A 2 min read

Do International Students Pay Full Tuition?

Most international students think that tuitions make up most of the funding for college operations. Also, most international students believe they need to pay full price for their education. While these beliefs may be true for some universities, the reality is extremely different for many universities, especially Top US Universities. WSJ published this excellent report on the same: Watch Here to understand how to successfully secure MBA Scholarships at Top US Universities.

Key Insights:

1. Tuition Contribution: On average, tuition makes up less than 20% of all expenses at good universities with a robust endowment fund (Harvard leads there).
2. Full Tuition Payments: In 2020, only 16% of students at private “non-profit” universities paid full price (yes, just 16%).
3. Endowment Fund Earnings: Earnings from endowment funds cover about 20% to 25% of all operating expenses. These endowment funds have grown 10X at some universities in the last 20 years.
4. Harvard’s fund currently stands at an estimated ~$55B
5. The Norm for Excellent Colleges: Even for excellent colleges where tuition accounts for ~50% of all expenses, paying full tuition seems to be an exception rather than the norm.

TakeAways:

• Look Beyond Sticker Prices: Do not assume that you pay the full sticker price. Look at a school’s endowment fund (and gifts) when applying.
• Value of Top Schools: Top schools in the USA not only give you better salaries but also are cheaper to study in (through scholarships).
• Scholarship Opportunities: Get a Top GMAT score, and you can get multiple full scholarships like yours truly.

At e-GMAT, our students have earned an estimated $400M in scholarships over the last decade. However, these scholarships are awarded to students who work for them. Strive to be like Valentin ($120K, Harvard), Pedro Gonzales ($103K, Stanford), Ayush Rustagi ($80K, Columbia), Jaqueline Sanchez ($100K, Booth), and Cong Bui ($500K Total, Fisher). Go here for more details.