When you are an international student studying in the US, it can be a bit confusing with the new culture and possibly even a new language. Often the simplest things can be difficult to get the hang of. Things like car insurance can be a whole new challenge when you are not familiar with the process or the rules.

If you`ll be driving in the country you plan to study in, you will want to have car insurance. Most students are on a budget anyway and having to deal with the cost of an accident, no matter how minor is usually a big dent in the budget, particularly if you were at fault.

- Look for a car insurance provider that doesn’t penalize international students. Many companies will insist on a minimum of 3 years US driving experience in order to qualify for lower rates and higher coverage. Since the majority of international students have little or no experience driving in the States, they will end up paying more for less coverage. A very few insurance companies will count foreign driving experience and offer lower rates and deductibles.

- While liability is the minimum requirement by law, it`s a good idea to find out how much more you`ll pay for collision insurance, as well as comprehensive. Liability covers your passengers or property that you damage in an accident, collision will cover repairs to your vehicle if you crash, even if the accident was your fault. Comprehensive insurance is meant to help you recover your financial losses if the vehicle is stolen or destroyed by means other than a car accident.

- Keep the age of your vehicle in mind. Older cars usually aren`t worth insuring for anything more than liability, since you would be better off replacing the vehicle than repairing it in most cases. Newer cars will need to be insured for more since it`s usually far cheaper to repair them than buy a new vehicle. The general rule of thumb is that a car older than 1989 should carry liability only.

- Look for fixed rates. Some car insurance companies will let you sign up for 6 months or 12 months, where your rates will not go up, even if you have an accident during that time. Obviously, the longer the term, the better.

- Make sure you have an up-to-date international driver`s license. This will allow you to drive both in your home country and in the US. Most international students have no need for an American driver`s license, so an international one should be fine. Just be sure that it is good for at least six months after your stay ends so you`ll be able to get the best car insurance possible.

- Bring all paperwork that could be necessary with you when you apply for car insurance. You`ll need proof that you haven`t had an accident in the previous 18-36 months for the best rates. All driving related paperwork will help you out when applying for car insurance and can drastically cut the waiting time, as well, since you won`t be trying to get your papers from your home country.

Car insurance for international students might be a bit tricky, but it mainly comes down to doing some research to find which companies will give you a break, even if you haven`t been driving in the States for the past three years. The prices and amount of coverage should be fair and not hiked up just because you are only temporarily in the country.

By: Amy Nutt

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It is important to be secure especially if you are far away from home. This is the reason why Canada encourages foreign students who study in the country to avail of student travel health insurance during their stay in Canada. Unexpected illnesses, unforeseen events like accidents and other related incidents can happen anytime, anywhere.

This is something that anyone who wishes to stay in Canada as an international student must prepare for. Most educational institutions require all students coming from other countries to secure themselves by purchasing an insurance policy. This will ensure foreign international students who will study in Canada the coverage and protection from emergency hospital bills and medical expenses if ever they get sick or are accidentally injured during their stay and study in the college or university they are enrolled in.

It is a wiser choice to protect ourselves for uncalled for expenses rather than regret in the end; this is why getting yourself covered is just as important as your passport, when traveling, studying or working abroad or anywhere else.

International students who study in some provinces like British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan get coverage under their respective provincial health plans where they are studying. Other provinces require students to make private arrangements for their medical insurance coverage through some private insurance companies.

In Ontario, all international students and their dependents that go with them are all required to be enrolled in the University Health Insurance Plan within thirty days from the day of arrival in the province. Late application of the said requirements will cost an additional $500 for the dependent. To be considered as an eligible dependent, one must be the spouse of the student, a common law partner, and dependent child or children who are below 21 years of age or under age 25 and are enrolled in full time studies.

Qualifications of students who study in Canada who can purchase international travel insurance are: those who are not insured or qualified for benefits under the Canadian Government Health Insurance Plan; those who are in current good health state; those who are presently enrolled in at least 60% of the required courses and units for a particular program at a Canadian school, college, university or a recognized accredited educational institution.

Do not risk traveling or studying in Canada without international health insurance. Grab a policy now and don’t let sudden medical emergencies ruin your school year. Buy your travel insurance within Canada to have access to 24/7 customer service assistance.

By: Ronald Chan

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There are many things that you need to prepare before you apply for a grant for your education. Some basic steps that can make you are sure of getting the grants should be followed for you to get the grant in one go.

