Information on Visas, loans and housing

[Helper]

My wife is part of the IDP Class of 2005.
If you have general or specific questions about H4s, F1s, SS #s or loans I may be able to help you. Just send me your questions and I'll try and respond as quickly as I can.
You can post questions to this thread or send private messages, if possible try posting them to this thread here so others can benefit as well.

Best regards

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[kpd155]

My wife is part of the IDP Class of 2005.
If you have general or specific questions about H4s, F1s, SS #s or loans I may be able to help you. Just send me your questions and I'll try and respond as quickly as I can.
Instead of sending me private messages, try posting them to this thread here so others can benefit as well.

Best regards

Hi,
thanks for helping out.I was just wondering if you know of any loans without co-signers.

 

[Helper]

There may be but I am not aware of any. The problem is that banks think the risk of default is higher if people are not citizens or permanent residents. So there aren't many choices available if you don't have a cosigner.

The cosigner has to pay the loan if the student defaults. Payments on the loans usually are not due until 6 months after graduation. This way you have time to find a job. Loan payments can be deferred if you decide to specialize and go to school further to say do 2 years of endodontics.
Also suppose the cosigner decides to buy a house or a car (two large purchases) after he / she has cosigned for the loan, their credit report will show a loan has been taken for education BUT that won't necessarily count against them since the loan does not become due until 6 months after graduation. In other words, since payments on the loan dont begin until after graduation, having a loan show up on one's credit history does not necessarily have a negative impact. Many banks also let you transfer the burden of the loan from the cosigner to the student after appx. 2 years of on time repayments after graduation.

Hope this sheds some light on the impact to cosigners.

 

[ramkumar]

dear helper

i am proceeding to study on h4 and will be joining nyu this year.i do have a co signer and i dont have a ssn but i have a tax id. will it be a problem to get the loan sanctioned.kindly give me the info needed with regard to this. sorry for this trouble. Ram

My wife is part of the IDP Class of 2005.
If you have general or specific questions about H4s, F1s, SS #s or loans I may be able to help you. Just send me your questions and I'll try and respond as quickly as I can.
You can post questions to this thread or send private messages, if possible try posting them to this thread here so others can benefit as well.

Best regards

 

[Helper]

dear helper

i am proceeding to study on h4 and will be joining nyu this year.i do have a co signer and i dont have a ssn but i have a tax id. will it be a problem to get the loan sanctioned.kindly give me the info needed with regard to this. sorry for this trouble. Ram

No trouble. Happy to help.
Not having a SS # should not be a problem, since the cosigner is the one obtaining the loan. Banks and schools sometimes assign unique numbers to applicants for loans who dont have ss #s. For the purpose of the loan, I'm not sure whether you'll be able to use a TAX ID or not, that is a question you might want to ask the bank. They will stipulate what information is needed.
My wife got her loan on an H4 with a cosigner and she did not have a ss# either, so I hope you find that reassuring.

 

[Helper]

Basic Information
At UCSF in 2003 -
My wife applied for a Signature loan with Sallie Mae / Bank One with a cosigner for the whole years cost including tuition and living expenses.They only provide 1 year's loan at a time. You have to apply again the next year. It takes as little as 48 hours or a few weeks to get the loan processed. The max amount of the loan for a year will be the maximum amount UCSF will certify which in 2003 was $90,000. The certified amount varies by school. The next year, you apply again through Sallie Mae / Bank One.You may need to have a few thousand dollars in hand before school starts to pay rent and rent deposit as the loan funds sometimes arrive only after school starts. If you are attending UCSF, they will provide information on how to obtain private loans once you are accepted, they will also work with you so you can start classes even if you dont have the loan funds available prior to the beginning of classes.

 

[nimeshshingala]

My wife is part of the IDP Class of 2005.
If you have general or specific questions about H4s, F1s, SS #s or loans I may be able to help you. Just send me your questions and I'll try and respond as quickly as I can.
You can post questions to this thread or send private messages, if possible try posting them to this thread here so others can benefit as well.

Best regards

hi helper
thanks for helping us
I am going to join UCSF in june
I am actually looking for you to guide me on the housing in san francisco
I was looking into on -campus housing but they are forcing me to lease a two bedroom apartment as I have a 8 year old Kid
and that works out to US $ 1418 per month only for the rent
can you tell me if Off- Campus Housing will work out cheaper ??
where do you look for such housing???
what is the current market rent in san francisco near the school???
your input will be appreciated
I am eagerly waiting for your reply

 

[S vashishta]

Hey Helper ...good thread !

Why did u choose sallie mae as ur prv lender ?

