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Studying in the U.S. can be incredibly expensive. If you’re looking into studying abroad and are hoping to support yourself through aid or scholarships, this guide is for you.

Let’s start with the opportunities for funding from the university or college you’re hoping to attend:

There are two primary forms of financial assistance that a school can offer you: need-based aid and merit-based aid.

Need-based aid is financial assistance based on need - in other words, it is based on your family's finances, typically related to your family’s ability to pay for your tuition.

Merit-based aid is based on your skills or abilities, oftentimes related to your academic performance. Merit-based scholarships can also cover artistic or athletic abilities.

When applying to schools, you’ll notice that some schools are classified as “need-blind” while others are “need-aware”. This is an important concept to be aware of. Here's what it means:

Schools that are "need-aware" will consider whether or not you request financial aid when you apply. Typically they say this is is because their financial aid is limited, so they have to be aware of how many international students they accept who will then require need-based aid. Put simply, whether or not you ask for aid can have an impact on the school's admission decision.

On the other hand, "need-blind" schools are schools that don't look at your request for financial aid when considering whether or not to accept you. There are fewer of these schools (specifically for international students). These schools do not factor in your need for financial aid when making a decision on your admission.

Important note: The majority of U.S. universities require that international students fill out their request for financial aid at the time of their application. Check the school's financial aid website to confirm if this is the case.

Outside of aid provided by the university, there are three other forms of financial assistance an international student can take advantage of. These include "external scholarships", work-study programs, and loans. We'll briefly break each of these down as well.

External scholarships: These scholarships, sometimes also called private scholarships, are awards you can receive outside of your college or university to help fund your education. When approaching these scholarships, you want to make sure you meet the eligibility criteria (especially regarding your citizenship status), and that you provide the necessary applications and documents to be considered. You can find these scholarships in a variety of places, including your schools website for external/private scholarships, external scholarship sites. Sometimes, even your home country can sometimes provide scholarships for studying abroad.

Work-study programs: These vary based on the country you are studying in, but in the U.S., individuals on F-1 visas can work on-campus jobs for up to 20 hours a week. As most students will tell you, don't rely on this to fund your education - often times this money is used for personal expenses while abroad. It is incredibly important to ensure that you are staying within the legal boundaries of your F1 visa when working. The most trustworthy source to confirm this is the USCIS website.

Loans: Although international students are not eligible for loans backed by the U.S. government, they are eligible for private loans. Many students hesitate to take loans because these can lead to debt, but they are an option you can explore.