Who can get federal student aid?

In order to get federal student aid there are some basic eligibility requirements:

• You must be a be a U.S. citizen (or U.S. national) or eligible noncitizen
• You must have a valid Social Security Number (unless you're from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau)
• Most males must register with Selective Service, if you are male and 18 to 25 years of age (go to www.sss.gov for more information)
• You must have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate or pass an exam approved by the U.S. Department of Education
• You must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program at a college that participates in the federal student aid programs
• You cannot have a drug conviction for an offense that occurred while you were receiving federal student aid (such as grants, loans, or work-study)

Who is an eligible noncitizen?

You are an eligible noncitizen if you are a U.S. permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551 or I-551C (Permanent Resident Card).

You may also be an eligible noncitizen if you have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) showing

• "Refugee,"
• "Asylum Granted,"
• "Cuban-Haitian Entrant (Status Pending),"
• "Conditional Entrant" (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980),
• "Paroled" (must be paroled for at least one year), or
• Victim of human trafficking (T-Visa).

If you are a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau, you are eligible only for certain federal student aid programs. For more information, check with the financial aid office at the college you plan to attend.

What if I'm not a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen?

You are not eligible for federal student aid if you have:

• A "Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence" (I-171 or I-464),
• An F-1 or F-2 student visa,
• A J-1 or J-2 exchange-visitor visa, or
• A G series visa.

But there are still some sources of aid for you. Try contacting the college you plan to attend or your high school counselor; they may know of scholarships for international students. Your country's government, or its embassy in the United States, may have aid for students. You can also try a scholarship search at www.studentaid.ed.gov.