International Student Aid Resources

International scholarships and loans

Outside of our institutional financial aid, there are many scholarships that you can apply to as an international student to help finance your education. 

You can find loans as well as scholarships that are available to international students at International Education and Financial Aid (IEFA)(link is external). IEFA offers a database for scholarships, grants, loan programs and other options to help finance your education. 

It is important to note that international students are not eligible for federal financial aid through the US government, including grants, work-study jobs and loans. Therefore, you should not fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

We’ve compiled a list of credible scholarship search engines that accept international applicants below.

Search external scholarships

IEFA(link is external)
International Student(link is external)
Buddy4Study(link is external)
Flagship Scholarship(link is external)

Student employment

Although international students aren’t eligible for federal work-study, there are still many job opportunities available to you through Student Employment. Learn more about the benefits of working on campus and how we can support your experience.

Explore international student employment(link is external)

Financial planning resources

FinAid (link is external)

FinAid is a nonprofit that provides a variety of resources for locating and applying for financial aid opportunities.

Rights and responsibilities of a financial aid recipient (link is external)

This document outlines your student rights and obligations related to financial aid while enrolled at RISD.

RISD net price calculator (link is external)

This tool helps you estimate the total cost of attending RISD and provides a preliminary assessment of your financial aid eligibility.