:: International Students

BOSTON: THE WORLD AT YOUR DOORSTEP

Boston is an inviting city for international students. Regarded as a world-class city, Boston is home to more than 250,000 students and 70 colleges. About 20,000 of these students come to study here from outside of the U.S.

Boston abounds with old-world charm. The cobblestoned streets of the Italian North End and the brownstones of Beacon Hill are among the city's historic treasures. Newbury Street is lined with art galleries, European-style cafés and boutiques. There are many interesting and vibrant ethnic areas such as Chinatown, and Portuguese and Brazilian neighborhoods are found just across the river in Cambridge.

Voted the safest U.S. city by tourists, Boston's neighborhoods are diverse yet compact in size. Many areas are easily reached by walking, and an efficient bus and subway system allows students to travel around the city quickly.

Artists thrive in communities in and around Boston like Fort Point Channel, Brickbottom, and Rugg Road. Other neighborhoods like Jamaica Plain are popular with artists and musicians.

Originally a seaport, Boston offers beaches, ferry rides, whale watching and boating. An extensive commuter rail system provides easy access to historic and scenic towns outside the city like Concord, scene of the first battle for American independence and site of Thoreau's Walden Pond; Salem, known for its witchcraft hysteria of 1692; and Newburyport and Gloucester, majestic seaside towns.

The national seashores at Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, are within a two hour drive, as are the major winter and summer recreational areas of New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine, offering boating, swimming, hiking, and skiing.

Visa Requirements for International Students

• IFDF (Immigration and Financial Declaration Form
• Financial support and letter
• Passport copy

Proof of Financial Support Include

An original, official bank statement written in English and signed by a bank officer, showing funds available for at least your first year of school at AIB. For the 2005/2006 year, the amount that must be documented is estimated to be 38,736. You will also need to provide a sponsor letter written by your sponsor indicating his/her relationship to you and his/her willingness to sponsor you for your schooling and living expenses. The letter must be signed and dated. IFDF (Immigration and Financial Declaration Form) also must be signed and dated.

Passport Copy

A copy of the identity and expiration date page of your passport (which needs to be valid 6 months in to the future) must also be submitted. For further information regarding your immigration questions once you are accepted to AIB please call International Student Services at (617) 349-8342

Financial Aid for International Students

Financial support for international students is limited, and all students are encouraged to conduct scholarship research privately. International Students are eligible to apply for AIB Scholarships and Continuing Student Portfolio Scholarships. International students are not eligible for Federal or State Financial Aid. International students with a U.S. co-sponsor are eligible to apply for low interest loans through the Massachusetts Education Financial Authority (MEFA). Applicants from Canada do not need a U.S. co-sponsor.

Canadian applicants may also seek out financial assistance through CanHELP, an alternative loan program for Canadian students to study in the US. For more information about financial resources for Canadian applicants,go to: www.finaid.org/otheraid/canadian.phtml.