Just became US citizen, do I need to tell adcom

[cmykrgb]

Hi everyone,

so I just became a US citizen. Should I email schools about this or just the one that gave me interview? Or should I just not do anything about it?

thanks!

[fuzzylogician]

Congratulations! You might update the departments you've applied to if you have reason to believe that any of their funding is restricted to US citizens only (e.g. some US government grant money might be like that). Otherwise, I don't think there is a reason why they need to know right now. If you do contact them, I'd do so for everyone; you never know, it might not help but it shouldn't hurt. 

[SysEvo]

59 minutes ago, cmykrgb said:

Hi everyone,

so I just became a US citizen. Should I email schools about this or just the one that gave me interview? Or should I just not do anything about it?

thanks!

you should definitely do that. International students are considered separately from US students and the competition is way more tense for the international ones. Since most interviews are out now, you'd better do it ASAP, calling them. Congrats!

[TakeruK]

Yes, you should definitely let them know, especially for STEM fields (it says you're in Neuroscience). At some schools, the only difference between acceptance and rejection could be your citizenship status. At other schools, it will make no difference at all but it won't hurt you either. A brief note directly to each department stating the updated status would be great (for schools that have invited you to interview, also tell the person who made the invitation).

The reason I say it's important is not only for grant reasons, but for tuition reasons. Citizenship means you qualify for in-state tuition at schools where it makes a difference! That said, if you were a permanent resident before, sometimes PRs also have reduced tuition so it might not make a difference there. But I'm not sure if you went from no status to citizenship or if this change has little effect on this aspect. 

[cmykrgb]

ok! will do so to schools that haven't rejected me yet the first thing tomorrow. Yea, the reason I asked is because I was a permanent resident so I think I was considered as "domestic", but there probably still is a small difference between citizens and permanent residents