Hey there! I’m also an international applicant and I would add that for some universities it truly matters if you come with a fellowship already or some type of funding. Especially for public schools, some of them have certain constraints for international applicants, they may be more expensive than a domestic one, or can only offer one spot (increasing the competition even more). I know this to be the case at least at the University of California form the POI that I talked to. They really stressed that in order for me to have a real chance, I should make sure to also bring some money to the school. You may try that if you can, or strategically think if you’re applying to public or private schools, look at how many international students they usually accept, what their profiles are. Just to get a grasp of what your real chances are. Also, talk to your POI and ask about this info in advance, it really helps! Good luck.
