Financial Aid in the US

                    Many students are concerned about the high cost of education in
                    the US and seek information on opportunities for financial assistance.
                    The cost of education in the US could range from $11,000 to over
                    $40,000 per year. In addition to tuition and fees, books and food,
                    you have to plan for the expenses towards housing, health insurance
                    and transportation.

                    State schools and schools in the south and mid-west are often
                    cheaper than private schools and those located in California or the
                    northeast region. In reviewing opportunities for financial assistance, it is
                    important to understand that graduate schools in the US offer
                    financial assistance to international students primarily on merit
                    and rarely on need.

                    The amount and type of assistance offered varies, based on the
                    university, department and level of study. Availability of assistance is
                    more likely in fields like engineering, physical science and
                    biological sciences, than humanities, social sciences, business
                    and management, law, arts and communication.

                    There is a greater possibility of assistance at the doctorate level
                    than at the master's level. Resources available to individual
                    departments at a university in a particular year depend on the funding
                    they receive from federal and state agencies and private institutions.

                    It is advisable to generate funds for at least six months, if not one year
                    of your initial study (education and living) before you expect
                    scholarships. Your initial performance may turn decisive for getting
                    scholarships subsequently and, hence, serious uninterrupted initial study
                    may be a good investment for eligibility for financial aid at a later stage.
 

                    Upon first entry into your university, you should meet the Foreign
                    Student Advisor and your Graduate Study Programme Advisor to get
                    complete details about the campus, educational and personal
                    requirements and future plans.

                    The Foreign Student Office could be your initial contact point to receive
                    mail, to obtain information about housing of your choice and to locate
                    the Association of Indians, if you desire to contact Indians on your
                    campus for guidance, assistance and friendship. The experiences of
                    fellow Indians and the foreign student advisor should help you decide on
                    financial assistance among other things.

For general scholarships:

                    Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships
                    Up to $23,000 for any subject any country
                    Contact any Rotary Club office or write to:
                    The scholarships programme
                    Rotary Foundation
                    Rotary International
                    One Rotary center
                    1560, Sherman avenue
                    Evanston, IL 60201, USA