Financial Aid
Upcoming Events
May 25, 2012 – 7:45pm -
9:15pm
Graduating Students Award Ceremony.
May 26, 2012 – 1:00pm -
4:00pm
Commencement & Reception.
May 27, 2012 –
Computer Science Department Annual Picnic.
May 28, 2012 – - Jun 8, 2012
Career Strategies Workshop (FPP Group).
Jun 8, 2012 –
Registration for June entry MSCS students.
Financial Aid for Students from Outside the U.S.A.
Our financial aid options provide finances for many top students who otherwise could not afford graduate professional education.
Option 1: Computer Professionals Loan
Defer most of your payment until after you get a job.
Option 2: Alternative Loan
No payment at registration plus get US $1,000 tuition reduction. US co-signer required.
The Computer Professionals Loan
Pay only between $3,500 - $7,000 when you arrive on campus. (You also need to have $1500 for personal expenses.) The top students, as determined in our Admissions Office, pay the lowest initial amount. Applicant ratings are based on: undergraduate degree, courses taken, grades, English skills, and work experience. Also, if applicants do well on the optional GRE and TOEFL tests, this helps get higher status, and therefore lower initial cost. Your remaining expenses are paid through the Computer Professionals Loan — taken out after you are placed in a practical training job. No co-signer is required.
The loan is repaid from your earnings while you are employed as a student. The average starting salary of our students for practical training jobs is currently $60,000 - $70,000 per year.
The amount you pay at registration is based primarily on your academic and professional background, and your English fluency and communication skills. A high GRE score (particularly in the quantitative section) may help you to receive a higher level of financial aid. However GRE is not required for admission to the program. Your financial aid can be applied to your educational costs including tuition, fees, campus housing, and meals. You will also receive cash advances of US $100 per month (maximum of US $800) during your on-campus studies.
Computer Professionals Loan repayment examples
If initial amount needed to enter program is: |
$3,500 |
$4,500 |
$5,800 |
$7,000 |
Loan amount is: |
$27,925 |
$26,925 |
$25,625 |
$24,425 |
Percentage of program cost covered by loan |
89% |
86% |
82% |
78% |
Estimated repayment amount |
$30,230 |
$29,140 |
$27,100 |
$24,880 |
Estimated monthly loan payment after starting U.S. work* |
$1,285 |
$1,240 |
$1,180 |
$1,125 |
*Based on 24 monthly payments at current interest rate of 9.00%. Bank interest rates subject to change.
All amounts in US $
Typical monthly budget during practical training at a U.S. company:
Monthly salary |
$5,600 |
Net income after taxes |
4,200 |
Living expenses (rent, food, clothing, transportation, etc.) |
1,800 |
Loan Payment |
1,300 |
Surplus |
$1,100 |
Tuition and Other Costs ($ US):
Tuition for all MSCS courses, including distance education courses |
25,045 |
Campus housing and meals during 9 months on-campus studies |
5,250 |
Cash advances during on-campus studies |
700 |
Student fees |
430 |
Total Program Cost |
31,425 |
Financial Aid Option 2: Alternative Loan
Pay $0 at registration plus get US $1,000 tuition reduction
If you have a co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident with a good credit rating, you may qualify for an Alternative Loan. The Alternative Loan may be used to pay the initial amount needed at registration. You may also use the Alternative Loan to pay your entire program expenses. In that case you will get a tuition discount of US $1,000.
Click HERE for more information about Alternative Loans.
If you have a co-signer, you may take out a CitiAssist Loan for the initial payment needed to enter, and repay the balance through a Computer Professionals Loan.
Other costs
Once you are accepted to the program, you will be asked to pay a US $50 fee to cover the expense of shipping of your form I-20 by express courier. The Admissions Office will contact you about the fee after your application is processed.
The U.S. Consulate charges a $200 fee to process your student visa application. You will receive instructions for paying the "SEVIS fee" online to the U.S. consulate when we send your acceptance packet. Each student must pay a US $100 security deposit when first registering at the University. This deposit is transferred from one semester to the next and is refunded at the end of enrollment, less any amount due. Students are allowed to remain on campus for up to one month after their on-campus full-time studies are complete. They can use this time to look for their CPT positions.
Students are responsible for all travel costs between their country and the campus in Fairfield, Iowa, and all travel within the U.S. for the duration of the program. You are encouraged to learn the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique in your home country before enrolling in the program. If you do not learn the Transcendental Meditation technique before arriving on campus from a qualified instructor, you will be charged an additional $625 fee for instruction. This fee may be added to the loan which you will take out after securing a practical training job. Note that instruction in the Transcendental Meditation technique is verified through submittal of an Admissions Supplement form by the TM teacher. Those who learn the TM-Sidhi program while on campus may also be required to pay an additional fee.
Loan Preference
You may choose any educational loan available to International students for payment of educational costs. We do not recommend, endorse, or prefer any specific loan. Option One is presented for you because it is does not require a co-signer and is guaranteed regardless of credit. Option Two lists two other sources of loans which our students have used during the past year. The listed lenders are not affiliated with each other or our institution. You may choose any educational loan for which you may qualify.
Frequently Asked Financial Aid Questions
Note: Tuition, other fees, and financial policies are subject to change prior to the entry date.
