Read through the information below designed to help you prepare your finances before you arrive and to understand the costs and financial aid opportunities while on the program.
If you have a question about your student account, please contact AU Central.
CFIS Form and Financial Documents: All admitted international students are required to demonstrate financial ability to pay at least one year of academic and living expenses before AU can issue an I-20.
Please either email or mail the required information (Steps 1-3) to Amy Newell as soon as possible:
Amy Newell
School of International Service
4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20016-8041, USA
Phone: (202) 885-6522
Email: newell@american.edu
MIS IST Double Degree students are responsible for paying for tuition and living expenses for their year of study. Tuition structure may vary by partner. Please consult with your institution’s international office and/or the SIS OIP to learn more. Additionally, you will pay the AU technology fee, sports center fee and health insurance (if applicable).
SIS Graduate Program Cost Guide
The above guide is not a precise figure, but rather the amount for students to show they are capable of supporting themselves on the program. The estimate includes tuition room, board, books, health insurance, transportation, and living expenses for two semesters and living expenses during the summer. MIS IST students may not be at AU in the summer term but due to the 12-month visa term, they must show the full living expenses amount.
For more details regarding AU fees, please review the AU tuition and fee schedule.
MIS IST students benefit from 12 credits of advanced standing, allowing them to complete the 30-credit MIS degree with only 18 credits, in addition to a modified tuition structure negotiated with the partner institution.
To offset costs associated with research or conferences either domestically or abroad, IST students may apply for the SIS Graduate Research, Conference, and Internship Grant through the SIS Study Abroad Website.
The ISSS website also has compiled a list of potential sources of funding for international students.
Transit: One of the great things about being an AU student is the U-PASS, included in your fees as a full-time student.
In addition to the Program Cost Guide mentioned above, this crowd-sourced breakdown of costs gives the average cost of items such as tomatoes and toothpaste and allows a side-by-side comparison with various currencies around the world. *Note: Please be aware that this website is not endorsed or recommended by American University, and that the university does not monitor the content of this site.
Note on Tipping Culture: The BBC provides a brief overview of tip expectations here. In addition to what is written in the article, please take into consideration that after taxes are deducted from the service worker’s pay, they often times end up with little to no paycheck from their employer. Most of their pay comes from customer tips. Wait staff will most likely not chase after you demanding why you didn’t tip them, but it is generally excepted practice that you tip your waiter at least 15% unless the service was completely awful, and then the recommended is 10%. For a more in-depth look at tipping, Trip Advisor has compiled a more comprehensive guide for tipping etiquette.
Off Campus
Due to F-1 visa regulations, international students are not allowed to work or intern off-campus until they have completed 1 academic year in full-time status. However, after this requirement is met, students may apply for an Optional Practical Training (OPT) visa which gives recipients the opportunity to work in the US for up to 12 months. If you are interested in exploring this option, please meet with an ISSS advisor to discuss your particular situation.
On Campus
Unfortunately, SIS Graduate Fellowships & Assistantships are not available to students in the IST program. At SIS, these jobs are awarded as part of the financial aid package for incoming graduate students, and due to varying application deadlines, IST students are not able to be considered. Apart from Fellowships and Assistantships, there are other student positions on campus. However, they are usually limited and are filled quickly. Some student jobs are reserved for students with a Federal Work Study grant. Please check the position posting and with the hiring manager to determine if you are eligible to apply.
Here are some websites that students have found useful in the past for finding outside funding:
- www.nafsa.org
- www.fundingusstudy.org
- www.petersons.com
- www.fordfound.org
- www.rotary.org
- www.myscholly.com
The following are free online scholarship search engines or databases designed for international students and U.S. study:
- www.iefa.org
- www.internationalscholarships.com
- https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search
Here are some featured Scholarships aimed at international students:
- www.mpowerfinancing.com/scholarships/