International Students
Resources for International Students
UM-Dearborn is a place for success, and we are committed to providing you access to a top-quality education at a great value that will offer you a future full of opportunities. Please review the financial support options that are available to international students on our campus below. Federal aid, state aid, and institutional need-based aid is generally not available to international students. Full eligibility details can be found on our Tools and Resources page.
International Undergraduate Students
The International Undergraduate Scholarship awards an annual scholarship of up to $12,500.
There are a number of private scholarship websites that are geared to international students. These websites are excellent resources and dedicated to promoting international study.
There are also private loans that are available to international students. Typically international students are eligible only with a creditworthy cosigner, who must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Some lenders require that the student borrower have a Social Security Number.
For more information, please visit our Alternative Student Loans page.
As part of the US Department of State, Education USA is a network of advising centers located in countries all over the world. The network was established to disseminate information about American higher education and to assist international students interested in pursuing higher education in the USA. Students can visit advising centers in their home countries to learn about American colleges and universities, the student visa application process, and available resources. In addition to international advising centers, Education USA also makes helpful resources available online, including useful information about how to finance your studies.
International Graduate Students
The Graduate Dearborn Scholarship is automatically awarded to all non-resident (out of state) graduate students who are enrolled in an in-person degree-seeking program on the Dearborn campus. Total award amounts are determined by your enrollment each term. For the 24-25 aid year, this will equate to an annual value of up to $10,000 if you enroll full-time in your first two terms.
There are a number of private scholarship websites that are geared to international students. These websites are excellent resources and dedicated to promoting international study.
There are also private loans that are available to international students. Typically international students are eligible only with a creditworthy cosigner, who must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Some lenders require that the student borrower have a Social Security Number. There is at least one lender who does not require a U.S. cosigner, credit history, or collateral (available for most, but unfortunately not all, graduate programs offered on our campus).
For more information, please visit our Alternative Student Loans page.
Learn more about scholarships available to new and current graduate students on our graduate scholarship overview page.
As part of the US Department of State, Education USA is a network of advising centers located in countries all over the world. The network was established to disseminate information about American higher education and to assist international students interested in pursuing higher education in the USA. Students can visit advising centers in their home countries to learn about American colleges and universities, the student visa application process, and available resources. In addition to international advising centers, Education USA also makes helpful resources available online, including useful information about how to finance your studies.
Federal Financial Aid
To qualify for need-based aid from federal and university sources, students must be a U.S. citizen or national or be an eligible non-citizen. Eligible non-citizens include student who have one of the following USCIS (United States Citizenship Immigration Services):
Check your documents to see if you qualify as a permanent resident who could be eligible for aid from the U.S. Department of Education.
- I-151, I-1551, or I-551C (Alien Registration Receipt Card)
Check your documents to see if you meet the expanded categories of eligible non-citizens who could be eligible for aid from the U.S. Department of Education.
- An Arrival-Departure Record (1-94) showing one of the designations to be considered eligible:
- "Refugee"
- "Asylum Granted"
- "Indefinite Parole" and/or "Humanitarian Parole"
- "Cuban-Haitian Entrant, Status Pending"
- "Conditional Entrant" (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980)
- Certain Native American students born in Canada with a status under the Jay Treaty of 1789 may be eligible
- You hold a "T visa" (for victims of human trafficking) or your parent holds a "T-1" nonimmigrant status
- You are a "battered immigrant-qualified alien" who is a victim of abuse your citizen or permanent resident spouse or you are the child of person designated as such under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
There is also limited Federal Student Aid eligibility for the citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau.
A Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence (I-171 or I-464) does not provide an eligible status for federal student aid.
Students who have a visa status of F-1 or F-2, J1 or J2 or G series are not eligible for any federal student aid.
The Office of International Affairs is a resource for all international students. Many services are provided and the OIA team is available to help.