Talking about money
From AFSWiki
Student: "I really want to go, but I am worried about the money."
Volunteer: "Money is a really common concern for lots of students before they go on an AFS program. Just so you know, there are lots of students who have been in your same position, and have made it work. I think it all depends on how determined you are to make this happen. Let’s talk about all the ways you can cover your AFS tuition and some of the ways AFS can help you and your parents."
The Volunteer can mention that there are Fundraising ideas like the Fundraising Wiki, the Financing Your AFS Experience booklet, Fundraising Workshops, Scholarships for Sending, and that there are many other ways to cover your AFS Tuition.
- Are your parents willing and able to contribute?
- Do you have a job that will help you stash away some money?
- Do you have any money in savings or in a college fund?
- Do you think you might have any relatives, maybe your grandparents, who would be willing to help out?
- There are also students who have received help and grants from organizations outside AFS.
- Hear the concern of the parent/student. They may want to better understand
- Let them know funding the cost of the program is a very common concern. Many families have faced this same concern and yet made this experience a reality for their students. With determination, creativity and proper planning, the cost should not stand in the way.
- Explain the application process
a) Preliminary Application -$75 application fee (covers cost of processing app, illustrates commitment level of participant, similar to a college application fee).
b) Global Leaders Scholarship Application - provides us with info on the family's financial situation and merit-based scholarship credentials.
c) Secondary Application -provides us with necessary information on the student.
d) Interview
- NOTE: The Global Leaders Scholarship Application and the Secondary Application are reviewed separately.
- AFS cannot consider a Scholarship Application alone; it must be submitted after the Preliminary Application.
- Depending on when the Scholarship Application is completed, a student could hear they have been reviewed and granted/denied aid either before or after they are guaranteed to a country.
- NOTE: The Global Leaders Scholarship Application and the Secondary Application are reviewed separately.
- Financial Aid and Scholarships:
In recent years approximately 40% of participants received between 10-100% of some form of assistance.
The best way for them to gain details on what assistance AFS can provide, is to complete the Global Leaders Scholarship Application, which is available on the AFS-USA website. AFS can then determine if the student's geography, country choice, need, ethnicity, meritorious credentials, etc, would make them eligible for specific scholarships. Just like applying for a college, buying a house or obtaining insurance, the paper work is a necessary tool for determining the family's financial situation before any assessments can be made. As the process of getting student abroad is very complex, Volunteers can take a proactive role in encouraging students to begin the application process. We cannot make any guarantees or predictions about if and how much aid a student is eligible for.
Financial Aid--Need Based--APPLY EARLY, BE OPEN TO COUNTRY CHOICE
1) Financial Aid is for students who could not otherwise have an AFS experience.
2) Recipient must demonstrate the following: financial need and/or merit (academic strength, community service, and leadership).
3) Financial need is determined by the FAST application
4) Based on the application, students are reviewed for all the aid they are eligible for. No previous knowledge of the specific scholarships is necessary.
5) Apply early in the school year for most generous funding.
Scholarships--Merit Based--APPLY EARLY
1) Awards based on AFS family, academics, community involvement, leadership and intercultural interest.
2) Apply early for earliest consideration.
- In addition to encouraging students to complete the secondary application process, there are some other tips we can provide the family:
a) The process of learning does not begin when the student steps off the plane. The student can be empowered to make this trip his/her own by being involved in the process of making that happen- completing the application process, getting involved with AFS at a local level, and assisting in coming up with the funds to make it possible.
b) To engage the student, consider all the areas from which money could come: - Does the student have a job? - Does the family have savings they would be willing to put towards this experience? Especially, if the student has a college savings, perhaps this money could be allocated towards the educational experience of living abroad. - Is the student willing to fundraise? Check out 'Financing your AFS Experience.' Drop a few examples to get them excited, perhaps your own experience. They will be mailed this resource with the Secondary Application. - Are they willing to do a bit of asking to a generous family members or friends of the family? There are also community organizations or their religious community that may be willing to act as a sponsor.
- The Cost of Raising a Teenager
This USA Today resource references statistics gathered by the US Department of Agriculture and indicates that families spend far more than the cost of our programs to keep their teenager at home: http://www.usatoday.com/educate/choiceispower/20061206-CCUL13-Expenses.pdf
The US Statistical Abstract, as quoted here, says that a family making under $43,000 a year spends $8300 per year maintaining a teenager:
- Housing: $2,660
- Food: $1,810
- Transportation: $1,210
- Clothing: $700
- Health Care: $660
- Child Care and Education: $310
- Misc.: $960
Another source (which?) says that in 2006, the average cost per child for a middle class family per year is $10,610 for birth to 18 years old with the highest yearly costs being the teenage years.*
- Payment of tuition
It would be great if someone can put information on the time line for paying AFS Tuition and the refund policy. This page on the AFS USA Website has been handy in the past for the Info Center when talking to interested students and parents--http://www.usa.afs.org/usa_en/view/2261.
