Costs
When looking at the price of a college, you are usually seeing the total cost for tuition, room, board and supplies. It may seem like a lot of money but many students find that going to school in the U.S. ends up costing less than going to school in Europe purely based on living expenses.
Many Greek and European universities offer excellent coursework – but their obligation to students ends when the students depart from the classroom. The philosophy of education in the USA is structured to provide learning opportunities and life services throughout the day and week.
Evening lectures and performances with political leaders, rock stars, and community leaders. Films, music performances, hiking and field trips. Medical center/ student health care on campus. Study abroad opportunities all over the world. Free tutoring for students who need extra help. Full service gym / sports center facilities … the list of opportunities and services is endless… and most are included within the regular school fees paid.
Many people think that all US institutions cost well over 40,000 Euros annually, in fact, college costs (housing, meals, and tuition) range from free to 45,000 euros annually. Yes, there are almost a dozen colleges with free tuition for students accepted. And there are hundreds of excellent institutions with housing, meal and tuition costs totally less than 20,000 euros annually.
Further, many private colleges have extensive scholarship opportunities for international students. Thirty-one 2018 Anatolia College graduates were accepted into US universities and those 31 students were awarded a total of over $1,300,000 in scholarships for their first year of study.
Funding Sources: Institutional Aid
Some public and many private universities offer financial incentives for students to attend their institution. However, scholarships are often quite competitive.
Merit-based scholarships are granted on the basis of special skills, talents, or abilities. Your university may have scholarships based on TOEFL scores, academic record, leadership, artistic ability, musical ability, or athletic ability. Merit-based scholarships are usually very competitive. To be considered, you will need to demonstrate exceptional ability in the area required.
Many merit-based scholarships require a separate application, and are different at each school. It is well worth your time to do research on available scholarships and send in the applications.*
Need-based scholarships are awarded based on financial need. Those students who can demonstrate need at a predetermined level are eligible for this type of aid. While most colleges offer need-based aid to U.S. Citizens, fewer provide this kind of aid to non-U.S. citizens. Academic departments within the university may have funds allocated to assist international students with exceptional need and/or talent. Consult with your university and/or your major department to take advantage of any special funding opportunities they offer. International students are given permission to work on the university campus, with a maximum of 20 hours on a weekly basis.
To apply for need-based financial aid, students are required to fill out various forms demonstrating the family's need. These include the International Student Financial Aid Application, the Certification of Finances for International Students, the CSS Profile, a bank letter, and school-specific forms. Our office conducts a Financial Aid Workshop for Anatolia parents and students to help families fill out these forms.
U.S. citizens are required to fill out the FAFSA and CSS Profile in order to be eligible for financial aid. Our office also holds a FAFSA Workshop for Anatolia families to help with this process.
Anatolia College, in collaboration with US Colleges and Universities, awards scholarships to Anatolia graduates to various institutions. For more information, contact the Anatolia College US College Counseling Office.*
For a more complete list of financial aid terminology, click here [1].
*Materials taken from nafsa.org [2]