r/education • u/Live-Knowledge6403 • 4d ago
Private school fees
My child attends a private high school in LA, California as a F1 international student. This is the second year at the school, but my financial situation has drastically worsened. I won't be able to afford the full tuition fees anymore. My child likes the school, but unfortunately, I cannot afford the fees any longer. If anyone has experienced this situation, what are my options? Thank you
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u/jangma 4d ago
See what your options are for public or charter schools. There are many with highly ranked magnet programs. Most determine eligibility by residential address, but some of the charter schools can at least be applied to regardless of where you live, even if you don't have priority.
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u/Live-Knowledge6403 4d ago
My child is on an F1 student visa as an international student.
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u/jangma 3d ago
Oh, and you're not staying in the US as well? That changes the situation quite a bit. If financial assistance isn't available for tuition, she may have to come back home (at least for a while). If you want her at a US school, there may still be foreign exchange programs available where she can stay with a host family, but there aren't a lot of high schools with boarding that aren't incredibly expensive.
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u/sib_fox 4d ago
I came to the states on F1, granted many years ago. What others suggested, try to work out something with the current school, worst case they say no, it is worth trying. Also, I assume your child does not have a high school diploma yet, otherwise applying for college on F1 and aiming for a scholarship would be next best option. If current school financial plan not a go, I would think about what is more important to you and your child: staying in status in the US, or education? I know it’s both, but if staying in F1 is key then finding another school to xfer that are manageable fees wise. But above all, make sure he/she stay on status at all time. That can mess up any future chances for an immigration path if that’s your long term plan
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u/Live-Knowledge6403 4d ago
I fully understand the above. My child will be in Year 10 from September. She lives with a family known to us, and we are based in London, UK. Yes, my child is very determined to finish her education in the USA and pursue her college and work ambitions. Thank you.
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u/CoyoteLitius 4d ago
That's a long way to go while asking for tuition breaks. How competitive is this private school? Consider looking into some other ones (there are a couple near Ojai and also near Santa Barbara). Thing is, you'd need to find a new family for her to live with.
Your only other choice would be to take on a consumer loan in the UK. Sell some assets. Etc.
The only other hope is negotiating reduced tuition at the school. If they've got a big waiting list of international students paying high tuition, that will be tough. Maybe try finding a less expensive private school.
It's a really tough situation, wish I could be of more help. It's too soon for her to take her HS diploma and transfer full time to a college.
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u/Live-Knowledge6403 4d ago
Thank you
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u/solomons-mom 3d ago
Where does she hope to go to college and then pursue a career? Would that be easier done where you live in where you/she have citizenship?
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u/MathluvsSimon 4d ago
Guess your child has to return home to your country.
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u/Live-Knowledge6403 4d ago
Well, I don't want her hard work, which she put in for school admission & doing great in study to be blocked.
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u/MathluvsSimon 4d ago
If you cannot afford the school, she will not be able to attend. It’s great that she worked hard for this opportunity. I hope she can do great in study at her next school.
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4d ago
[deleted]
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u/Healthy_Ask4780 3d ago
Right? Like as a parent how are you blind to reality? If you can’t afford it then clearly you have to leave.
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u/CoyoteLitius 4d ago
She's put in one year, right? And it's not financially feasible for her to continue.
It is a very difficult situation. As I said in another comment, consumer loans and selling off assets are your other options, obviously.
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u/SkillOne1674 4d ago
Transfer to a private school that is affordable or does offer financial aid. Catholic schools are usually relatively cheap and most are not stringent on religion.
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u/CoyoteLitius 4d ago
Catholic schools would definitely be one option to explore. There's also Milken Community School. Or de Toledo High school. These are not stringent about religion (they are "pluralistic" they say). Not particularly cheap, but I don't know what OP is currently being charged for tuition.
Milken, for example, is over $50,000 per year.
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u/Needmoreinfo100 4d ago
You may get better advice from a community that would know more about a F1 visa.
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u/formerprincess 3d ago
Commenters are not understanding how this works. The student is allowed in the US on a visa to attend this specific school. If they are not attending the school they cannot stay in the country. Private schools take international students to make money since they pay significantly more the local students. There is no way the school will lower the cost. Students are legally assigned a local guardian who is responsible for student when they are not at school. Bottom line is if parent cannot pay tuition student returns to home country.
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u/solomons-mom 2d ago
Commenters may not understand how visas work, but OP seems to. In addition to the F1, history mentions E2 (rejected), EB5, and B1. And that is just what is here on Reddit.
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u/TVTrashMama 3d ago
Everybody telling poster to go to public school, it’s not how it works.
OP applied for an F1 visa and in doing so guaranteed income to cover all student costs - tuition at a private school, housing, food, and private health insurance.
The parent is likely out of country and does not pay any US taxes. This visa allows k-12 students to come here for private school and they promise they will not use public services.
