How do I go about college?

[Cardinal6669 10]

Hi all, starting to think about college, I want to go into IT, so I am looking at a bachelor degree.

I am still waiting on my AOS, but when it approved will I be able to enrol in college?

Is financial aid available to me?

Will it be cheaper if I wait for my greencard?

Any info would be great.

Thanks.

[Darnell 8,478]

what you do about EAD stuff?

---

1. get a green card.

2. apply for fafsa at fafsa.gov

3. apply at any schools you want - they need yer fafsa score

that's it, really !

if you want to deviate from this small list, tuition will cost more as

1. usually the school cannot determine your immigration status, so you get rated on tuition at international student rate and

2. there is no financial aid for international students

However - you got a school in mind already? Get onto campus this week before classes start, talk with the various advisors there, they can suss out all for you - maybe even waive the international student rate into a state resident rate.

[Cardinal6669 10]

what you do about EAD stuff?

---

1. get a green card.

2. apply for fafsa at fafsa.gov

3. apply at any schools you want - they need yer fafsa score

that's it, really !

if you want to deviate from this small list, tuition will cost more as

1. usually the school cannot determine your immigration status, so you get rated on tuition at international student rate and

2. there is no financial aid for international students

However - you got a school in mind already? Get onto campus this week before classes start, talk with the various advisors there, they can suss out all for you - maybe even waive the international student rate into a state resident rate.

EAD hasn't been approved yet, still waiting. I had a RFE a month ago, so that held up progress unfortunately.

IDK what fafsa is, but I will check it out.

Tuition will cost more?

How do I reduce that?

Do they usually reduce tuition if you can show them some evidence that you are staying in this country?

There is no financial aid?

I can't afford college without aid.

When can I get aid?

[Darnell 8,478]

when? after green card in hand.

I can't remember if EAD is enough in hand.

Do you want to go to school in Texas at a 4 year university?

if yes, then be careful,

as there are state residency requirements to get the lowest, in-state, in district, tuition rate. Usually it's 1 year residency before you can get this rate.

Although you not know anything about this stuff - does your spouse?

Tuition Rate labels, from HIGH to LOW:

1. International Student

2. Out of State Student

3. State Resident, out of district then

4. State Resident, in district.

Edited January 6, 2016 by Darnell

[Cardinal6669 10]

when? after green card in hand.

I can't remember if EAD is enough in hand.

So ... what is the average wait time on a greencard?

Seems like I have been waiting forever already.

A year more?

[Cardinal6669 10]

We are living in Oklahoma now, OKC.

I just want the cheapest education I can get so I can start working in IT lol



I guess I will have to wait until I get my greencard to go to school :/

I will have been living in Oklahoma more than a year by that time too.

Thanks for all the info

[Darnell 8,478]

ok - so do a dry run this week,

walk onto a campus, stay two days, ask all of your questions there,

as

the answers will be the same for any 4 year public university in OKC.

---

You might get in two a 2 year school easily, but you have to walk in and ask about it, as well. Rules usually different at 2 year schools, you could be at a 2 year school for 1 year then transfer out to a 4 year school easily.

Get OUT THERE and ask humans on campus !

[Phil&Mich 36]

You might get in two a 2 year school easily, but you have to walk in and ask about it, as well. Rules usually different at 2 year schools, you could be at a 2 year school for 1 year then transfer out to a 4 year school easily.

Get OUT THERE and ask humans on campus !

Quote

Thanks Darnell,

I'm under AOS too but EAD is approved and I'm interested in going back to school too. Just 2 yrs in LPN/nursing to start.. Any opinion if this is easier to enroll? I will ask my husband about fafsa too.. I'm Michigan though..

[YasJun 1]

Check the "Tuition & Fees" page on some of the websites of the schools you are interested in. The tuition rate labels that Darnell posted don't apply to Florida, so they may be different in Oklahoma as well. In Florida there are only two classifications, in-state rate and out-of-state rate. International students pay the out-of-state rate (which is far more expensive than in-state).

You should be able to use your EAD to qualify for in-state tuition. But keep in mind there may be different residency proof requirements for a new student as there are for an enrolled student. I used to pay out-of-state tuition until I received my EAD. Changing my status with my university was very difficult and I was required to show much more proof than new students. I was told the requirements are tougher to switch your status to avoid fraud and people tired of paying higher tuition and trying to switch. So keep that in mind for your "should I wait till AOS/EAD?" question. I would.

As far as how long it takes to get AOS, there are certain topics set up on this forum that show how long users are having to wait. At least there is for removal of conditions..... My AOS took about 3 months from the time they received my package till my interview. It was only about a month after my EAD. But I guess this all depends on your case and local office.

[challypep 0]

EAD is not enough for instate Tuition.

Better to wait for your Green card.

No rush

[Darnell 8,478]

Thanks Darnell,

I'm under AOS too but EAD is approved and I'm interested in going back to school too. Just 2 yrs in LPN/nursing to start.. Any opinion if this is easier to enroll? I will ask my husband about fafsa too.. I'm Michigan though..

Can you use a telephone, call the campus, this week before school officially starts? I ask, 'cause the real answer resides within the right human on campus - i.e. - NOT ME !

[Mena28 35]

As the others said - go talk to the people on campus. It is what I did and they have been very helpful.

I actually got here on my K-1 in November 2015, got married a week later, then applied for AOS in December and am starting school today.

It is a bit different, because I am transferring in a whole bunch of credits and do their Bachelor Completion Program (in their Adult Learners Section), rather than start as a regular student at 0 credits with everything ahead of me.

So for that Program, the tuition is the same for everybody, in state, ouf of state, they dont care. There is no minimum residency requirement, they just care that I am here legally. It is not the cheapest school but a pretty good one and WAY better than paying international student fees at another school.

Like there is a Community College close by, but there I would not be able to transfer in much in the way of credits and would have to pay international fees for the first year, which are incredibly high.

Do you have any education form your country that you can try to have credited towards a degree here?

[IcezMan_IcezLady 582]

EAD is not enough for instate Tuition.

Better to wait for your Green card.

No rush

Even with that OP will need to fulfill the residency requirement which is used to calculate IN-State tuition rate.

OK requires 12 months residency ( usually tax return can help meet that requirement).

[Russ&Caro 1,548]

Don't forget to consider tuition paid when doing your tax return or doing tax planning. It could reduce your taxes significantly and lower the overall net cost of school for you, whether you're paying in-state or out-of-state fees.

[IcezMan_IcezLady 582]

The GC will certainly help OP qualify for some scholarships,grants and aid money.

FAFSA ask for tax info, I don't know how that would impact OP.

But aside waiting for GC to come in,

I would suggest OP look at a community college then he can transfer to a 4 yr college later..It is cheaper!!