Anyone got any financial aid from calarts before?

[creamypencil]

Just wonderef if calars is generous to offer large amount of financial aid.

I am so worried =(

[womp]

Just got accepted to the MFA program in music composition but didn't receive any offer of financial support. I contacted the department and they told me that there is one TA position available but that otherwise I would have to wait on the financial aid office to contact me at the beginning of April.

[miyamoto81]

I specifically asked them during my interview what the funding situation was and they flat out told me that they "were not a funded program." So, I wouldn't count on a lot of financial support, at least not from the school itself. There are a lot of scholarships that you can apply for - if you look at their financial aid page, they are listed there.

[creamypencil]

I specifically asked them during my interview what the funding situation was and they flat out told me that they "were not a funded program." So, I wouldn't count on a lot of financial support, at least not from the school itself. There are a lot of scholarships that you can apply for - if you look at their financial aid page, they are listed there.

hi , miyamoto81,

But the point is I am an international applicant, so I don't think I can choose to apply different scholarship or apply for US government loan. That really stress me out.

I am desperately finding scholarship for international applicants right now =( Otherwise, I am seriously considering to defer my acceptance =(

[miyamoto81]

hi , miyamoto81,

But the point is I am an international applicant, so I don't think I can choose to apply different scholarship or apply for US government loan. That really stress me out.

I am desperately finding scholarship for international applicants right now =( Otherwise, I am seriously considering to defer my acceptance =(

Hi there! Yeah, sorry that aid for international students isn't a lot . . . (I was actually thinking about applying for schools in Canada or Europe, but I didn't because I wouldn't have been able to pay for it . . . ) You're right, you can't take out any federal loans, but keep on looking at scholarships and seeing which ones you can apply for as an international student, there has to be some! Or your idea of asking for a deference is good too, you can see if they can give you any advice when you do.

Good luck, I hope you find a way!

[michaelwebster]

Hi creamypencil, I have heard of international applicants sometimes getting funding through their own governments. I don't know what countries these were for, but you should try to research if there are any scholarships available for you from your home country. You may also be eligible for some scholarships that aren't given by a school, but by some other organization within the US. I don't really know where to look for either of these, but I know they exist.

Edited March 18, 2012 by michaelwebster

[cxxxxxx]

If you do defer you can apply for a Fulbright scholarship if your country has this!

[Babar_Suleman]

^ That's what I'm gonna do but I'm hoping it doesn't come to that. Fulbright grantees have to return to their own countries right after they graduate and they can't go back to the States for the same amount of time as they stayed in the US. So for masters candidates, that would typically be two years. Such a break would make resuming a career in the US terribly difficult.

Anyone has any insights/opinions/comments on this? It will probably be helpful to people in similar situations as myself and the thread starter.

[creamypencil]

^ That's what I'm gonna do but I'm hoping it doesn't come to that. Fulbright grantees have to return to their own countries right after they graduate and they can't go back to the States for the same amount of time as they stayed in the US. So for masters candidates, that would typically be two years. Such a break would make resuming a career in the US terribly difficult.

Anyone has any insights/opinions/comments on this? It will probably be helpful to people in similar situations as myself and the thread starter.

Yea...I have never thought of high-quality education in the US is such a luxrious good!! =(

I am waiting the financial aid decision to be released soon in early april. Hopefully, they will offer me enough aid. But I don't think they will, due to the fact that I am an international applicant I guess.

Seriously considering to defer my acceptance....=(

I want to cry!!!!!!

[Babar_Suleman]

^ The thing that's worrying me right now is that even if we manage to pay for good schools (CalArts for you, Carnegie Mellon for me), would we be able to find decent jobs straight away? If I paid nearly $70000 in tuition alone and had to return to my home country after I graduate (either coz of failing to get a good job or/and get a work visa), I would be devastated as that would have been the same fate as with the Fulbright scholarship and I wouldn't have had to pay a dime.

Also, its important for me that I'm able to bring my mother to the US after I graduate as she will need me to take care of her by then. Would I be able to do that with the job I get after I graduate? Does anyone have thoughts on this particular issue?

So many considerations and decisions...

[cxxxxxx]

I'm perfectly happy with going back to the UK after studying, I will be doing my MFA in the US and incurring almost no debt, whilst being able to be a full time student and not able to work (outside of the university) for 2 years and concentrate entirely on my studies/practice. The quality of the education in the US is fantastic, I can't wait top go, even if I don't get my choice of schools and find myself restricted by funding. I guess my goal is not to live in North America though, I'm happy enough in the UK and I'm sure there will be jobs and opportunities there waiting when I go back! (there better be...) You should seriously consider applying to other scholarships, have you got a backup plan if you don't get financial aid?

[creamypencil]

I'm perfectly happy with going back to the UK after studying, I will be doing my MFA in the US and incurring almost no debt, whilst being able to be a full time student and not able to work (outside of the university) for 2 years and concentrate entirely on my studies/practice. The quality of the education in the US is fantastic, I can't wait top go, even if I don't get my choice of schools and find myself restricted by funding. I guess my goal is not to live in North America though, I'm happy enough in the UK and I'm sure there will be jobs and opportunities there waiting when I go back! (there better be...) You should seriously consider applying to other scholarships, have you got a backup plan if you don't get financial aid?

Since I am a fresh graduate, I don't have much real full-time working experience. So I think I will work for at least a year and defer the acceptance for a year. But still I don't think I can afford it without any scholarship even after a year . I have applied all the scholarships I can in Hong Kong. So the only possible way is to take out loans.

