legal immigrant (non resident) and paying for med school

[Christelle017]

Hi there!
I am an immigrant from the west indies ( I live in the US under temporary protected status which allows me to work and go to school, have a social security card and the same right a US green card holder has but unfortunately it doesn't allow me to have some of the benefits such as getting help from the government paying for school. I am going to be a junior in school, I'm currently studying biology/pre-med. I am currently at 3.5 GPA which I am raising. I plan to take an EMT course by next year to gain experience in the medical field as I am fascinated with emergency medicine. On my spare time I read/ watch anything that pertains to medical school in every aspect, while juggling a part time job. ( I go to a CUNY school in NYC so paying for it isn't much compared to medical school tuition. I really believe I have a shot at American Medical school but I fear that my immigrant status will hinder me financially.
While i will not qualify for federal loans, What options are available for me to pay for school ? Also I know that I can get private loans but neither myself or my father haven't established enough credit history to be qualified to take out so much money. I am at a bind. I'm not sure what to do, as I don't want to choose a career where I am not reaching my full potential.
Is anyone readying ? Please help! Any advice /options?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Xenith]

Hello, first things first, please remove your real name from the post. It is important to stay anonymous on these forums!

I am guessing you cannot fill out a FAFSA correct? So, government loans are not going to work. Unfortunately, without credit history private loans are not going to work either. Do you have any family member here who is a citizen with good credit? As an immigrant you will need a citizen to agree to pay your loans if you are unable to. Only their credit matters not yours. Otherwise, try to find out about the military scholarships (HPSP).

The only other option is to do something else until you get a green card. You can always apply to medical school then.

 

[Christelle017]

Hello, first things first, please remove your real name from the post. It is important to stay anonymous on these forums!

I am guessing you cannot fill out a FAFSA correct? So, government loans are not going to work. Unfortunately, without credit history private loans are not going to work either. Do you have any family member here who is a citizen with good credit? As an immigrant you will need a citizen to agree to pay your loans if you are unable to. Only their credit matters not yours. Otherwise, try to find out about the military scholarships (HPSP).

The only other option is to do something else until you get a green card. You can always apply to medical school then.

Thank you for your response. I can file FASFA but it will come back saying im missing a document, therefore it won't be processed.
I don't know anyone wh would agree to pay my debt, in case it comes down to that. And I think for the military option I need to be a green card holder in the first place

 

[Xenith]

That's what I thought. Based on my knowledge, it would be very difficult to get a private loan all by yourself. Immigrants often need a citizen or permanent resident co-signer to get a medical school loan. On he other hand, I don't know much about your specific immigration status. Contact some student loan financiers to find out. Also call schools to figure out policies. The biggest obstacle is that some schools ask for all or a few years of tuition up front.

Ultimately, you will most likely have to wait until your get a green card. But make sure to do your research with lenders and specific schools.

 

[Christelle017]

That's what I thought. Based on my knowledge, it would be very difficult to get a private loan all by yourself. Immigrants often need a citizen or permanent resident co-signer to get a medical school loan. On he other hand, I don't know much about your specific immigration status. Contact some student loan financiers to find out. Also call schools to figure out policies. The biggest obstacle is that some schools ask for all or a few years of tuition up front.

Ultimately, you will most likely have to wait until your get a green card. But make sure to do your research with lenders and specific schools.

This Is hard to hear. But I know your right. Thank you!

 

[Xenith]

I know :/ I truly feel for you because I had to hear that a while back. It took a while to get over it, but you have to realize that becoming a physician is a life long investment. For people with life expectancies of 80+, we can afford to divert our career paths for a few years. My best recommendation would be to pursue your green card, and in the meantime, gain more experience in healthcare. Get some form of employment and save up your money. If you work 2-3 years, you may have saved a year or 2 of tuition, gotten better credit, and be closer to getting a gc. As the premed cliche goes: It's a marathon not a sprint.

 

[Mubangaeu]

Hi ChristelleO17, I'm in a similar situation as you. I know some very top medical schools offer impressive scholarships, and everyone, regardless on their nationality us eligible. My advice is keep on bringing your GPA up and study hard for the MCAT. Get a super high score on it and make yourself attractive and you never know what doors God will open up for you. I'm taking the MCAT in April,2016. I've been studying for it the whole summer and continuing till April. Do your part, make excellent grades, do research, and score excellent on the MCAT. Do the very best you can to secure any extra financial help, and God will reward your hard work. Believe me on this one. I'll keep you posted on how things work out for me.

 

[Christelle017]

Hi ChristelleO17, I'm in a similar situation as you. I know some very top medical schools offer impressive scholarships, and everyone, regardless on their nationality us eligible. My advice is keep on bringing your GPA up and study hard for the MCAT. Get a super high score on it and make yourself attractive and you never know what doors God will open up for you. I'm taking the MCAT in April,2016. I've been studying for it the whole summer and continuing till April. Do your part, make excellent grades, do research, and score excellent on the MCAT. Do the very best you can to secure any extra financial help, and God will reward your hard work. Believe me on this one. I'll keep you posted on how things work out for me.

Thank you kindly for your response.
Keep me posted!

 

[Mubangaeu]

You're welcome, and I'll definitely keep you posted.

 

[Mubangaeu]

Thank you kindly for your response.
Keep me posted!

You're welcome, and I'll definitely keep you posted.