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As is normal with all great institutions, there is a cost of attendance for most of the schools you are hoping to get into. However, the schools cost a lot of money, and given the median income in Kenya, the amount you are expected to pay is probably way more than you ever planned on spending on your college application.

Thankfully, most of the institutions that you are applying to are pretty generous and they offer financial aid that meets the need of the applicant.

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• Need Blind
When a college maintains a need blind admission policy, it accepts students without regard to the applicant’s financial need. However, some schools that call themselves need blind will not provide sufficient money in their financial aid packages.


• Need Aware
At schools with need-aware policies, schools do examine the financial need of students. Many, students, however, are selected regardless of their financial neediness. But if the school admits you, they will meet your full financial needFor

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• Grants(Gift Aid)
Grants are a type of financial aid that do not require repayment. Grants may be: merit-based, need-based or student-specific(minorities, women, and international students).


• Scholarships
Like grants, scholarships do not require repayment. They are typically offered by individual institutions and private organizations and can be awarded based on: merit athletic ability, religious affiliation, and race, among others.


• Work Study
A work-study program is a work program where you can earn money that helps you pay for school. As part of the financial aid award some schools have a work study requirement,. The money you earn usually covers personal expenses that you may incur in the course of your study.

Each school that you apply to will give you info on the kind of aid pplication that they prefer. You either need to:

• File the CSS profile(at a cost although some schools offer css fee waivers if you email them about it). Deadlines: ED Nov 1st/ 15th ; RD March 1st

What is the CSS profile?
The College Board’s CSS Profile is an online application that collects information used by colleges to award financial aid.
What is the process?
Register for a College board account, Complete the CSS profile, Submit the application.
What you need
Tax records and financial documents (payslips, loan documents, school fees receipts)

or


• Submit the ISFAA & the ISCOF if the schools you are applying to require them. They are free.

What is the ISFAA
The International Student Financial Aid Application is designed to gather information from international students who are applying for financial aid at colleges and universities in the United States.
How it differs from the CSS
Amounts are in Dollars.
It’s free(You either fax or mail the document to the school).
What is the ISCOF
The purpose of the Certification of Finances is to help colleges and universities obtain complete and accurate information about the funds available to international applicants who want to study in the United States.

or


• School-specific financial aid profiles. (Princeton, Penn & Harvard)

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It may happen that the amount of aid that you need and the amount of aid that the school you are admitted offers to you are not the same. You need more money. How then do you ask a school that has been generous enough to give you their money for more money?

Circumstances for you can ask the school for further aid include but are not limited to:

• Death of a parent
• Loss of a job
• Paying medical expenses out of pocket
• Divorce
• Any change in your financial circumstances
• Emergent unaccounted for costs e.g. birth of a baby, school fees increase, natural disasters, loans….

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• Check the school’s websites to both understand and follow school’s appeal process
• Email the appeal letter in as early as possible after your aid award has come in.
• Provide evidence of these change in circumstances e.g. receipts, load documentation, death certificates, birth certificates, notices of termination of employment etc.
• State figures where possible. Some people advise stating the amount you need them to increase your aid award by.
• It’s recommended that the appeal comes from the student.

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If after browsing the website you feel that any of your questions have gone unanswered, please feel free to reach out to us via the links provided below or email us.





Goodluck on your quest for greatness!