University Aid :
Though availability of financial assistance from university departments varies directly with the field, many foreign graduate students finance US education through assistantships. 

To locate likely sources of aid, first consult the Directory of Graduate Programmes, published by the Council of Graduate Schools. These are also available in your advising centre. Institutions offering your field are listed by state, with a numerical breakdown of the number of fellowship and assistantships awarded, by total and by number, to first year students. Since this publication applies to US students as well, these totals do not refer only to foreign students. 

Sources of aid that involve loans or work or study programmes are not available to foreign students. Choose several institutions that offer assistantships to first year students and consult other references for further information.
   
   
Fellowships :
Departments award fellowships on the basis of academic merit, normally after the first year of study. Graduate fellowships may be modest, covering only tuition and fees of full grants, providing the cost of tuition and fees and monthly cash payments for maintenance. Fellowships do not usually cover the total cost of living and studying. 
   
   
Assistantships :
Assistantships are the most common form of financial aid at the graduate level. Assistantships are cash awards which require the performance of services related to the field of study, usually about 20 hours per week. Sometimes an assistantship carries with it a waiver or reduction of tuition. 

Awards may range from as little as $500 to as much as $17,000 (or effectively higher, if high tuition costs are waived) for an academic year. The US income tax must be paid on all forms of graduate financial assistance, including assistantships. There are several types of assistantships. 
   
   
Teaching Assistantships :
‘Teaching Assistantships’ may be available for the first year of graduate study in university departments, with a large number of under-graduates in introductory courses. Teaching assistants work about 20 hours per week. They may supervise under-graduate laboratory classes, lead discussion groups or teach small classes. Increasingly, universities require that teaching assistantship pass the Test of Spoken English (TSE) before receiving a teaching assistantship. Often universities require teaching fellows to complete seminars which prepare them to teach in the US educational milieu. If you are interested in applying for a teaching fellowship, mention any previous teaching experience you may have. 
  
    
Research Assistantships :
‘Research Assistantships’ involve performance of research services, about 20 hours per week, related to the field of study. For engineering, for example, in addition to the Directory of Graduate Programmes mentioned above, you can look up your research specialisation in the annual March issue of Engineering Education. This publication lists by institution, the amounts and subjects of current research grants at universities. Find institutions that have grants in your field and apply to these universities for research assistantships. If you apply to institutions whose research funding matches your interests, professors who are the principal researchers for grants in your area will often single out your application for funding, especially if you have proven research experience. 
   
    
Administrative Assistantships :
‘Administrative Assistantships’ usually require 10 to 20 hours per week working in administrative offices of the university, such as the Foreign Student Advising Office. Apply for these assistantships through the Graduate Admissions Office rather than the department in your field of study. Competition for all types of assistantships is intense, since only limited numbers are available at any one institution. Foreign applicants must compete with US students. Doctoral students are more likely to receive support than Masters' candidates. Though financial need is taken into consideration, the most important factor in selection is academic achievement and promise in the field of study. Practically all awards for graduate study are made one year at a time. Renewal is not automatic and depends on your performance and the availability of funds.

Other types of aid include part-time employment on campus for up to 20 hours per week and short-term emergency loans.
   

AT&T Leadership Awards :
There are awards of $5000 for students from the Asia Pacific region going to the US for study in any discipline. Deadline is September 15 for application for schlarship for the following year. Decisions are announced on December 31. 

Contact: USEFI for information or 
Email: awards@attmail.com
Fax: (886) 227157013

Private US Sources and International Organisations :
Private US agencies, foundations, business corporations and professional associations often award financial aid in the interest of furthering international exchange. International organisations, such as the United Nations U.N. and the Organisations of American States (OAS) are other possible sources of financial aid. Since these institutions are large and complex, writing to them directly with general requests for financial aid will have little effect. Use references available in the advising center to find specific awards or grants for which you are eligible and address the office concerned. 

Many awards and grants are directed toward particular groups, for example: women, irrigation engineers, children of journalists, etc. You must read carefully to see whether you fit into any of the categories and greater foundation support is usually available for students in the social and natural sciences, and humanities. Apply only for awards where you match the specifications.