International LL.M. Students
Financing an educational program in the U.S. can be a challenging prospect. BU Law tries to research as many options as possible to provide international students with the best options available.
There are ways for students to pursue their own research. Below are some potential resources:
- U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
- U.S. Colleges and Universities - for international students currently enrolled in a college in the U.S. resources may include - International Student Advisor, Financial Aid Office, Career Planning Office
- International Organizations - Soros Foundation, Rotary International, etc.
- Professional organizations
- Organizations that support individuals of your ethnicity, race, or gender
Applying for Private Educational Loans
Loan funding is available to international students through private lenders such as:
- The Education Resources Institute (TERI)
- The Access Group
- MEFA
- International Education Finance Corporation
- CanLearn - Loans for Canadian Students
A co-signer who is an U.S. citizen is usually required for all international students. Information on the terms of the private loans is available from the Law Financial Aid Office.
Approval for private loans is based on the credit history of both the student and the co-signer. Your credit history, and that of your co-signer, can be affected by a number of factors, including slow payment on credit cards. If you or your co-signer are unsure of your credit rating, you should request a copy of your credit report as soon as possible so that you can assess whether or not you will be approved for a private loan. The School of Law is unable to make up student funding shortfalls caused by private loan rejection.
The application and credit check process for private loans may be time-consuming. We recommend that you plan to apply for these loans as soon as the applications become available (usually in April), so that the loan can be used for the fall semester tuition deadline.