Basic Information
At UCSF in 2003 -
My wife applied for a Signature loan with Sallie Mae / Bank One with a cosigner for the whole years cost including tuition and living expenses.They only provide 1 year's loan at a time. You have to apply again the next year. It takes as little as 48 hours or a few weeks to get the loan processed. The max amount of the loan for a year will be the maximum amount UCSF will certify which in 2003 was $90,000. The certified amount varies by school. The next year, you apply again through Sallie Mae / Bank One.You may need to have a few thousand dollars in hand before school starts to pay rent and rent deposit as the loan funds sometimes arrive only after school starts. If you are attending UCSF, they will provide information on how to obtain private loans once you are accepted, they will also work with you so you can start classes even if you dont have the loan funds available prior to the beginning of classes.

 

[Helper]

hi helper
thanks for helping us
I am going to join UCSF in june
I am actually looking for you to guide me on the housing in san francisco
I was looking into on -campus housing but they are forcing me to lease a two bedroom apartment as I have a 8 year old Kid
and that works out to US $ 1418 per month only for the rent
can you tell me if Off- Campus Housing will work out cheaper ??
where do you look for such housing???
what is the current market rent in san francisco near the school???
your input will be appreciated
I am eagerly waiting for your reply

Housing in SF around UCSF is not as expensive as you think. Off-campus housing is as close as a two minute walk literally to campus or as far as you want it to be. There are lots of apartments available around UCSF, but most of these are not apartment complexes, they are owned by individuals and most are leased out to students. The streets to consider close to UCSF are Judah, Parnassus, Irving and Kirkham. Cross streets can be 1st through 9th.
Staying in this area will get you to UCSF fairly quick. The weather is cool every night in this area as the fog rolls in every night. You can really sleep with the window open even in summer, I've tried it. Rents can be as low as $700 for a studio or 1 bedroom or as high as $ 1200 or more in this area. The lower priced ones tend to move fast. Since IDP classes at UCSF start in June, ideally you need to arrange for housing a few weeks before that. Otherwise, if you can give me your schedule and name, I can perhaps put you in touch with people who may be moving out in June this year. Unless you know people who want to stay with before hand, most people if their spouses dont live in the Bay area stay on their own for the first year until they find out who they get along with well at school and then become apartment mates the following year. The more bedrooms there are in an apartment, the less expensive per person it typically is for rent and utilities. Just remember that the policy for renting these places is usually that a deposit includes the first and last months rent payments paid up front. You must have some funds available to cover this, since many private loans become available only after school has started.
There are lots of apartment listings at UCSF and the school web site for housing but probably one of the best resources is craigslist.org. Look for housing in the Inner Sunset district as this area is the closest to UCSF.

 

[Helper]

Hey Helper ...good thread !

Why did u choose sallie mae as ur prv lender ?

SM / Bank One approves about 80% of loans, approves it in as little as 48 hours, requires fewer documents. Can easily obtain a $90,000 loan for first year if the school will certify it. By certify I mean the amount the school indicates is required to pay tuition and pay living expenses. Loans are only available 1 year at a time. You have to apply again the same time next year to get the next year's loan. The second time I applied I asked for about $60,000 and SM approved it in 1.5 hours and I didn't even leave my chair. That was probably because they had most of the information in hand from the previous year.

Let me know if need additional info.

 

[yuqiangw]

Hi, Helper, thank you very much for all the info and help. I would like to know if it is necessary to have a car in SF if I live close to campus. I have heard that clinical work are mostly done in another campus(center). Is it convienent by public transportation? thanks

 

[Helper]

Hi, Helper, thank you very much for all the info and help. I would like to know if it is necessary to have a car in SF if I live close to campus. I have heard that clinical work are mostly done in another campus(center). Is it convienent by public transportation? thanks

A car is not necessary if you live close to campus. As it stands right now the first year for IDP students is at the Parnassus campus and everything you need - groceries, post office, hair salon, drug store etc. is walking distance and very close to UCSF. Moreover, the MUNI - which is the local transportation of choice will take you everywhere you need to go and BART will take you to the SFO airport.
Clinical work is at Buchanan but only in the second year. UCSF has shuttles to take you to the Buchanan campus. Most IDP students who dont already live in the bay area dont have a car. Local transportation is very good and efficient.

 

[Dental_layman]

My wife is part of the IDP Class of 2005.
If you have general or specific questions about H4s, F1s, SS #s or loans I may be able to help you. Just send me your questions and I'll try and respond as quickly as I can.
You can post questions to this thread or send private messages, if possible try posting them to this thread here so others can benefit as well.

Best regards

Hello Helper,
I found this site very useful and thought of getting some more info.
I would like to know what all options we have once my wife is here on H4 visa.She did her BDS in India and is looking forward for studies in US.
I found the cost of eduction and competetion is high in this feild so would like to fiugure out the best options..
What is the cost involved and the colleges which accept internation dental (undergrad) students ..
Are there any particualr exams she has to take to get admission and Since I donot have GC now what are the financial options we have...How many years is the course work(semisters) .,Are there any assistance ships avaliable(like some CS & MBA courses) ..

