Pell Grants for Foreign Students
- Students with refugee or asylum (granted, not pending) status are eligible for Pell Grants, as is any person on a "T" visa (issued to victims of human trafficking), Cuban or Haitian entrants and parolees who have been in the U.S. for at least a year and intend to apply for permanent residence or citizenship. Any student in possession of one of these visas is considered an "eligible non-citizen" on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and by the Department of Education.
- The few foreign students who possess one of the eligible visas must meet all of the regular requirements for applying for a Pell Grant and supply their "Alien Registration Number" (question 15 on the FAFSA), which officials will check to ensure that the applicant is eligible. Applicants must also demonstrate financial need, have been accepted to a certificate, associate degree or bachelor's degree program at one of the 5,400 schools in the Pell Grant program, have a high school diploma or equivalent by the time their program starts, and not already have a bachelor's degree.
- Foreign students on any "J" or "F" visa cannot receive a Pell Grant. Likewise, foreign students in any special exchange or work program cannot receive a Pell Grant (unless the program is in connection with one of the immigration status groups listed in the "Eligible Students" section).
- Foreign students have limited options when it comes to finding funding for an education in the United States. According to financial aid advisor Mark Kantrowitz, several hundred schools provide financial aid for foreign students using private funds. Furthermore, Kantrowitz notes that many schools waive tuition and offer fellowships to graduate students, including foreign students.