Finantial Torture

[pawqara]

Hi!

I am an international applicant, and only applied to 2 programs in the same school to work with the same POI because I had no money to try other places (and looove that POI )

The school is a big state university that has gone a MAJOR budget cut recently. One of the programs rejected me and the other one wants to accept me but has no money. They had already accepted very few applicants that were US citizens and could be funded by some grant that is only for US citizens. Yesterday my POI told me they have money to fund me for 4 years, but cannot accept me without the money for the 5th (I suppose for the visa application and procedures). So they are asking everybody, including one of my recommenders who is head of an international NGO, to see if he/they could fund me for this additional year (I don't think this will happen). They told me that if that money is found, i will definitely be accepted. But then the head of admissions committee emailed my POI "we are on the same page on this one and so is the rest of the admissions committee. I'm confident we find a solution one way or the other. Let's keep working hard on it together."

My question is...

translation please?

advice?

I have no idea how long would this solution finding could go, or if I could be admitted with funding only for 4 years, or if I should start begging people to raise money for one year, or what to do?

Do you think they could ultimately reject me? or are they sincerely trying to admit me? are university's that bad financially? what could I do -besides begging for money- to improve my chance? I really really need to be admitted, if not, I would have to get a way too underpaid job with long and crazy hours and forget my current research project and future education

Thank you! (and thank you for letting me vent!)

[kkeefe]

Hi!

I have no idea how long would this solution finding could go, or if I could be admitted with funding only for 4 years, or if I should start begging people to raise money for one year, or what to do?

Do you think they could ultimately reject me? or are they sincerely trying to admit me? are university's that bad financially? what could I do -besides begging for money- to improve my chance? I really really need to be admitted, if not, I would have to get a way too underpaid job with long and crazy hours and forget my current research project and future education

Thank you! (and thank you for letting me vent!)

Could you let the program/PI know of your intent to apply for other grants perhaps? What about putting in an application to NSF or pursuing other grants while you are in the program? It seems like they could let you have the 4 years to try to get yourself more support for a fifth...especially if you are quite willing to take the risk and make that clear.

[jblsmith]

Could you not just apply for a private student loan?

[NoMoreABD]

As an international student myself (well, at least a prospective one...), I know you can't get a student loan at this stage. But you'll probably be able to once you're in the program, with a student visa. Especially after a couple of years, when you become some sort of permanent resident. All this info is available on-line.

If I were you, I would check exactly how - and when - I'd be able to apply for a loan, and then email this POI with a plan. Maybe what they need is just some kind of a formal statement on your side that you guarantee you'll get the needed funds.

And there are all kind of options after four years, like financial aid, scholarships and rewards.

Don't give up! Make a financial plan for the 5th year and convince them you'll have the money, even if now you have no idea how you gonna get it.

We'll keep our fingers crossed for you