I am not looking for very High profile colleges but colleges where they require average GPA (3-3.5 on 4.0) ..
Any kind of information would be of great help ..
thanks,

 

[J.opt]

Loans are only available 1 year at a time. You have to apply again the same time next year to get the next year's loan. The second time I applied I asked for about $60,000 and SM approved it in 1.5 hours and I didn't even leave my chair.

Are there any advantages/disadvantages in having to apply every year?

Thanks!

 

[Helper]

Hello Helper,
I found this site very useful and thought of getting some more info.
I would like to know what all options we have once my wife is here on H4 visa.She did her BDS in India and is looking forward for studies in US.
I found the cost of eduction and competetion is high in this feild so would like to fiugure out the best options..
What is the cost involved and the colleges which accept internation dental (undergrad) students ..
Are there any particualr exams she has to take to get admission and Since I donot have GC now what are the financial options we have...How many years is the course work(semisters) .,Are there any assistance ships avaliable(like some CS & MBA courses) ..

I am not looking for very High profile colleges but colleges where they require average GPA (3-3.5 on 4.0) ..
Any kind of information would be of great help ..
thanks,

Actually I can provide more specific information. This thread only addresses issues with visas, loans or housing near Univ. of California San Francisco. The information you are asking is general and other threads address them adequately.
In a nut shell, if I can be brief here is what I can tell you.

If your wife is here on an H4, she needs to sign up to take her NBDE Part I. Some schools require Part II. Use dental decks as a guide to help prepare for the Part I and Part II exams. Paper and computer based tests are both available. See following link for specifics on the exams.
http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/natboard/index.asp

Most schools that offer International Dentist Programs (IDP) require mostly 2 years and in some cases 3 years. Graduates of this program are awarded DDS or DMD degrees. In order to gain admission into the few schools that offer these programs, scores for Part 1 should be in the upper 80s and higher. It is very competitive. Some of the schools that offer such programs include USC, UCLA, UCSF, Loma Linda, NYU, Boston, UPenn among others. Since the BDS system employs marks, they are converted into equivalent grades. ECE is one company that determines how to convert marks into grades and they have lots of information on many, many universities and colleges from India to help them convert marks to grades. Since conversion into GPA is not extremely meaningful because everyone has gone to different schools, the Part 1 and /or Part 2 scores carry a lot of weight. GPA is not the only basis for acceptance, she will need recommendation letters from professors where she got her BDS and / or where she worked, awards if any, original degree, original mark sheets etc. Requirements vary by school. See the following link for more info. on the company that converts marks into grades.
http://www.ece.org/

Cost of education for a two year program including living expenses for a single person varies from $150,000 and higher. Some may be lower. If your wife gains admission in a place where you happen to live or where you can move to, the cost is considerably less because you can eliminate rent and certain living expenses. The cost is nothing to worry about. Most people get loans to go to school. If you are not a citizen or green card holder, you can still get a loan if someone who is a green card holder or citizen is willing to cosign for you. Cosigning is not something to get too worried about.
Assitantships are not available only loans are available. Loans can be paid back over several years.

Just remember, that many people have gone through this process. While it might mean a lot of leg work to get started, it can certainly be done without too much of a headache. The SDN International Dental forum has a lot of information that will help you and your wife get through these processes smoothly.

Hope that is enough to help you get started.

 

[Helper]

Are there any advantages/disadvantages in having to apply every year?

Thanks!

Let me put it this way. Usually the bank wont give you the loan for the whole education up front. Only one year at a time, you really dont have a choice.
If you are wondering what effect it will have on your credit score, not a whole lot because the loan is not due until after graduation, unlike say a car or a house where payments begin soon after you get the loan.
So since payments dont begin until after graduation, when you apply again the following year it really should have no impact that you took out a $90,000 loan for school the previous year.

 

[Dental_layman]

Hello Helper,
Thanks a lot for the information you provided. I think its the best information for us to start with...
Thanks again,

 

[J.opt]

Let me put it this way. Usually the bank wont give you the loan for the whole education up front. Only one year at a time, you really dont have a choice.
If you are wondering what effect it will have on your credit score, not a whole lot because the loan is not due until after graduation, unlike say a car or a house where payments begin soon after you get the loan.
So since payments dont begin until after graduation, when you apply again the following year it really should have no impact that you took out a $90,000 loan for school the previous year.

Ohh OK,

I was talking to another foreign student, and her bank is going to make her pay interest while in school, instead of capitalizing the interest. Is it common for banks to require this, or is she getting screwed by the bank?

Thanks a lot.

