By Sofia McGinnis
According to Boundless, “The United States continues to attract international students in record numbers, hosting over 1.1 million students during the 2023-2024 academic year.”
About 1/10 of The University of Tampa students are international students, and many of them are looking for financial aid to help with the cost of the university.
College students are not unfamiliar with financial aid. According to ut.edu, “90% of students receive [financial] aid. [With] $124 million [being] in institutional aid.”
Maria Eansilva is an international student from Brazil studying psychology. She explained that the application process for international students is very similar to the application for students in the United States.
“I work on my SATs, ACTs, my english proficiency test. There are many things that I worked on extracurriculars, volunteer work. And then I use the Common App to apply,” said Eansilva.
All international students at the University of Tampa are automatically considered for scholarships. The only financial aid offered to international students at the University of Tampa are merit-based. This is due to international students not qualifying for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Candice Chan, the assistant vice president of enrollment in the International Admissions department explained the difference between international and domestic students.
“[It’s] exactly the same. We review international students the same as domestic [students],” said Chan. “And then the scholarship amount they receive is exactly the same as domestic students. The only difference with international students is depending on where they are from. … We do require the English proficiency test scores.”
There has been a concern among many domestic students about student loans provided by the government due to the federal fund freeze and the president’s executive orders. However, at the moment, it is unclear whether or not international students will have to be concerned about their financial aid.
“We decide. But there has been a lot with the new administration,” said Chan. “There’s an executive order every other day. So I don’t really know what is going to happen in the future, but as of right now, our scholarship is based on students’ merit.”
While international students benefit from the aid provided by UTampa, many students still struggle to find other ways to lower the cost of tuition.
Mirella Losso, a nursing major from Brazil, talks about how many students in her school struggle to find financial aid when applying to many different United States colleges.
“Most of the people in my school when were applying because mostly everyone wanted to apply outside [Brazil],” said Losso. “It’s very difficult for us to pay for college. So, everyone was just looking everywhere for as many scholarships as possible.”
It seems, like many students at UTampa, international students have to also look for other means to pay for tuition.
However, Tampa also offers support for their international students to help them settle in and to aid them in times of need.
Jessica Ramierez, an international student advisor, explains all the ways in which the University of Tampa supports their students.
“We offer an orientation program,” said Ramierez. “We also assist them [with] their employment options as F or J visa holders. … We encourage [them] to their international student advisors … for any decisions, concerns, or issues they may have.”
Despite the expensive tuition, international students continue to enjoy their time and education at UTampa.
“I think for the school, yes, it is really expensive,” said Eansilva. “But at the same time, … the resources …. and the availability of the people that work here, I think that part is worth it.”