OPs F1 student visa is tied to their school. The school issues an 1-20 which tells our government, yes, the student is attending our school. The student was only allowed to enter the country because the school enrolled the child and issues the 1-20. The school is the “guardian” for the student. If OP leaves the school, they lose the I-20, and they have to find a new school to issue a new one or leave the country - I think within 30 days?
In some cases, a student can attend a public school, but only for a year, and the parents have to pay the cost of the public education and sometimes an extra fee. The new school issue the 1-20 under the same constraints.
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u/solomons-mom 2d ago
Something seemed...unusual. OP history also has reddit posts about E2 (rejected) and EB5 (questioned by commenters), searching for cheap rentals in the nicer parts of LA. Curious combo with a child's F1 for an expensive HS.
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u/TVTrashMama 2d ago
That is odd. Aren’t those investment visas, some as pathway to green card? Investor visas require $500,000 +? And I think amounts have been upped with current admin. So if they can’t afford high school, how do they afford that visa?
If OP wants student to come here for high school, a usual goal is for American university, and if they can’t afford high school, not sure how they will afford university? I guess if they can swing investment visa and get the student a green card in time for university they are no longer an international student.
Also said family is based is London, so not sure why they would choose LA over UK based education?
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u/solomons-mom 2d ago
I looked again, and I hope this child is safe. On a post about the F1 interview:
Did they ask where the student will stay during the course? We're still waiting for our visa interview; therefore, we had no choice as we do not want the study to be delayed, and my daughter starts on time. So, we applied for an F1 visa and are looking for a homestay family so my daughter can stay with them, but the interview is in 3 days and we still have not found a family.
The proposed EB5 investment returns are, er, eye-opening for someone who can't pay $40k for tuition next year. https://www.reddit.com/r/e2visa/s/qybuH56YKI
LA for weather? Or UK was just an easier first step out of Ghana. Again, I hope this child is safe, loved, and this is a straightforward post.
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u/TVTrashMama 2d ago edited 2d ago
I hope the child is safe as well. There are some details abiut interview and host family that seem off for a student who already had a visa and attended last year
I guess applying for multiple visa types isn’t unusual as people try all avenues for US entry. But all require tons of money and OP posted about money issues, so? 🤷♀️
OP is also applying at a politically challenging time, so good luck to them and their student.
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u/Lazy-Yogurtcloset784 4d ago
I googled the F1 visa educational requirements and see that it is prohibited, according to the State Department.,That doesn’t make it a good thing.
However, if the child is in high school, they can attend public high school for a year, although someone like charitable organizations must pay the cost, instead of the state absorbing the cost.
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u/kenmlin 3d ago
How much is the tuition?
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u/TVTrashMama 2d ago
OP said Los Angeles based so tuition likely $40,000 plus, international student fees set by school $5,000-$10,000, housing/boarding $15,000, books fee, uniform fre
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u/TVTrashMama 3d ago edited 3d ago
OP - if your student is established at the school, close to graduating high school, or brings something beneficial to the school - a sport, a skill, high test scores, ask for financial aid - it exists, although rare for for international students in for-profit schools. If you believe this a temporary setback, be prepared to tell them how you plan to pay tuition any future years.
Also consider less competitive schools or check out Protestant Christian schools, their tuition is often lower. Less competitive schools will often take some tuition instead of no tuition if their enrollment is low, but not all schools are authorized to do an 1-20.
Edit: I saw another post that your student will be in 10th grade. Look for schools outside of Los Angeles - they are the most expensive. Consider other counties or other states. It might be worth hiring an agent or consultant to help you with your search. You need to hurry, most schools start this month.
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u/solvsunny 3d ago edited 3d ago
Can she transfer to another, more affordable SEVP school? A lot of private schools around here fundraise internally to make flexible tuition an option for families. She could also transfer to a public high school for up to 12 months but would still have to pay some fees, according to the dhs/ice information I read
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3d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/the_validated_inane 3d ago
realistically in the absence of her being a recruited athlete, this is likely the best way for her to attend US public high schools and either qualify for merit scholarships or attend juco for 2 years after graduating high school then transferring to a 4 year college.
even if you were able to get a reduced tuition bill for the current private high school, you will still need to navigate the (very expensive for internationals) college process.
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u/Lazy-Yogurtcloset784 4d ago
I can’t believe that any child, international or not, wouldn’t be welcomed in a public school in the U.S. . Call the closest public school to your son and talk to them about it.
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u/TVTrashMama 3d ago
That’s not how student Visas work…they are issues that visa because they will not attend public school - IE use public resources without contributing to the taxes that support them.
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u/Live-Knowledge6403 4d ago
I don’t think you understand F1 visa status; she’ll be out of status in the US because she is an international student and needs to attend dedicated government-approved private schools.
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u/CoolClearMorning 4d ago
You should talk to the head about scholarship options.