 

[sreshta]

Hi Helper,
Thanks for clearing out a few things, i have a few more q.
a) Lets say the bank approves for the 1st year of 90K based on a co-signer A.Lets say the co-signer A has enough credit history for 100K, so would the banks be requiring another co-signer B for the loan of 90K for the 2nd year.?

b) Also lets say i dont get a co-signer A, who has credit ratings worthy of the banks to give me 90K in a year, and i have 5 GC holders who can co-sign if it is for 20K each, would the bank accept it and can i get all the 5 to co-sign for 20K each...

Thanks for u'r help in adv.

 

[balldan]

HI,
GR8 SITE HELPER.im applying to schools 4 admission into the comin year.i just wanted to clear a few doubts.
1)when is the right time to apply 4 "fafsa"-im a citizen.
2)is 'fafsa' enough?do we need additional praivate loans too?
thanx in advance, i want to get an idea on how the whole thing works!

 

[MeiLi]

Hi, Helper!

Great thread. Everyone's finding the information very useful. I have a question about visas. I've taken Parts 1 and 2 on a B2 visa, and I'm planning to apply to a dental school after the Part 2 results come out. What visa should I be applying for? Do I need to be accepted to a dental school before I can change my B2 for a student's visa?

Also, my B2 visa was difficult to obtain (I'm from the Philippines), so I'm really lucky that I was even granted a B2, which is valid for 5yrs. When I apply for student's visa, my B2 will be null and void, right?

Hope you can help me. Hope these questions will help everyone as well. Any information will be welcome. My head is spinning from information from different sources, and now I'm more confused than ever. Thanks.

MeiLi

 

[Finney. A]

Ohh OK,

I was talking to another foreign student, and her bank is going to make her pay interest while in school, instead of capitalizing the interest. Is it common for banks to require this, or is she getting screwed by the bank?

Thanks a lot.

I forgot my password, so I had to reregister with a different user name.

To answer your question, when I applied with SM / Bank One, they gave me the option to pay interest as it became due which I believe was quarterly or pay interest along with the principal 6 months after graduation when monthly payments would begin. In other words, the bank was indifferent between the two. If possible, it is better to pay interest when it is due, they will send you statements indicating the interest that has accrued. You have the option to pay it when you get the statement or wait till after graduation.

I can't speak for how other banks do it.

 

[Finney. A]

Hi Helper,
Thanks for clearing out a few things, i have a few more q.
a) Lets say the bank approves for the 1st year of 90K based on a co-signer A.Lets say the co-signer A has enough credit history for 100K, so would the banks be requiring another co-signer B for the loan of 90K for the 2nd year.?

b) Also lets say i dont get a co-signer A, who has credit ratings worthy of the banks to give me 90K in a year, and i have 5 GC holders who can co-sign if it is for 20K each, would the bank accept it and can i get all the 5 to co-sign for 20K each...

Thanks for u'r help in adv.

a) The max loan amount is not based on credit history alone.
The max loan you can get is capped by the school. The school will certify only upto a certain amount. My credit score may be excellent enough to get a $100 K loan but they will only give me upto a max of what the school certifies. In the case of UCSF, it was capped at $90K in the first year for 2003. This amount was more than enough to cover ALL fees and living expenses.
In year 2, UCSF said they would certify a max of $70K appx. This was because tuition was less in year 2. You can use the same cosigner as in year 1 to get the whole $70K if you need to. Since both these loans are not due until after graduation, it is not treated like a car or house loan when payments begin as soon as you move in or take possession of the car.

Bottom line is the same cosigner can go to the same bank for both years and ask for a loan to cover the max. the school will certify in each year. In my case, this was not a problem. That is not to say that it will never be a problem.

B) Yes. Some students follow this approach.

 

[Finney. A]

HI,
GR8 SITE HELPER.im applying to schools 4 admission into the comin year.i just wanted to clear a few doubts.
1)when is the right time to apply 4 "fafsa"-im a citizen.
2)is 'fafsa' enough?do we need additional praivate loans too?
thanx in advance, i want to get an idea on how the whole thing works!

1) Since my wife is neither a citizen nor a GC holder, she does not meet the requirements to be eligible for FAFSA. It is an option not available to non-citizens, so I don't know the answer to your question.

2) Since this question is tied to # 1, I don't know the answer to your question.

My suggestion is to try other threads under International Dental and otherwise.

 

[Finney. A]

Hi, Helper!

Great thread. Everyone's finding the information very useful. I have a question about visas. I've taken Parts 1 and 2 on a B2 visa, and I'm planning to apply to a dental school after the Part 2 results come out. What visa should I be applying for? Do I need to be accepted to a dental school before I can change my B2 for a student's visa?

