Sources of Funds for International Students in the US
<h1>Sources of Funds for International Students in the US</h1>
<p>The Institute of International Education (IIE) publishes the Open Doors Report annually. It is a wrap up on international students in the US, US students abroad and trends in international education.
Among its records this year is the Primary Source of Funds table. This shows the primary source of education funding for international students in the US, which has not really changed much over the past five years. The online table is enlightening and shows that most international students at US colleges and universities still rely on their own funds to pay for their education. Their sources include family funds, loans and personal savings.</p>
<p>Here’s the full data table from the 2009 Open Doors Report showing the primary source of funds for international undergraduate and graduate students in the US:</p>
<table>
<tr><td>Primary Source of Funds</td><td>% undergraduate</td><td>% graduate</td></tr>
<tr><td>Personal & Family</td><td>81.9</td><td> 48.8</td></tr>
<tr><td>U.S. College or University</td><td>9.1</td><td> 43.3</td></tr>
<tr><td>Home Government/University</td><td>3.9</td><td> 3.1</td></tr>
<tr><td>U.S. Government</td><td>0.3</td><td> 0.8</td></tr>
<tr><td>U.S. Private Sponsor</td><td>1.4</td><td> 0.9</td></tr>
<tr><td>Foreign Private Sponsor</td><td>2.1</td><td> 1</td></tr>
<tr><td>International Organization</td><td>0.1</td><td> 0.3</td></tr>
<tr><td>Current Employment</td><td>0.2</td><td> 1</td></tr>
<tr><td>Other Sources</td><td>1</td><td>0.8</td></tr>
<tr><td>Total</td><td>100</td><td>100 </td></tr>
</table>
<p>Graduate students are much more likely to receive financial assistance from their school, often in the form of tutorial allowances, research grants et cetera, whereas very few undergraduates receive any form of aid from their school. This information is quite helpful as you set about planning how to pay for international education. There are scholarships for undergraduates, but they are far fewer than the financing opportunities available to graduate students.</p>
