Are there international student loans that can help pay for college for people looking to study at U.S. colleges and universities? The short answer is yes, but international students are not eligible for federal student aid in most cases.
However, there are several other options for international students when it comes to obtaining education loans, as well as grants and scholarships, to help pay for school. Here's a rundown of the important eligibility requirements for federal student aid if you're an international student, as well as some alternatives that could be worth exploring.
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Are student loans available?
Can international students get student loans?
The short answer is that most foreign citizens are not eligible for federal student loans, although there are some exceptions.
There are several categories of "eligible noncitizens" who are eligible for federal student aid:
- U.S. nationals or permanent residents with a Permanent Resident Card, Resident Alien Card, or Alien Registration Receipt Card. (This is by far the most common category of international students who qualify for federal student aid.)
- People with an arrival-departure record (I-94) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services that shows "refugee," "asylum granted," "Cuban-Haitian Entrant," "Conditional Entrant," or "Parolee" status.
- Students with T nonimmigrant status (a T-visa) for victims of human trafficking or their children or who meet the definition of "battered immigrant-qualified alien."
- Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau.
There are several requirements that need to be met for some of these categories, and certain members of these groups might qualify for some types of aid but not for others. Plus, this isn't an exhaustive list. So, the best thing to do is to browse the full list of international student loan eligibility requirements on the federal student aid website.
Another thing to note is that your parents' citizenship or immigration status has no effect on your federal student aid eligibility. So, don't let that deter you from filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.
Finally, it's important to point out that international students who are in one of these qualifying groups may be eligible for federal student aid, not just federal student loans. In other words, members of this group could potentially qualify for grants (which don't need to be paid back).
How to apply
How to get student loans as an international student
Most international students don't qualify for federal student aid. But since some do, here are the general steps of the process:
1. Determine your eligibility
1. Determine your eligibility
We've already covered the general eligibility requirements, so the first step is to determine if you fit into one of the groups that qualify for federal student aid as an international student.
If you are not eligible for federal student aid, that doesn't mean you can't qualify for financial assistance to attend school. Contact the financial aid office at your college or university to see what aid programs they might offer you. Plus, it's worth checking to see if your country offers any assistance programs that could help pay for school in the United States.
Additionally, if you are ineligible to fill out the FAFSA -- meaning that you aren't in one of the eligibility categories discussed earlier -- you can fill out the International Student Application for Financial Assistance (ISAFA), which many schools use to determine your eligibility for school-specific (not federal) aid. Some schools use the CSS Profile instead, which is an online application for non-federal institutional aid. Others use their own financial aid applications for international students.
But the key takeaway is that even if you aren't eligible for federal student aid, you may have some alternative routes. For example, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) students aren't eligible to fill out the FAFSA, but there are many grants and scholarships specifically intended for them. There are also some companies that specialize in providing student loans and other forms of credit for international students that you may want to contact if grants and scholarships don't cover your financial need.
2. Get your paperwork in order
2. Get your paperwork in order
There are some documentation requirements when applying for federal student aid that apply to everyone, and we'll get into those in the next section. But there are some that specifically apply to qualified international students, and it's important to verify that everything is up-to-date before you fill out your FAFSA.
For example, if you have a Permanent Resident Card or Resident Alien Card, both of which are often referred to as a "green card," be sure that it hasn't expired. Even if yours is expired, you may just need to renew it, but the card must be unexpired to apply for aid. Other documents that verify your status cannot be expired, with the exception of situations where your documentation shows you're a Cuban-Haitian Entrant.
3. Fill out the FAFSA
3. Fill out the FAFSA
The FAFSA form is the central document that is needed to apply for and receive federal student aid in the United States. You can complete the FAFSA online at fafsa.gov, or you can complete a paper copy (a PDF is available online for printing) and mail it in.
You'll need a Social Security Number or an Alien Registration Number if you are not a U.S. citizen, and you should also gather the following information before applying:
- Driver's license number (if applicable).
- Your tax information, including that of your parents, if you're a dependent. Note that the 2023-24 FAFSA asks for 2021 tax information.
- Information about your checking and savings account balances, as well as any other assets you own (as well as for your parents if you're a dependent student).
It's worth noting that you don't need to know exactly what college or university you will attend, but you must list at least one. You can list as many as 10 schools on an electronic FAFSA (as many as four on a paper form), and all of them will receive your information.
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The bottom line on international student loans
The bad news is that most international students do not qualify for federal student aid. However, some groups of international students do, and others may qualify for a variety of other scholarships and grants designed to help foreign students pay for their education at a U.S. college or university.
International student loans FAQs
Can international students get student loans?
Some international students, such as U.S. permanent residents, may qualify for federal student aid programs, but most don't. However, there are many programs run by colleges and universities, as well as by other countries, designed to provide aid to those looking to study in the United States.
Does the Department of Education give loans to international students?
The Department of Education gives student loans to select groups of international students, such as permanent residents and certain others. However, as a general rule, most international students don't qualify for federal student aid programs and will need to pursue other forms of financial assistance.
Why are international students not eligible to use FAFSA?
To fill out the FAFSA, you'll either need a Social Security Number or a Permanent Resident number. Most international students don't have either of these, so they cannot use the FAFSA to apply for federal student aid.
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