Also, my B2 visa was difficult to obtain (I'm from the Philippines), so I'm really lucky that I was even granted a B2, which is valid for 5yrs. When I apply for student's visa, my B2 will be null and void, right?

Hope you can help me. Hope these questions will help everyone as well. Any information will be welcome. My head is spinning from information from different sources, and now I'm more confused than ever. Thanks.


MeiLi

As far as I know you cannot convert from B2 to F1 unless you indicated your intent to do so when you entered the US or at the US embassy. I am not familiar with the restrictions of visa conversions when entering the US as a visitor. I would advise you to check out legal web sites for issues regarding visa conversions for B-2 to F-1.

I'm sorry but I don't know the answer to question 2 either. Here are two sites that can possibly shed some light.

http://www.murthy.com/[/url]
http://www.usvisanews.com/[/url]

Good luck !

 

[J.opt]

I forgot my password, so I had to reregister with a different user name.

To answer your question, when I applied with SM / Bank One, they gave me the option to pay interest as it became due which I believe was quarterly or pay interest along with the principal 6 months after graduation when monthly payments would begin. In other words, the bank was indifferent between the two. If possible, it is better to pay interest when it is due, they will send you statements indicating the interest that has accrued. You have the option to pay it when you get the statement or wait till after graduation.

I can't speak for how other banks do it.

Do international students get a higher interest rate than U.S. citizens, or is it based on the cosigner’s credit score? About what interest rate should I expect to get? Would they take my credit score/history into account?

Also, some banks base their interest rate on the prime rate, LIBOR, etc. Does it matter which index they use?

 

[balldan]

hi.
thanx anyways.hope somebody can be able to clear my doubts.!!!

 

[Finney. A]

Do international students get a higher interest rate than U.S. citizens, or is it based on the cosigner’s credit score? About what interest rate should I expect to get? Would they take my credit score/history into account?

Also, some banks base their interest rate on the prime rate, LIBOR, etc. Does it matter which one they use?

Interest rate is based on credit scores. Citizenship has nothing to do with it.
Well two years ago it was about 4.5%.
The Rate has two components - Prime or LIBOR or other equivalent plus the amount determined based on the credit score.
If you and the cosigner are applying and you have no credit history, then the cosigner's credit is what is considered. If you have credit history, but it is not that good, it is more than likely that will not be the deal breaker. Basically, for all the bank knows, you can take the money and run but the cosigner is who is getting the loan. The obligation to repay falls on the cosigner. The cosigner needs to have average to good credit scores. The higher the score the better and the lower the interest rate.

 

[spowari]

My wife is part of the IDP Class of 2005.
If you have general or specific questions about H4s, F1s, SS #s or loans I may be able to help you. Just send me your questions and I'll try and respond as quickly as I can.
You can post questions to this thread or send private messages, if possible try posting them to this thread here so others can benefit as well.

Best regards

hi helper,
thanks a lot for helping us.good job......
im looking for the loan options.im on h4,have a cosigner with excellent credit score and history.comparing all the banks like citi bank ,bank one sallei mae ,which one is better...i mean APR and other stuff.
im planning to visit india in mid of may and come back in the end of june.i've been accepted at nyu and session will start from august 1st.so my QS is ,if i apply say on july 1st ,will i be able to manage the loan thing.imean is that time period
sufficient for the whole procedure or should i apply early.
sorry for bothering u so much .
but i would be a great help to me.
thanks

 

[Finney. A]

hi helper,
thanks a lot for helping us.good job......
im looking for the loan options.im on h4,have a cosigner with excellent credit score and history.comparing all the banks like citi bank ,bank one sallei mae ,which one is better...i mean APR and other stuff.
im planning to visit india in mid of may and come back in the end of june.i've been accepted at nyu and session will start from august 1st.so my QS is ,if i apply say on july 1st ,will i be able to manage the loan thing.imean is that time period
sufficient for the whole procedure or should i apply early.
sorry for bothering u so much .
but i would be a great help to me.
thanks

Sallie Mae is probably the fastest to approve. First year loan took a few days, 2nd year loan took 1.5 hours over the telephone. They use the prime rate and an addon based on the credit score. I can't speak for the other banks. I applied to Citibank as well. They were slow to respond, required more documents and approved for a lower amount than what I asked for.

If you apply on July 1 and you have all the documents Sallie Mae needs, that should be sufficient to get the loan approved before Aug. 1. Is there a problem in applying for the loan now? Even if they approve the loan now, they may not disburse it until the school says so which is usually around the school's start date. Usually loans come to the school and the school releases it to you, so you can still apply early and get the approval taken care of. That way, when NYU is ready to release the funds, you will be there to collect. Its just a suggestion.

Its not a bother. The forum is meant to inform.

