had help from their university, unless it was to receive the same grad student Teaching Assistant stipend every American student received from a specific department that had those funds available.

Indeed, it usually works the opposite way: universities rely increasingly on international tuition, which is usually far higher than tuition for citizens.

Anonymous
Post 04/08/2025 20:33     Subject: I heard international students admitted to ivies get needs based financial aid and free tuition?
notre dame covers financial need for intl students. You want to complain that the Catholic school is being too nice to foreigners? It’s not just ivies.
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2025 20:31     Subject: I heard international students admitted to ivies get needs based financial aid and free tuition?
I can confirm this for UChicago. The college pays from its own funds.
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2025 20:09     Subject: Re:I heard international students admitted to ivies get needs based financial aid and free tuition?
Some do give aid to international students. They can make it merit or financial based. But they are given as grants/scholarships. The US federal government is not funding those grants for international students. So don't worry---your taxes are not paying for it.

And Harvard and the like can admit whomever they want and provide grants if they want as well
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2025 20:08     Subject: I heard international students admitted to ivies get needs based financial aid and free tuition?
r/IntltoUSA. Many people trying to get full rides to top schools. However this is a minority of many international students. 80-90% of international students are full pay. Many are clamoring for the 20-30 spots and some settle for no name schools just to live in the US. Look up University of Southern Mississippi on that subreddit.
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2025 20:08     Subject: I heard international students admitted to ivies get needs based financial aid and free tuition?
I have no idea if it’s true or not, but FA is essentially a discount the school offers - whether merit or need-based. Unless you are thinking international students get federal Pell grants or something, which I highly doubt.
Anonymous
Post 04/08/2025 20:05     Subject: I heard international students admitted to ivies get needs based financial aid and free tuition?
Is this true? How does that work and who pays for it?