education while filed AOS

[leapoffaith 0]

Hi

anybody trying here to join some college, community colleges ? What would be the status of me who is awaiting his AOS (k1). I am not an

international student anymore as I would be getting green card (conditional) soon. I already have state issued id. Also, am I eligible to avail

financial aid for education ?

[Otto 83]

Depends mostly on the institution you plan to attend - some, even with the PR/Green Card, will not consider you as a resident (of the state) until a 6-months/1 year later - some you'll count as a resident right away.

Financial aide will depend on the lender/source.

(I know that doesn't help much..but it is what it is.)

[DI&JR 1]

For what it's worth, here is a link to the Community College of Allegheny County's page on determining residency; and here is the same for the University of Pittsburgh.

It looks like you would need to reside in Pennsylvania one year before you could petition to be classified as a resident for tuition purposes for these schools. It *may* be that private schools or vocational schools have different requirements. If you have a school in mind, have a look on their tuition page, there will probably be a link to residency information.

(And the same goes for other states as well - the schools should have some sort of link for residency.)

Good luck!

[motu 6]

Check with the college/Univ. you are interested in studying at and you will find the info about residency for tuition purposes as well as loan/scholarship - I was a resident (greencard holder) of Utah - but joined a Univ. in Michigan and obtained loans from the state of Michigan as well as from the federal govt. to finish my MBA - the college/Univ. financial aid office can give you all the info you need. Good Luck

N.B. I found that they didn't give a damn about my Indian degrees but my GRE and GMAT scores helped me get admission and financial aid - without the US degree, it would have been impossible to get a good job here - that was very clear to me from the very first day that I arrived in USA. All my Indian friends, even from IIT; had to get a US degree to start their careers here. Good Luck

[leapoffaith 0]

You are right. My bro and sis lives here since many years and they also studied here. They told me I need a degree from here to make a start in life.

So you did not get the "instate" tuition benefit, right ?

Edited March 24, 2009 by leapoffaith

[leapoffaith 0]

For what it's worth, here is a link to the Community College of Allegheny County's page on determining residency; and here is the same for the University of Pittsburgh.

It looks like you would need to reside in Pennsylvania one year before you could petition to be classified as a resident for tuition purposes for these schools. It *may* be that private schools or vocational schools have different requirements. If you have a school in mind, have a look on their tuition page, there will probably be a link to residency information.

(And the same goes for other states as well - the schools should have some sort of link for residency.)

Good luck!

thanks for providing the links. I already been there so many times and have all the info stuff sent by them through mail.

I even talked to them on phone and they had a difficult time understanding my status. I am NOT an international student on F1 who needs I20 to study here.

What is my status here as far as study is concerned. Am I a permanent resident ? not right now but after 2 months when I get it, I would be right ?

Secondly. instate requires one year of stay - so even after being a permanent resident of PA I am still not qualified for the instate tuition benefits.

I dont drive right now so I have to wait for my wife to drive me there in the weekend

[DI&JR 1]

thanks for providing the links. I already been there so many times and have all the info stuff sent by them through mail.

I even talked to them on phone and they had a difficult time understanding my status. I am NOT an international student on F1 who needs I20 to study here.

What is my status here as far as study is concerned. Am I a permanent resident ? not right now but after 2 months when I get it, I would be right ?

Secondly. instate requires one year of stay - so even after being a permanent resident of PA I am still not qualified for the instate tuition benefits.

I dont drive right now so I have to wait for my wife to drive me there in the weekend

Most schools don't have many new students coming in with family-based immigration questions, they have mostly students seeking F- or J- visas, so they simply don't know (keeping in mind that the school sponsors the F- or J- holder).

New residents of PA have to reside for one year for in-state tuition, it's that way even if you are a citizen moving from another state. I know that there are documents one can use to request reclassification to in-state status, but it's not a certainty that they would grant it, and looking at the one for the University of Pittsburgh, it looks like you would have to already be registered and perhaps already paying out-of-state tuition.

It also probably varies by school, too.

Please note, I don't work in an academic department, so my familiarity with tuition issues is slight!

[motu 6]

So you did not get the "instate" tuition benefit, right ?

I went to a Univ. in Michigan that does not have instate tuition - everyone pays the same (quite expensive). I would have been eligible for instate tuition in Utah as I had lived there for a year and had filed taxes but their schools had strange admissions criteria and wouldn't give me admission to the master's program (I had a 3 year degree from India with double the GRE score that they required for their master's admissions).

I believe a year's residence is rather common for establishing in-state residency - some states consider you a resident after 6 months residency - the schools know how to handle it. Any large school knows the details of these better than anyone else - smaller schools wouldn't know the criteria. Good Luck