Best regards

 

[rahmed]

HI,
GR8 SITE HELPER.im applying to schools 4 admission into the comin year.i just wanted to clear a few doubts.
1)when is the right time to apply 4 "fafsa"-im a citizen.
2)is 'fafsa' enough?do we need additional praivate loans too?
thanx in advance, i want to get an idea on how the whole thing works!

Answers:

1) January. but you can apply now. http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

2) No. Stafford Loan can let you borrow upto $38500. Rest of the cost needs to be covered by a private student loan.

Good luck,

rahmed

 

[balldan]

hey rahmed,
thanx a ton.i thought i'd never know.... thank u for ur wishes.good luck to ur future too.

 

[gpsbhattal]

hi helper, u r doing a wonderful job here on this site, i appreciate ur help.
even i have a few questions for u-
1) i`m a canadian resident , do u know whether i can get any federal loan for studying in USA?
2)if i apply online for a loan, suppose at citibank, so being in canada right now, can i use a cosigner`s name who is living in USA?
thanks in advance, take care.

hey rahmed,
thanx a ton.i thought i'd never know.... thank u for ur wishes.good luck to ur future too.

 

[rahmed]

hi helper, u r doing a wonderful job here on this site, i appreciate ur help.
even i have a few questions for u-
1) i`m a canadian resident , do u know whether i can get any federal loan for studying in USA?
2)if i apply online for a loan, suppose at citibank, so being in canada right now, can i use a cosigner`s name who is living in USA?
thanks in advance, take care.

Answers:

1) No. Only US citizen and GC holders are eligible.

2) Yes. As long as the co-signer is US citizen or GC holder with good credit history (> or = 700 points on credit score)

Good luck

rahmed

 

[toothie]

Hi, Helper!

Great thread. Everyone's finding the information very useful. I have a question about visas. I've taken Parts 1 and 2 on a B2 visa, and I'm planning to apply to a dental school after the Part 2 results come out. What visa should I be applying for? Do I need to be accepted to a dental school before I can change my B2 for a student's visa?

Also, my B2 visa was difficult to obtain (I'm from the Philippines), so I'm really lucky that I was even granted a B2, which is valid for 5yrs. When I apply for student's visa, my B2 will be null and void, right?

Hope you can help me. Hope these questions will help everyone as well. Any information will be welcome. My head is spinning from information from different sources, and now I'm more confused than ever. Thanks.

MeiLi

as far as i know
after u get admission in an university and after they get ure financial information , they will send u an I - 20 which is the document required to get a student visa.
the student visa will be issued by the embassy in ure home country.

 

[rahmed]

Hi, Helper!

Great thread. Everyone's finding the information very useful. I have a question about visas. I've taken Parts 1 and 2 on a B2 visa, and I'm planning to apply to a dental school after the Part 2 results come out. What visa should I be applying for? Do I need to be accepted to a dental school before I can change my B2 for a student's visa?

Also, my B2 visa was difficult to obtain (I'm from the Philippines), so I'm really lucky that I was even granted a B2, which is valid for 5yrs. When I apply for student's visa, my B2 will be null and void, right?

Hope you can help me. Hope these questions will help everyone as well. Any information will be welcome. My head is spinning from information from different sources, and now I'm more confused than ever. Thanks.

MeiLi

Hi MeiLi

Check out these links:

http://international.tamu.edu/iss/regulations/tourist.asp

&

http://murthyforum.atinfopop.com/4/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=1024039761&f=6404055071&m=190102125

rahmed

 

[neuro kid]

Great thread, helper.

I am an indian doctor (MBBS) who would be joining my residency in neurology in florida this year on an H1 visa. Subsequently, my wife would stay with me on an H4 visa. We planned for her to take her NDB 1 and 2 and then apply for dental schools offering advanced standing courses next year.

I was planning to buy a house with the help of the credit union of my hospital. the mortgage would come to be around 1500$ p.m. My annual salary would be about 42,000 P.a., which would leave me with about 2400 p.m. in hand each month after taxes etc.


a. Would I be able to act as her co-signor with a credit history of less than a year, if she applies for a loan next year? i am assuming that i will be paying my home loan payments on time each month.
b. if you feel that i would not be able to have a good credit history next year with a heavy loan already on my back, will she be able to get a loan with some other person as her co-signor. in other words, would my bad loan adversly affect her credibility.

c. overall, with my salary, what could be the best advise you could give me. should i skip buying a house?

d. one visa question: should she join the course on h4, or attempt to get an f1 instead.

thank you in advance.

I would also appreciate advice from anyone else in this situation.

 

[rahmed]

Great thread, helper.

I am an indian doctor (MBBS) who would be joining my residency in neurology in florida this year on an H1 visa. Subsequently, my wife would stay with me on an H4 visa. We planned for her to take her NDB 1 and 2 and then apply for dental schools offering advanced standing courses next year.

