A large portion of education is offered free of charge to the residents in United States in public schools. But for the international students, it is a very different case. This paper aims at finding out if education in public schools is free for International students, and if it is then what are the costs incurred, and what causes these costs.
To make better reading of public school funding, the following text will seek to explain the funding of public school in the U. S.
current finance flows to public schools in the U. S. are mostly property taxes, state aid and federal subsidies. This type of funding enables the schools to charge no fees to locals in the concern areas, children of U. S citizens, and legal residents. However, this model is not applicable to international students who sometimes pay tuition fee while joining public schools.
International Student Fee and Charges
General Costs: While for regular academic years, students from the other nations usually pay tuition fees when enrolled in public high schools. Such fees may cost as low as $3 000 and as high as $10 000 depending on the school district and the state. Sometimes, fees can be higher, this is with regard to the extra costs for inflation cost, school standards or even the districts the schools are located in. There are non-government schools that will cost much higher fees and some can even charge beyond $40, 000per year.
Visa Requirements: It is specifically important for international students to get a F-1 visa when they want enroll in a public school in the U. S. This is important because this visa compel the students to be fully billed. Sometimes, students on J-1 visa go to public schools and do not pay tuition fees, or have to pay little, but these situations occur only under certain conditions and with certain programs or agreements.
Exceptions: Basically, international students may attend public schools for free in the following exceptions: For instance, if a student has a relative or a legal guardian living in that school district, the student has the right to enrolment free of charged tuition fees. Further, some exchange schemes can require reimbursement; nonetheless, such opportunities are not frequent and are often associated with particular requirements.
Determinants of Cost in Public Schools for International Students
Several factors contribute to the variation in costs for international students attending public schools in the U. S. :Several factors contribute to the variation in costs for international students attending public schools in the U. S. :
Geographic Location
The cost of purchasing land or the expensive and demanding rental fees for school facilities and infrastructure also affects the cost of the schooling system. As it is expected, the cost of tuition fees also depends on the cost of living in the state: the higher the general cost, the higher the fees are, for instance, California or New York are more expensive than the central regions. The supply of education in these regions has an effect of raising the price, and as such, international students must wary of the geographical aspects of the school they are interested in.
School Type and Programs Particularly Offered
Specializing in public schools, it should be mentioned that these educational institutions can also differ greatly as for programs. Some schools offer extra services like the International Baccalaureate (IB) or the Advanced Placement (AP) classes and the fees for these schools may be considerably high to cater for these extra services. Also, the schools with facilities such as extra curriculum and technological, computerized resources and or faculty and equipment may also charge high tuition fees.
Also Read: Can international high school students work in usa
Boarding vs. Day Schools
Boarding and day schools are the other options that international students have to make also. This is so because boarding schools, those where the learners sleep in, usually cost a little more as they include charges of meals and accommodation. The low costs are usually evident in day schools where students go to their homes upon the close of the day. Such a distinction helps the students and their families when deciding on enrollment in learning institutions in the U. S.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Although there are fees for international students to attend public schools, the fees are relatively affordable since options of financial assistance and scholarships available. Classes may include need sensitive scholarships, international merit scholarships and so on. Scholarships can dramatically help in the reduction of costs and make it easier for students to attend public schools.
Types of Scholarships
International students can access several types of scholarships, including: International students can access several types of scholarships, including:
Need-Based Scholarships: These are given depending on the financial capability of the student and or the family.
Merit-Based Scholarships: They are given out based on academic accomplishment, leadership with co-curricular activities or any other achievement.
Exchange Program Scholarships: Scholarships may not be available for students as Rotary International who allows foreign students in the U. S for 1 semester as an exchange student without tuition fee charges.
Conclusion
Altogether, education in public schools in the USA is paid and international students cannot study for free. In these schools, education is offered freely to the members of that particular community; however, other international students will be expected to pay for their tuition fees the amount depending on many factors such as location, type of school, and the available courses.
However, there are numbers of financial facilities available for international students to pay these expenses such as; Financial aids and Scholarships. It is understood that families interested in enrolling their children to public education in the U. S. should study the various specific schools in terms of their fees and the chances of receiving financial aid.
