How can my friend attend art school in the US?
July 21, 2011 9:01 AM Subscribe
I have a friend living in Korea. She's a freshman in college but wants to study art history here in the US. She's worried about paying for it all and wonders if another country might be better. I know nothing about this. What's the best course of action?
My friend is currently studying international trade at school. She finds it interesting but what she really wants to do is art.
Living in New York City, I meet Koreans all the time that are doing something art-related. What I'm not sure about is if they're working or not. Would it be possible for her to get a job here? And is there any financial aid for international students?
If anyone could recommend some good art schools, I would appreciate it. Oh, and then there's the question of getting into the school.
I will ask her for more details if needed.
Thank you.
My friend is currently studying international trade at school. She finds it interesting but what she really wants to do is art.
Living in New York City, I meet Koreans all the time that are doing something art-related. What I'm not sure about is if they're working or not. Would it be possible for her to get a job here? And is there any financial aid for international students?
If anyone could recommend some good art schools, I would appreciate it. Oh, and then there's the question of getting into the school.
I will ask her for more details if needed.
Thank you.
Could you clarify whether this is art history or studio art?
posted by suedehead at 9:08 AM on July 21, 2011
posted by suedehead at 9:08 AM on July 21, 2011
Best answer: A few factors:
- if she has the money and decent English skills, many American universities would gladly take hermoney.
- most of the time international students are ineligible for any sort of financial aid - loans, grants, scholarships, etc. (Although there are some exceptions.) If she wants to pay for it, she'll need to get a loan in Korea. She could get a private loan in the States with an American co-signer, but I would recommend against that for the high interest rates and the risk to the co-signer.
- once in the U.S., international students have many restrictions on working -- on-campus jobs are generally okay for X number of hours, but they can't work at The Gap or something on most student visas.
- once she is done, she'll have a short period of time that she can work in the U.S. for any employer called OPT. It is supposed to be like an apprenticeship period.
- if she wanted to stay in the U.S. she'd need to get an employer to sponsor her on a H1B (or similar) visa. These are incredibly hard to get because she and her employer would have to demonstrate that her skills are so highly in demand and unique that it justifiable for her to work in the States. It is also very expensive and employers are only willing to go through this process if they REALLY REALLY REALLY need her as an employee. I have met very few people with only a BA that can get H1B status and those that do are specialized engineers or nurses.
- an additional cost is holidays. Many schools don't have dormitories to stay in during school holidays and international students can go home (if they can afford it) or have to beg friends to let them stay during the holidays. While this is probably doable for Thanksgiving, long winter breaks (and summer breaks!?!?) are tougher.
- she needs to consider all of this before applying... and moreover, if she wants to return to Korea, what's the value of her American degree there?
posted by k8t at 9:08 AM on July 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
- if she has the money and decent English skills, many American universities would gladly take her
- most of the time international students are ineligible for any sort of financial aid - loans, grants, scholarships, etc. (Although there are some exceptions.) If she wants to pay for it, she'll need to get a loan in Korea. She could get a private loan in the States with an American co-signer, but I would recommend against that for the high interest rates and the risk to the co-signer.
- once in the U.S., international students have many restrictions on working -- on-campus jobs are generally okay for X number of hours, but they can't work at The Gap or something on most student visas.
- once she is done, she'll have a short period of time that she can work in the U.S. for any employer called OPT. It is supposed to be like an apprenticeship period.
- if she wanted to stay in the U.S. she'd need to get an employer to sponsor her on a H1B (or similar) visa. These are incredibly hard to get because she and her employer would have to demonstrate that her skills are so highly in demand and unique that it justifiable for her to work in the States. It is also very expensive and employers are only willing to go through this process if they REALLY REALLY REALLY need her as an employee. I have met very few people with only a BA that can get H1B status and those that do are specialized engineers or nurses.
- an additional cost is holidays. Many schools don't have dormitories to stay in during school holidays and international students can go home (if they can afford it) or have to beg friends to let them stay during the holidays. While this is probably doable for Thanksgiving, long winter breaks (and summer breaks!?!?) are tougher.
- she needs to consider all of this before applying... and moreover, if she wants to return to Korea, what's the value of her American degree there?
posted by k8t at 9:08 AM on July 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: @suedehead
Art history.
Thank you, tarumba and k8t.
I didn't think she would get any relief from the schools in terms of financial support. I told her to look into loans in Korea.
Her English is surprisingly good. I wondered if she had spent time living in the US, but she just studies hard. She won't have problems on that front.
Any thoughts on getting a shady Korean job (such as in New York City)? I think it happens a lot, but I'm not sure.
posted by jykmf at 9:17 AM on July 21, 2011
Art history.
Thank you, tarumba and k8t.
I didn't think she would get any relief from the schools in terms of financial support. I told her to look into loans in Korea.
Her English is surprisingly good. I wondered if she had spent time living in the US, but she just studies hard. She won't have problems on that front.
Any thoughts on getting a shady Korean job (such as in New York City)? I think it happens a lot, but I'm not sure.
posted by jykmf at 9:17 AM on July 21, 2011
She'll also need to take a TOEFL exam and possibly the SAT or ACT.
Shady Korean job? Yeah, go for it... but she should be aware that working on the side may get her in trouble. Babysitting now-and-again doesn't raise red flags, but waitressing 30 hours a week just might.
OH, and another approach that I've seen a lot to save money is to be an international student at a decent community college (like in California) where there is actually a sense of community. It'll be cheaper certainly but probably lacks the infrastructure that a university or college would have to help her.
posted by k8t at 9:40 AM on July 21, 2011
Shady Korean job? Yeah, go for it... but she should be aware that working on the side may get her in trouble. Babysitting now-and-again doesn't raise red flags, but waitressing 30 hours a week just might.
OH, and another approach that I've seen a lot to save money is to be an international student at a decent community college (like in California) where there is actually a sense of community. It'll be cheaper certainly but probably lacks the infrastructure that a university or college would have to help her.
posted by k8t at 9:40 AM on July 21, 2011
If she is good enough to apply to the top universities - think Ivy Leagues and the next tier down, she should be able get partial or complete funding from the university itself. That's how I studied in the US despite being Pakistani. Tell her to look into transfer applications and their requirements. Also, history of art is not something she'd necessarily study at an art school. A liberal arts programme with a good art department would be a good fit (and more likely to have financial aid for her).
posted by tavegyl at 9:43 AM on July 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by tavegyl at 9:43 AM on July 21, 2011 [2 favorites]
Have a look into Australia. Overseas students here can work up to 20 hours a week during term and as much as they want in breaks. Korea is rated as assessment level 1 or 2 (1 being the lowest of 5 levels), so the evidence requirements around things like how much money she has are very low. Visa information is here. Depending on which city she chose, the cost of living is pretty low compared to places like NYC and there are large Korean communities in most large cities.
I would be happy to answer any questions via e-mail if you like - I work in this area.
posted by dg at 3:45 PM on July 21, 2011
I would be happy to answer any questions via e-mail if you like - I work in this area.
posted by dg at 3:45 PM on July 21, 2011
« Older Help me understand image size and monitor... | Line graph of a range of possible rates? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
If she is here as a student (on a F1 visa) the only kind of work she can get is something in ther own school, probably part time.
Schools usually don't offer financial aid for international students, and loans, etc. are not avialbe for international students either. Usually international students either have the money to pay for their studies, or are on a merit scholarship.
posted by Tarumba at 9:06 AM on July 21, 2011