Hidden Costs, New Alternatives: The Changing Landscape of International Student Funding

Authors: Rajika Bhandari and Corinne Kentor

One of the most significant barriers that international students face when considering studying in the U.S. is the high cost of postsecondary education. International students must contend with rising tuition rates, ineligibility for financial aid, and devalued currencies which make the U.S. dollar costlier to afford, among other difficulties. These challenges are especially significant for students from the Global South and developing nations. Funding challenges are also intertwined with other significant yet often hidden barriers, such visa and immigration hurdles that can have serious implications for students’ ability to pursue their studies in the U.S. These issues call into question the ability of the U.S. to continue to attract global talent.

Against this backdrop of the complex interrelated challenges faced by international students in the U.S., this report:

• Deconstructs the current funding landscape in U.S. higher education as it relates to international students;
• Explores new and emerging financing options such as no-cosigner, no-collateral loans and their impact on increasing access and diversifying the international student population in the U.S.; and
• Helps institutions consider how to build sustainable pathways for a larger number and diversity of international students to study in the U.S.