I was planning to buy a house with the help of the credit union of my hospital. the mortgage would come to be around 1500$ p.m. My annual salary would be about 42,000 P.a., which would leave me with about 2400 p.m. in hand each month after taxes etc.


a. Would I be able to act as her co-signor with a credit history of less than a year, if she applies for a loan next year? i am assuming that i will be paying my home loan payments on time each month.
b. if you feel that i would not be able to have a good credit history next year with a heavy loan already on my back, will she be able to get a loan with some other person as her co-signor. in other words, would my bad loan adversly affect her credibility.

c. overall, with my salary, what could be the best advise you could give me. should i skip buying a house?

d. one visa question: should she join the course on h4, or attempt to get an f1 instead.

thank you in advance.

I would also appreciate advice from anyone else in this situation.

Hi

Firstly, on H1 visa you can not be a co-signer for your wife's student loan. Only an US citizen or GC holder can be a co-signer. This is distinctly different from rules for the home buying loan.

Secondly, it is possible to pursue study for advanced standing DDS program on H4 visa.

Good luck

rahmed

 

[arashg]

hi helper,thanks for the thread and recommendations,do you know for the student loans, we have to apply year bye year or in the first time we have to do it for all 2/3 years?

 

[J.opt]

If I start classes in August, when should I apply for my private loans? When I called Bank One they told me to apply about a month before classes start. According to the lady I talked to, if I apply now, by the time class starts my credit info would be too old and they may have to check my credit again.

What do you think?

Also, it seems stupid to me that I have to learn everything about private loans in order to make a wise decision. Where can I find some kind of private loan broker who can tell me which loan is best for me?

Thanks.

 

[Finney. A]

Great thread, helper.

I am an indian doctor (MBBS) who would be joining my residency in neurology in florida this year on an H1 visa. Subsequently, my wife would stay with me on an H4 visa. We planned for her to take her NDB 1 and 2 and then apply for dental schools offering advanced standing courses next year.

I was planning to buy a house with the help of the credit union of my hospital. the mortgage would come to be around 1500$ p.m. My annual salary would be about 42,000 P.a., which would leave me with about 2400 p.m. in hand each month after taxes etc.


a. Would I be able to act as her co-signor with a credit history of less than a year, if she applies for a loan next year? i am assuming that i will be paying my home loan payments on time each month.
b. if you feel that i would not be able to have a good credit history next year with a heavy loan already on my back, will she be able to get a loan with some other person as her co-signor. in other words, would my bad loan adversly affect her credibility.

c. overall, with my salary, what could be the best advise you could give me. should i skip buying a house?

d. one visa question: should she join the course on h4, or attempt to get an f1 instead.

thank you in advance.

I would also appreciate advice from anyone else in this situation.

I think someone else has answered question a.
Basically your wife can only get a private loan with a GC holder or citizen serving as the co-signer.

$1500 is too much to spend on mortgage payments if your salary is 42K per year. Check out www.bankrate.com. It will help you calculate how much "house" you can afford based on your income and other financial obligations.

Having a housing loan is different from an educational loan. For an educational loan, you need a cosigner, whereas the house is a secured asset which you would be borrowing against. Different rules apply.
You don't have to skip buying a house, you just have to consider what percentage of your income you want to use for housing. The bank rate web site has a lot of credible advice on this topic.

Your wife can join school on F-1. My wife joined school on an H4 and then converted it to F-1. You can convert or choose to join straight on F-1. In the long run F-1 has more benefits.

 

[Finney. A]

If I start classes in August, when should I apply for my private loans? When I called Bank One they told me to apply about a month before classes start. According to the lady I talked to, if I apply now, by the time class starts my credit info would be too old and they may have to check my credit again.

What do you think?

Also, it seems stupid to me that I have to learn everything about private loans in order to make a wise decision. Where can I find some kind of private loan broker who can tell me which loan is best for me?

Thanks.

You can apply 1 month before school starts, that should be sufficient. I am not sure of the implications (or whether there are any) if you apply for a loan now.

There are many choices for private loans. Many people have had no problems with Sallie Mae / Bank One including me. Based on what is discussed in the
forums, one can make an educated and informed decision.

 

[Finney. A]

hi helper,thanks for the thread and recommendations,do you know for the student loans, we have to apply year bye year or in the first time we have to do it for all 2/3 years?

As far as I know schools will not certify 2 or 3 years of loans at once. They will certify one year at a time which means you can get the loan only one year at a time.

 

[rahmed]

As far as I know schools will not certify 2 or 3 years of loans at once. They will certify one year at a time which means you can get the loan only one year at a time.