Hm.....I will feel guilit to rely on my family all the time like this. =(

Any updates from u, cxxxxx? btw, I like your self-portrait! I do self-portrait too for my portfolio =)

[creamypencil]

^ The thing that's worrying me right now is that even if we manage to pay for good schools (CalArts for you, Carnegie Mellon for me), would we be able to find decent jobs straight away? If I paid nearly $70000 in tuition alone and had to return to my home country after I graduate (either coz of failing to get a good job or/and get a work visa), I would be devastated as that would have been the same fate as with the Fulbright scholarship and I wouldn't have had to pay a dime.

Also, its important for me that I'm able to bring my mother to the US after I graduate as she will need me to take care of her by then. Would I be able to do that with the job I get after I graduate? Does anyone have thoughts on this particular issue?

So many considerations and decisions...

Barbar,

I can see you are under lots of stress now =( THe economy in the US is so bad that we cannot predict anything. I have no idea what kind of job I can get after I study a MFA in calarts.

[cxxxxxx]

creamypencil, whats you website? I can't remember if I've seen it or not, thanks though! I haven't heard anything at all! I have a fairly good offer from ASU (PM me if you want!) I actually have no option of asking my parents :-( I'm sure if they had the money to spare they wouldn't hesitate though. Has anyone bought more lottery tickets recently? I'm going tpo buy a bunch of scratch cards and lottery tickets tomorrow and then I'm going to join a bingo club

[michaelwebster]

I'm perfectly happy with going back to the UK after studying, I will be doing my MFA in the US and incurring almost no debt, whilst being able to be a full time student and not able to work (outside of the university) for 2 years and concentrate entirely on my studies/practice. The quality of the education in the US is fantastic, I can't wait top go, even if I don't get my choice of schools and find myself restricted by funding. I guess my goal is not to live in North America though, I'm happy enough in the UK and I'm sure there will be jobs and opportunities there waiting when I go back! (there better be...) You should seriously consider applying to other scholarships, have you got a backup plan if you don't get financial aid?

I would want to go back to the UK too if I was from there. I am jealous of how much more empasis/resources/funding is placed on art in Europe, the UK especially.

[Babar_Suleman]

Barbar,

I can see you are under lots of stress now =( THe economy in the US is so bad that we cannot predict anything. I have no idea what kind of job I can get after I study a MFA in calarts.

I really am under a lot of stress. What sucks about the whole situation is that I got into my dream program/school (and I understand how elusive that can be for so many people) and yet have so many other pressing issues to deal with.

Don't MFAs usually pursue teaching jobs at college level? I will be getting a Masters in Design from CMU and will probably need to look at jobs at agencies and companies.

I would want to go back to the UK too if I was from there. I am jealous of how much more empasis/resources/funding is placed on art in Europe, the UK especially.

Exactly. It's people like us that are not from the UK and US that have less stellar career prospects back home.

[cxxxxxx]

Exactly. It's people like us that are not from the UK and US that have less stellar career prospects back home.

yep, I realise that. Its still very competitive though, and if I want to teach at all I still have to study for another post graduate qualification in the UK.

[Skweeder]

(I was actually thinking about applying for schools in Canada or Europe, but I didn't because I wouldn't have been able to pay for it . . . )

Well in Quebec (Canada)... there is a way for international student to get the same rate as local student (It's an international student fee waiver) so basically you'd pay a huge 540$Can for a 15 credits semester (in Quebec)... with courses fee and everything (books and whanot) it adds up to around 900$ per semester. I don't know if it's a provincial only thing or for the whole country though. They are also very competitive I guess as not all my international friends benefit from it. For local student or international student riding on the waiver one needs at least 12000$CAN per year to get by (that includes tuition, courses, rent and basic expenses)...

Has anyone bought more lottery tickets recently? I'm going tpo buy a bunch of scratch cards and lottery tickets tomorrow and then I'm going to join a bingo club

I have invested so far 15$ in loto ticket since the beginning of march... so far I've gotten 2 free tickets AND a big 2$. sooo promising

[creamypencil]

I wish I applied for schools that are generous to help students. =( This is the first time I applied for grad school in the US.

I hadn't thought that many students, even the locals, are under immerse stress about money!! Fingers crossed for everyone awaiting the result of financial aid!

[mica_c]

If it helps you to know this, my friend went to CalArts for Graphic Design MFA in the early 2000's: he got an outside scholarship that covered his first year of study, then after his first year spent a year working in a US design agency where he was able to save up for his next CalArts school year, and got through the rest of his program successfully.

You may be able to find more information about practical training here: http://www.internationalstudent.com/study_usa/way-of-life/working-in-the-usa.shtml

[womp]

Not sure if this is of any help, but I called up the financial aid office the other day and asked them about funding. They told me that they will be sending out offers of financial support at the end of the month and that they offer both need-based and merit-based funding. Not quite sure what to expect - do they ever offer full rides or tuition waivers? Bah, I wish they would just tell us already..

[Babar_Suleman]

Why are art/design schools so miserly with financial aid? :x

[Song]

question - when everyone here mentions "financial aid" - do you mean scholarships or federal loans?

[Babar_Suleman]

^ scholarships for me. I'm steering absolutely clear of loans.

[Song]

^ scholarships for me. I'm steering absolutely clear of loans.

Good luck with that! Going to these top schools almost always means taking out loans [unless you've got really rich parents]. I guess you can apply for Fullbright... I have dual citizenship so I'm not eligible for that. But I can stay and work after.