The 20 most generous colleges in America offer an average of $82,000 in financial aid, about $10,000 more than tuition.
Many universities in the US have a need-based financial aid policy for international students, based on their family’s ability to pay.
According to data from 868 universities surveyed by the US News and World Report ranking organization, the average aid level for international students in the 2023-2024 school year is about $23,800.
However, that figure triples at about 20 schools — an average of $82,000. All are private schools, which are known for their deep pockets.
| TT | School name | Average financial support (USD/year) | Tuition (USD/year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vassar College | 86,258 | 70,050 |
| 2 | Wellesley College | 86,187 | 67,824 |
| 3 | Georgetown University | 85,795 | 68,016 |
| 4 | Haverford College | 85,402 | 69,884 |
| 5 | Williams College | 84,142 | 68,240 |
| 6 | Wesleyan University | 83,486 | 69,652 |
| 7 | Duke University | 83,486 | 66,326 |
| 8 | Cornell University | 83,060 | 68,380 |
| 9 | Washington and Lee University | 82,358 | 66,800 |
| 10 | College of the Holy Cross | 81,875 | 63,650 |
| 11 | Dartmouth College | 81,378 | 66,123 |
| 12 | Amherst College | 81,202 | 69,820 |
| 13 | Providence College | 80,368 | 62,520 |
| 14 | Yale University | 80,285 | 67,250 |
| 15 | Stanford University | 79,500 | 65,910 |
| 16 | Smith College | 79,023 | 64,870 |
| 17 | Pomona College | 79,018 | 65,000 |
| 18 | Brown University | 78,765 | 65,656 |
| 19 | Princeton University | 78,606 | 65,210 |
| 20 | Vanderbilt University | 78,582 | 65,008 |
Vassar College tops the list with more than $86,000. In the 2023-2024 school year, 52 international students at the school will receive financial aid. At the bottom of the list is Skidmore College, with an average aid award of more than $78,600, about $13,000 more than the school’s tuition.
The five Ivy League universities are also among the top in terms of financial aid for international students, with the average amount ranging from $78,000 to $83,000 per year. In terms of numbers, Princeton University is the largest, with 514 international students receiving aid. Yale is next (445 students), Dartmouth (418), Cornell (334) and Brown (265).
Many schools offer lower aid levels, but more applicants. For example, the average award at Arizona State University is only about $12,700, but it is the school that provides the most financial aid to international students — 2,985.
The United States is the world’s number one study abroad destination today. Last school year, the country had more than one million international students, from more than 200 countries and territories.
US News data from 324 universities shows that average tuition in the US ranges from $12,000 to $46,000 per year, depending on whether you are an in-state or out-of-state student. Of these, public universities saw a 127-158% increase. Private schools, which do not differentiate between international and domestic students, saw a 132% increase.