Hi Finney, A

But what about F1 visa. As far as I understand one has to show the funding for the whole course to get a F1 visa. For someone planning to study with student Loan how he or she going to show funding beyond first year. Or is it that in such cases F1 visa is isssued yearly? As I plan to convert my H4 to F1, I will appreciate a feedback.

Thanks

rahmed

 

[dreamzunlimited]

I applied for the Fafsa loan online and got the following message on the status. Can someone please let me know what to do now and if I need to change some information submitted. Thanks.


Your citizenship status has been confirmed by the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) and you meet the citizenship requirements for federal student
aid.Based on the information we have on record for you, your EFC is 90863. Your school will use this number to determine your financial aid eligibility for
Federal grants, loans, and work study, and possibly available funding from your state and school. You are not eligible for a Federal Pell Grant but you may be eligible for other aid.

You reported that you will either have a bachelor's degree by July 1, 2005 or
you will be working on a degree beyond a bachelor's degree. Graduate students are eligible for most types of federal aid, but generally not the Federal Pell Grant.

 

[Finney. A]

Hi Finney, A

But what about F1 visa. As far as I understand one has to show the funding for the whole course to get a F1 visa. For someone planning to study with student Loan how he or she going to show funding beyond first year. Or is it that in such cases F1 visa is isssued yearly? As I plan to convert my H4 to F1, I will appreciate a feedback.

Thanks

rahmed

To get an F-1, you have to show that you have access to funds only for the first year not for the whole program. The F-1 is not issued yearly.

Here is what my wife did. She applied to school on an H-4, switched to F-1 a few months later. She started school on an H-4 and got a loan with the help of a cosigner. After a few months, she switched to an F-1. When she indicated that she wanted to get an F-1, she used the loan letter from the bank showing that she had an approved loan to cover the first year's tuition and expenses.

 

[neuro kid]

I think someone else has answered question a.
Basically your wife can only get a private loan with a GC holder or citizen serving as the co-signer.

$1500 is too much to spend on mortgage payments if your salary is 42K per year. Check out www.bankrate.com. It will help you calculate how much "house" you can afford based on your income and other financial obligations.



Your wife can join school on F-1. My wife joined school on an H4 and then converted it to F-1. You can convert or choose to join straight on F-1. In the long run F-1 has more benefits.

Thanks a million.

I have seen that a lot of students prefer to do DDS on f1 rather than H4.
What are the benefits that my wife would gain by switchingalking about over to F1 from H4. Are you talking about OPT and work permits? Please tell me more about this.

 

[Finney. A]

Thanks a million.

I have seen that a lot of students prefer to do DDS on f1 rather than H4.
What are the benefits that my wife would gain by switchingalking about over to F1 from H4. Are you talking about OPT and work permits? Please tell me more about this.

For one thing , F-1 does not have a time limit. H-4 or H-1 either in combination or stand alone can only be extended for a maximum of 6 years. So, if you went to school on H-4 for 2 or 3 years, that means you have only 3 or 4 years left on that visa status.
F-1 gives you the option to work in the summer and after getting the degree on OPT for a year. This option is not available to H-4 visa holders.
H-4 will not let you work which means less likely that you can prove that you wil need a social security number.

Coming to the US is easier on an H-4 but studying is better on F-1. You can use both to your benefit since you can transfer from h-4 to f-1.

 

[shadhwala]

Hi Finney A
Thanks a great deal for all the enlightning information.
I have two clarifications;
Firstly, Citibank and Salliemae both ask for Applicant's Social Security number for applying.But as I am on H4 visa ,I dont have one. So how do we go abt it.
Secondly ,as u told its better to study in F1,
Dont we ahve to go back to our home country to change from H4 to F1?
and what if our green card is in progress ,will it be a set back to the process?

Thanks

 

[gorur]

I applied for the Fafsa loan online and got the following message on the status. Can someone please let me know what to do now and if I need to change some information submitted. Thanks.


Your citizenship status has been confirmed by the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) and you meet the citizenship requirements for federal student
aid.Based on the information we have on record for you, your EFC is 90863. Your school will use this number to determine your financial aid eligibility for
Federal grants, loans, and work study, and possibly available funding from your state and school. You are not eligible for a Federal Pell Grant but you may be eligible for other aid.

You reported that you will either have a bachelor's degree by July 1, 2005 or
you will be working on a degree beyond a bachelor's degree. Graduate students are eligible for most types of federal aid, but generally not the Federal Pell Grant.

Hai dreamzunlimited,

I'm at the same stage as u.We have to wait for the school to send the financial package and we'll get to know how much federal loan is approved and all the details.
If u need to make corrections on u'r processesed faafsa,u can go to faafsa website r SAR report and clik on make corrections.U should have u'r pin number to get acess and make the corrections.
This is all i know at present.Hope it helps.If u know something more plzz share it.

Regards
Gorur