Brown University Increases Aid For International Students

Although it hasn't yet joined the ranks of need-blind admissions for international students, officials at Brown University recently approved a dramatic increase in the amount of financial aid available to international students. The new budget approved last week will add $1.3 million to the existing $3.1 million in financial aid for international students, according to a report today in the Brown Daily Herald.

Very few schools (about 35, out of thousands) are able to offer need-blind admissions even to US students. Under a need-blind admissions policy, a college or university will admit students regardless of their ability to pay, and for any students that cannot afford the pricetag, the university awards scholarships and other institutional aid to make up the difference. Only a handful offer need-blind admissions to international students (MIT, Harvard University, Princeton University, Yale University, Williams College, Middlebury College, and Stanford University).

Obviously, any school with a need-blind admissions policy needs to have a very generous endowment (i.e. lots of money), as it costs the school dearly. Over the next few years, I expect more of the 35 schools that currently have need-blind admissions for US students to adopt need-blind admissions for international students as well. We'll keep you posted as the list grows . . .

Here's a list of US schools that offer aid to international students.

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You can read more about Brown's recent action in this story in the Brown Daily Herald online.