Financial Info Page

Financial Information

Scholarships

Graduate Studies Scholarships. All graduate level applicants are automatically considered for Graduate Studies scholarships. These are academic competitive scholarships of $1,000 per year. Students who receive any type of scholarship amounting to $1,000 or more per year are eligible for in-state tuition rates. If awarded, yearly scholarships will be applied directly to the student’s tuition and fees account in two equal payments at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters.
Undergraduate Student Scholarships. All undergraduate applicants may apply for university-wide scholarships which are awarded by the Scholarship Committee based on academic merit (GPA, standardized test scores, etc). Students who wish to apply must fill out the scholarship form and submit by February 1st for the following academic year. To view the list of available scholarships and minimum requirements click here.
Academic Department Scholarships. Students are encouraged to apply with their academic department for subject specific scholarships. Additionally, Teaching or Research assistantships may be available with your department. These are paid in the form of a monthly stipend in an amount determined by the department.
Good Neighbor Scholarship Program. The Good Neighbor program provides an exemption of tuition for students from other nations of the Western hemisphere. International students who have been unconditionally admitted to a public institution in Texas are eligible to apply provided they are not applying for U.S. residency. Applicants must have been born in and be a current resident of a nation of the western hemisphere other than Cuba or the United States. The scholarship award covers one year of tuition (fall, spring, and summer). Across Texas, 235 awards are made each year to up to 10 students per eligible country. The deadline to apply is February 15th for the following academic year. Click to download the instructions and application. Please submit your application in the International Student Services Office.
External Scholarships. Some students find funding sources from outside the university by checking with their local government, civic organizations, and U.S. government organizations. Here are a couple good sites to get you started:

Fulbright Association

EducationUSA

Rotary International
Student Loans. Students who do not receive scholarships may choose to finance their education through private student loans. For details on private education loans, students should contact their home/foreign country banking institutions.

Tuition and Fees

As a state supported university, Lamar is able to offer students the benefit of a high quality education at a relatively low rate of tuition. Students who qualify for scholarships and in-state tuition waivers will further reduce their costs.

As required by the United States Citizenship & Immigration Service, international students must show evidence of their ability to finance their education and personal expenses while in the country. Therefore, all applicants must complete the Financial Statement (can be found in the application document) and submit an original bank statement date stamped within the past six months showing the minimum support level as required below. The rates stated below are based on one full-time student. Evidence of additional funding will be necessary for those who plan to enroll in summer school, or support a spouse/children while at Lamar University.

Minimum Support levels for 2009-2010:

Undergraduate Students: $23,692
Graduate Students: $21,635

Tuition Rates and Living Expenses for 2009-2010 Academic Year

The tuition rates for both in-state and out of state status are listed below. Students are considered out of state unless they are a resident of the state of Texas or have been awarded a scholarship and out of state tuition waiver.

Lamar University’s standard budget for 12 months of living expenses includes: lodging (residence hall or off-campus living), food, supplies, expenses for clothing, local travel, recreation, toiletries and telephone. The figure for insurance and books includes the University student insurance plan, books and course supplies. You should also plan to incur other expenses not related to your studies.

	UNDERGRADUATE FALL & SPRING 12 HRS. EA (No Scholarship)	UNDERGRADUATE FALL & SPRING 12 HRS. EA Scholarship	UNDERGRADUATE FALL & SPRING 12HRS SUMMER 3HRS. EA (No Scholarship)	UNDERGRADUATE FALL & SPRING 12HRS SUMMER 3HRS. EA Scholarship
Tuition & Fees	$12,112	$12,112	$15,150	$15,150
Living Expenses (12mos)	9,980	9,980	9,980	9,980
Insurance/Books/Supplies	1,600	1,600	1,700	1,700
TOTAL	23,692	23,692	26,830	26,830
scholarship		1,000		1,000
Waiver		6,648		8,334
Funds Needed from Student	$23,692	$16,044	$26,830	$17,496

