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Information for International Students

Financial Aid for International Students

International students do not need to submit a financial aid application to be considered for scholarships. These awards are made at the time of admission.

International students are eligible for consideration for any scholarship, specific to their program of study, unless the scholarship description specifically states otherwise. Students are awarded scholarships as part of the admissions process and are notified of the scholarship amount, if any, in the letter of admission. Students are not reconsidered for additional financial aid after the original scholarship has been awarded.

International students are required to submit other forms as required by the Carnegie Mellon University Office of International Education (OIE).

Fulbright Scholarships

Up to half-tuition scholarships awarded by the school to entering Fulbright Fellows. More information on the Fulbright Fellowship program can be found on the program website.

Tuition Waivers

Heinz College does not offer tuition waivers to master's students.

Outside Scholarships

You can research other ways of financing your education at your library or online.  Here are some useful websites:

  • FinAid: The Financial Aid Information Page
  • FastWeb
  • Fellowships and Scholarships

    A vast number of external scholarships, fellowships, and educational opportunities are listed on the Carnegie Mellon Fellowships and Scholarships website, http://cmu.edu/fso. The FSO office will assist you with personal statements, project proposals, general application preparation, and guidelines on how to submit a competitive application. Students are also encouraged to discuss the search process for external funding opportunities with the Fellowships Advisor. Call 412-268-1969 for an appointment.

Work Awards

Teaching Assistants (TA)

  • International students may apply for TA positions for their final two semesters.
  • TAs aid instructors by grading homework and exams, conducting review sessions and tutoring.
  • TAs are paid hourly. TAs are not awarded any tuition waivers.

Work-study Positions

International students are not eligible for work-study awards. However, short-term projects occasionally arise that provide international students with the opportunity to earn money during a semester.

Alternative Loans for International Students

 Alternative education loans are loans extended to students by private lending institutions on the basis of creditworthiness.  International students are required to have a cosigner for the loan who is a US citizen or permanent resident of the US.

LOAN APPLICATION PROCESS:

  • Loan applications are available through many lender websites;  interest rates and fees vary by lender.
  • The lender may require additional documentation from you and/or your cosigner before they consider your application as complete. This documentation might include things such as citizenship verification, cosigner income and employment verification, etc.
  • A loan may cover an enrollment period of no more than one calendar year. If your enrollment extends beyond one calendar year and you want to borrow after that year lapses, you need to apply for another loan for that enrollment period.

LOAN APPROVAL PROCESS:

  • Once your loan application is complete, the lender performs a credit investigation and either approves or denies the loan. You may contact your lender at any time during the loan application and/or approval process to check the status of your loan application.
  • If the loan is approved, the lender contacts the school and asks the school to provide enrollment, cost of attendance, and disbursement date information. This is called loan certification. Disbursement dates are generally 2 or 3 equal disbursements, about 10 days before each semester begins.
  • If the loan is denied, the lender contacts the student directly.

LOAN DISBURSEMENT PROCESS:

  • The lender initiates the loan disbursement process on or about the date requested via the school certifiication.
  • Generally, disbursements are done via electronic funds transfer (EFT) directly to the university student account. In cases where the funds are sent to the school via paper check, the student must endorse the check in the HUB before it is credited to the student account.
  • Each disbursement appears as a credit on your university student account.
  • If the loan disbursement results in a credit balance (negative balance) on the student account, a refund is generated to the student to use for living and other education-related expenses.

Alternative (Non-Federal) Loan Lenders

LENDER LOAN NAME WHERE TO APPLY
WELLS FARGO WELLS FARGO GRADUATE LOAN VIEW DETAILS AND APPLY
CHASE CHASE SELECT LOAN VIEW DETAILS AND APPLY
CITIBANK CITIASSIST LOAN VIEW DETAILS AND APPLY
CITIZENS BANK TRUFIT STUDENT LOAN VIEW DETAILS AND APPLY
SALLIE MAE SMART OPTION LOAN VIEW DETAILS AND APPLY

TMS (Tuition Management Systems) Payment Plan

TMS (Tuition Management Systems) Payment Plan

The TMS Payment Plan is a monthly payment plan which may be used as an alternative to borrowing. Participants pay an annual enrollment fee. The plan enables participants to pay for Fall and Spring tuition charges over a 10-month period and is open to all Carnegie Mellon students.  The plan is not available for the Summer semester.

To enroll, please contact one of the TMS Education Payment Counselors at 1-800-722-4867, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (EST). Click here for more information.