Veterinary What should I do about financing for vet school as an international student?

[Mr.Smile12]

Hi all, I am an international student from Vietnam. I receiced my Bachelor degree from the US and I applied for vet school for 2021 intake. I am a 3.8 student, with 1000+ hours in vet experience, plus research and leadership experiences as well. I already get accepted to the University of Melbourne in Australia, currently waitlisted for the University of Sydney in Australia, interviewed for the University of Saskatchewan, and still waiting to hear back from 6 US schools. However, I will be receiving my official offer from Melbourne in the next week, and will likely to have to respond to them within a week. I will likely to accept the offer due to its program and my sister residing in Australia. However, my biggest concern in $$$. I know that as an international student, I am not qualified for any federal loan/aid in both US and Australia. Even when I look at loans from private banks in Australia, they ask for a constant income... (allowance from parents are not accepted). Now, I’m working full time as a Veterinarian Assistant in the US, making bare minimum wage, but for the experience I need for vet school. So yes, I have some income now, but vet school in Australia will be starting in March, and their first semester will be more than likely to be online because of COVID. So I will be working part-time during that semester. They said, second semester needed to be in person, so if the borders still close, they will postpone the course. If that is the case, I can work full time. My income is barely cover the cost of living now, so I need student loan for vet school. However, it just seem impossible for me to get that loan from anywhere. Please give me any advice and suggestions you might have. I have work so hard to get where I am today and to get accepted, but it just seem overwhelming and stressful where I can’t even find the money to loan. My parents are both in their 60s and retired. They said they have some savings to help me out, but it won’t be anything comparing to Melbourne’s $306k tuition for the course.

If the universities that accepted you can't set up a meeting with you and their financial aid officer about your situation, turn down the offers you have received. I know that admissions is a tough game but now you see that you can't play without considering all your options including financial. If you don't get a satisfactory package and have to work to attend vet school, your chances of succeeding and graduating plummet, especially if you are going abroad.

Getting in is hard... staying in is even harder. You must treat vet school like a job itself, and that means don't plan to work and go to vet school, especially as an international student

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[TheBoneDoctah]

Agree. Any type of program (med, vet, law, dental, etc) should be treated as a full-time job. Really need to take the financial aspect into account.

 

[AlteredScale]

Agree with above. You cannot be working while pursuing vet school and even so, it seems that it is futile to do so since it can't cover all the costs.

How come you didn't apply to US vet schools? Do none of them allow for international students?

You have to have a sound financial plan coming into this unfortunately, and if that means deferring your acceptances for a year while you figure it out, at the end of the day is probably the best thing to do than go into vet school and then realize you can't afford it and stop in the middle.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

I also suggest removing the photo of yourself as your avatar.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I understand that I need a sound financial plan. But besides federal loans, what are my options? Will the financial aid office of the schools supposed to help me through this process? I had scholarships and my parents paid for my undergrad so I didn’t go through this process ᵔ̈

I don't think we are in a position to advise you on financial aid. I go back to your institutional financial aid office.