wisewol

After months of work (all her own) my daughter has been offered a place at Florida University starting this September well done to her Now we have all the process of getting her there to sort out. We move in 7days and most of our paperwork is now sailing its way to Jacksonville. In hteory we should have it by end of March but we'll see.

Anyway what I'm wondering is are there any people around who have got their kids into Uni in the USA and if so do you have any general advice. Are there any loans etc available. At the moment she is down as an international student (mega bucks) but we are trying to get that cahnged as she has actually been living in Florida since June last year and working for Disney so hopefully she will get in as a florida resident which is over half the price. Anyhow any advice however small would be great.

Tracym

There are all sorts of loans for college education - but I'm not what her status is, or if she is eligible for them.

The financial aid office at the school should be able to tell you all about that, as well as any scholarships or grants available.

You need to start pretty soon if she will qualify for federal/state loans - there's a form called the FAFSA (I think) that she has to fill out and submit, and she will them get a response as to what grants, loans, and work programs she is eligible for.

Contacting the financial aid office would be a great place to start.

Congratulations btw.

yorkieuk

From my own experience, as a student you are only allowed to get the federal subsidized/un subzidized loans if either a) you are a US citizen or b) You are a permanent resident

However, I think there are options if the parents are US citizens/PR's to take out college loans for the child...

diosia

You or your daughter can roam the net and look for grants. There is quite a bit out there, and the grants are given by requirements. Money might not be big but could help nevertheless.
Susanna

anabella

I think you are considered a resident (at least to college or universities) if you can probe that you've lived here for a year.. I remember looking at some courses at my local college and deciding to wait a year and pay the much cheaper fees instead..

Bluegrass Lass

Yes, however this doesn't matter when going for Federal Financial Aid. To qualify for the FAFSA program (which can include loans and Federal grants), one must be either a citizen or PR. State residency req'ts to determine tuition is totally separate issue.

To the OP, if your daughter is not a USC or PR, she may be limited on grants, loans and scholarships. The best place for info is definitely going to be with the uni's Financial Aid dept. Set up an appt to talk to an advisor in person or via phone, to see what your options are.

jumping doris

My experience in PA ....
You really have to be a LPR or citizen to qualify for federal, state and college aid.
We had lived in PA for two years when my daughter started at Uni last Autumn and we were very lucky that the small state college she attends classed her as in state but with the provision that we could demonstrate that her green card had been applied for and would be here soon! (that part obviously wasn't that easy)
In PA you have to have lived in the state for two years and be able to demonstrate that...ie address, bank details, drivers licence. But each state is different.
Look at the Florida state education page and search for definition of domicile.
(I am assuming it is a state university and not private)
The big state universities here in PA weren't interested. As far as they were concerned she was international until she was an LPR.

We couldn't file a FAFSA because she didn't have a SS# and that knocked her out of the running for state aid and on campus jobs because the one form filters down through the system.
Look at the FAFSA website.

There are tons of scholarships but you have to be an LPR or citizen for 99% of them...the ones that will give a decent amount anyway.
She managed to get a small one for $400 but even that needed a Tax ID number.

Does your daughter have a SS# if she is working at Disney?
If she doesn't and she isn't eligible then get a tax ID no because that might help. I think you have to piggy back the Tax ID application to your tax return or you may have to wait another year.

It was very easy to get a place at lots of unis as an international but not so easy as an out of state student, let alone in state.

Bob

Ask employer to see if they have a program for this kind of thing? BoA did, though it was amazingly shit compared to what MBNA offered...also local stores or other charitable organisations might have small scholarships that they offer...

wisewol

Thats great thanks all, I am USC and daughter is filiing her I130 currently with interveiw in June at the end of her Disney programme. She does have SS number and can prove she has lived in Florida since June 07 as she tool her driving licence and has been being paid by Disney for the year, so heres hoping. I will contact the Financial office when we arrive next Monday.

thosebrits

There was an article on NBC's Today programme just this morning. Websites mentioned for info on finding scholarships are :

fastweb
scholarships
finaid

Good Luck!