Loans for UK students studying in the US

[opalfire]

Hi. My DS wants to go to university in the US but I'm really worried about how to fund it. I've been looking at the Fulbright Commission website and it looks like the UK student loan scheme is for UK students at UK universities and the US loans scheme is for US citizens. So he wouldn't be eligible for either. The total annual cost for fees and living etc is way beyond our budget or savings. I know that some universities have bursaries but we'd probably have a joint income of just too much. Does anyone have any experience of sending DC to US universities and which organisations might be best for loan applications? Fingers crossed!

The Fullbright summer school is for year 12. Do go to their Career day in September/October. There was also a MOOC on applying to US Universities - which would be worth doing an internet search for.
Stanford doesn't offer much to International students.
Lots of other places (well of the well endowed places) do offer needs blind admission, which means they decide if they want you, and then work out what combination of financial aid you will need to be able to go. This can include: student savings, parental contribution, scholarships, loans and working. With a student visa you can work on Campus, but there is also a limit to the number of hours. US universities in my experience are much more set up for students to work on campus.
The other difference to the UK is that the amount that a US university will think you need to study, is more than just student fees, but includes living costs.

However he may well also need to sit SAT/ACTs.
The application process is quite different to the UK, and involves essays, and often you are not applying for "Computer Science" but for a Liberal Arts degree, with a view to doing a chosen Major.
He also needs strong motivation as to why he wants to study in the US at his chosen institution, over and above its good reputation.
It might be useful to at least try a MOOC from there, to see what teaching can be like. Both Stanford and MIT are quite central to the provision on MOOCs.

Are you me OP? My son has exactly the same ambitions as yours to work at MIT! In the end he decided to apply for undergrad here in the UK and has just had an offer from Inperial college so now has his sights on MIT for his PhD (he likes to plan ahead :) ) best of luck to your DS

Do USA citizens have to pay the huge fees too or do they get loans like our kids do (except bigger)?