To begin with the academic certificates and transcripts should be ready. You need to decide early that is the study area where you want to focus on. If you prefer a course based study then you do not need a proposal but for research you need a research proposal.

Your research proposal should be good enough to tempt the granter that their money would not be at waste. And to make a good research proposal you need to devote time and energy.

This research proposal should include background, objectives, problems or questions to answer, hypothesis, mythology and references. Once you are done with the basic requirements you can always ask for the suggestion of others.

Once you are ready with research proposal you should concentrate on the letter from intended university and supervisor. Download the university form from the website and fill it before sending it back to the university.

The university in response will issue you a letter of acceptance. You can write in the form that you are waiting for a scholarship which you are now struggling for and that you would get admitted to the specific program once you get the scholarship that is the next year. In this case they would issue you a conditional acceptance and would keep doing so until you get the scholarship.

You also need to find an academic staff who would supervise you in the university. Thus you need to find a potential supervisor for yourself and this should be done before you fill in the admission form.

Get the supervising staff’s email address and contact him/her. Tell him/her everything about your academic background and your research proposal in detail and ask if he/she is ready and available to supervise you.

A letter from the university and the supervisor can also be added with your application form for the scholarship. This increases your chance of getting the scholarship.

By: Laura Altbrite

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Being in a new country is a very exciting and scary experience. But many people are coming to the United States to get some of the very best education that is offered by the many fine universities. The United States has some very prestigious academic programs in many fields, including the medical and legal fields. This has been attracting students from all around the world. The United States also has an appeal that goes beyond the quality education levels. This is a diversified country with a wonderful blend of many cultures.

In order for international students to be able to attend American universities, they have to be able to pay for their education, just like everyone else. The difficult part of this is that finding a scholarship is not easy. The United States welcomes people from all around the world. But there are surprisingly few scholarship programs geared specifically to international students. This does not mean that there are not some programs for international students. There are companies and organizations that will aid an international student in getting some form of financial aid. It is up to the student to do their research and find the available scholarships that will get them into an American university.

Fulbrite offers grants to international graduate students. The American Councils for International Education gives students from the area that used to be known as the Soviet republic, grants and fellowships. The Soros Foundations Network gives scholarships to students, but they usually have specific countries that the students have to come from. There are resources to assist international students in finding some financial aid, such as ScholarshipExperts.com and International Education Financial Aid. These databases make it easier to determine where financial aid is available and what qualifications are needed.

One of the best resources that an international student can use in trying to acquire a scholarship or other financial aid is their own country. Although the United States does not offer much in the way of scholarships for students from other countries, there may be specific businesses or organizations that will be willing to sponsor a student, especially if they are going to be studying in a specific field. Students should not be discouraged from coming to the United States simply because of the price. It may be difficult to find scholarship programs, but they do exist and they are available to international students.

By: John Miter

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Yearly, there are 200,000 students from the United States that study in foreign universities. Because of the greater financial commitment, many students forfeit the opportunity because they don’t have the financial help that they need. Somehow the student has to pay for their air travel to and from the country, local housing arrangements and travel inside the country. One solution for students who desire to study abroad is an international student loan.

Many of the students who study abroad apply for grants and scholarships, but even when they receive one, it doesn’t pay for all of their expenses. The advantage of an international loan is that it will pay for all of your university expenses minus the grants or scholarships you have received.

You must be a U. S. Citizen or have your permanent resident card in order to apply for an international loan. You must, also, be enrolled in a foreign university for a short time with plans to return and earn your degree in the United States, or be attending a university on the list of approved schools on a full-time basis with intention of earning a degree. To apply for federal international student loans you must have a FAFSA pin number.

The best types of international loans are federal loans. The best advice is to apply for all the federal loans, scholarships and grants that you can, and, if possible, get all of your financial aid from them. The other type of international loan is a private loan. These have much higher interest and should only be used as a last resort.

The federal loans that most students apply for are Stafford loans. Any students can apply upon showing that they have a financial need and that the school they are attending is on the approved list of foreign schools.

If you don’t want to make payments while you are in school and for six months after you graduate, then apply for a Stafford loan. They even give you the benefit of paying your loan back early without charging you any extra. You can, also, follow and manage your account on-line. They will not do a credit check on you.

Either legal residents or citizens of the U. S. Qualify for an international student loan. With this excellent opportunity, it’s time to go ahead and make plans to get your degree in a foreign university. Don’t lose the opportunity to study in another culture.

By: Charles Gloson

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