Certain non-United States citizens are eligible for U.S. Department of Education financial aid assistance.
“Eligible non-citizens” include the following:
- U.S. permanent resident with an Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-551)
- Conditional permanent resident (I-551C)
- Holders of Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) stating
- Refugee
- Asylum Granted
- Indefinite Parole
- Humanitarian Parole
- Cuban-Haitian Entrant
An eligible noncitizen must provide their Alien Registration Number (ARN) on the U.S. Department of Education’s financial aid application called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For more information, please visit: studentaid.ed.gov/eligibility/non-us-citizens. Remember, it is the student’s status that impacts eligibility, not their parents. Students who are eligible that have parents who are undocumented ARE eligible for federal financial aid- and should file their FAFSA.
According to the International Affairs Office of the U.S. Department of Education, while the U.S. government does not provide general scholarship assistance for international students, nor are international students eligible for loans or grants provided to U.S. citizens and permanent residents by the U.S. Department of Education or other federal agencies, many countries offer foreign study funding in the form of grants or scholarships for their own nationals who are admitted to an approved program or institution abroad and who qualify for the assistance program. You should check with your national higher education authorities.