kel.n.issy

Hi,

I am starting Community College on my H4 Visa going to paramedic school, We could fund it ourselves for a year or two but not much longer and I am coming across brick walls everytime I mention Financial aid being a non -US Citizen.

Has anyone else on a H4 been granted finanical aid for College.


Thanks

Issyl

Bluegrass Lass

In order to qualify for Federal Student Aid (the FAFSA program) it is a pre-requisite that you need to be either: a) a USC, or b) a Legal Permanent Resident. There is no getting around this requirement.

I wish I could be of more help, but probably 99% of grants and scholarships require you to be one or the other above. I'm sure you could qualify for student loans through a bank, but your repayment options and interest rates are going to be different compared to Federal student loans.

How helpful is the financial aid dept. at your comm. college? They could have some leads for you.

SamuearlJackson

Is there a green card application on the horizon?

If so then you could get an EAD soon after the application is made, earn some money to help pay for your course, and then once the green card comes in you will have permanent residence status.

kel.n.issy

Hi Thats my plan although we are only in the Labour conditions part of our Greencard App .Lets hope I get a chance for EAD before cash runs out.

Thanks

Bob

Get your other half to ask employer to see if they have any programs?

Ozzidoc

And also that it comes through fast because a formal study programme is not permitted on an H4.

GeraldineGray

Hi Issyl

You will not qualify for federal financial aid but you can apply directly to the college and to some state programs. You will not be able to get a student loan other than from the pot of the college/university you attended. The way to get that money? Apply. I did and I got it. Lots of times. Going to a State uni is a different ball game but you can still apply and receive monetary awards but obviously the competition is harder.

Good luck.
Don't forget to write it off on your spouse'stax return.

Bob

also just apply for a loan at a bank, plenty do for shite interest, AAA have some half decent programs for state colleges, but you don't get to claim the interest come tax time as they ain't federal student loans but private ones. BoA is another one that do them for any college.

jumping doris

My daughter went to college and started her BA in Fine arts on an H4.
Is a formal study programme something different?

Back to the OP.....my daughter hit a brick wall too re scholarships, aid, funding because she wasn't an LPR or citizen.
She did get a small scholarship from an Arts Foundation which her high school found for her but they had to look long and hard and it was very small.

However, to give you a bit of hope..we started our GC process last January (2007). Labour cert was approved in June and we filed the I-140/485 etc in July and our GC's were approved this January. All in all, just a few days short of a year. We were EB2.

My daughter wasn't able to file a FAFSA last year due to not having a ss# and that meant she wasn't able to be considered for PA state aid, work study programmes or college aid. She is at a state school, private may be different.

Ozzidoc

I'm on placement now, but when I get home I'll look up the link - I've saved it. It clearly says "you may not work or study as an H4 visa holder".

This was of interest to me, as I've bn looking at several additional qualifications in the USA.

jumping doris

We were told by our immigration lawyers that you can study on an H4 and the college wouldn't have admitted her.
We had to show the college that she was here legally and they were very familiar with H4 visa holders and the law.
She isn't the only person at her school on an H4.
She is at a State school.
Also when we filed her FAFSA last year she was refused because she didn't have LPR status but the federal aid departments we spoke to were very up to speed on what she could and mostly couldn't have as an H4.

She couldn't work in any way so perhaps if you have been looking at things that require some kind of work as well as study that may be the reason.

ladyofthelake

Everything I've seen says the opposite, including this---> http://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/...an%20Study.pdf

Rete

Check with your college of choice. Here in NYC the City College makes student loans and scholarships available to illegal immigrants so it would seem that a non-working legal immigrant would qualify.

Ozzidoc

Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Sorry!! I was wrong

Yes, you can study on an H4 - I'd been thinking that you'd have to change to an F1 visa, but you can study on both.


http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/work.html


really sorry once again!!

xxx

jumping doris

Does this mean that you can now do the studying you mentioned?

The F1 was complicated for us because I don't think it is duel intent, like the H1B/4 but it would have allowed her to work.
I can't remember the details now (...age...) but if we had switched her to F1 we may have had to take her off the GC application.