	GRADUATE MASTER-DOCTOR FALL/SPRING- 9HRS (No Scholarship)	GRADUATE MASTER-DOCTOR FALL/SPRING- 9HRS Scholarship	GRADUATE MASTER-DOCTOR FALL/SPRING- 9HRS SUMMER- 3HRS EA (No Scholarship)	GRADUATE MASTER-DOCTOR FALL/SPRING- 9HRS SUMMER- 3HRS EA Scholarship
Tuition & Fees	$10,205	$10,205	$13,541	$13,541
Living Expenses (12mos)	9,980	9,980	9,980	9,980
Insurance/Books/Supplies	1,450	1,450	1,500	1,500
TOTAL	21,635	21,635	25,022	25,022
scholarship		1,000		1,000
Waiver		4,986		6,672
Funds Needed from Student	$21,635	$15,649	$25,022	$17,350

	TEACHING/RESEARCHER MASTER-DOCTOR FALL/SPRING 6HRS EA SUMMERI/II 3HRS EA Assistanship+Scholarship	RESEARCH ASSITANT DOCTOR FALL/SPRING 6HRS EA SUMMERI/II 3HRS EA Assistanship	PhD-CHEMICAL EGR. FALL/SPRING 9HRS EA SUMMERI/II 6HRS EA STIPEND($18,000)
Tuition & Fees	$10,245	$10,245	$16,714
Living Expenses (12mos)	9,980	9,980	9,980
Insurance/Books/Supplies	1,500	1,500	1,500
TOTAL	21,725	20,847	28,194
Assistantship	6,000	10,000	18,000
Scholarship	1,000		1,000
Waiver	5,010	5,010	15,473
Financial aid Total	12,010	15,010	34,473
Funds Needed from Student	$9,715	$6,715	None

Employment

According to government regulations most international student employment is limited to on-campus, “University Funded” positions. This means that students must not be paid or compensated for work done outside of the university where they are enrolled. Depending on visa status, some international students may not be allowed to work at all in the United States. Also depending on visa status, some students may be eligible for work and training opportunities off campus. All employed students must complete Form I-9 (available in the International Student Services Office) to comply with immigration law and to get paid.

F-1 visa holders may work on campus. F-1 students may also apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and/or Optional Practical Training(OPT).

Curricular Practical Training
F-1 students who have been enrolled at Lamar University for one year are eligible for CPT, which entails working off campus in a job related to degree program. CPT (also known as an internship), must be approved by the student’s academic department and the international office. After receiving departmental approval, students must bring an offer letter to the international office from their potential employer that shows a start and end date and whether the position is full or part-time. Those who participate in full-time CPT will lose their eligibility for OPT. CPT must be completed prior to graduation and is limited to undergraduate and graduate students who maintain GPAs of 2.0 and 3.0 respectively.

CPT Fact Sheet	CPT Employer Sample Letter
CPT Application Part I	CPT Information for Employers
CPT Application Part II	Notice for Engineering Students

Optional Practical Training
Upon receiving their degree, F-1 students may also be eligible for OPT, which is one year of practical work. Students who wish to participate in OPT must apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in the international office before they graduate and must complete their twelve months of OPT within fourteen months of their graduation date. Effective April 10, 2008, the Department of Homeland Security mandated new federal regulations regarding Optional Practical Training (OPT) and has allowed for students in the STEM fields to apply for a 17 Month Extension of their 12 Month OPT.

The documents below include updated forms and instructions necessary to apply for initial OPT and also for the 17 Month Extension. Students may also want to visit the USCIS website for more information. (www.uscis.gov)

OPT Packet
OPT Application
OPT Extension Packet
OPT Extension Application

J-1 visa holders must obtain permission to work on-campus or off-campus from their program sponsor. J-1 students may apply for academic training to gain actual work experience in a field of study complement to their academic program. Students must see an international adviser in 118 Wimberly to apply for academic training permission.

F-2 visa holders are not permitted to work under any circumstances.

J-2 visa holders must receive INS permission to work. J-2 students must see an international adviser in 118 Wimberly to apply for work permission.

On-Campus Employment. International students should not financially rely on the assumption that they will find a job on campus – some jobs are available, but positions do fill quickly. Students who would like to apply for “University Funded” jobs are encouraged to do so in room 102 of the Galloway Building. Students who apply at the beginning of the semester are more likely to find positions.

Students are allowed to work 20 hours per week during the long semesters (fall and spring) while they are enrolled and 40 hours per week in the summer – provided they are enrolled for the following fall semester. Undergraduates must maintain a 2.0 GPA and Graduate level students must maintain a 3.0 GPA while working on campus.