Canadian and Other International Students

While international students do not qualify for U.S. federal student aid, there are other pathways to financing your optometry education.

• Private Loans. Some U.S. lenders offer private education loans to international students who have a credit-worthy co-signer who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. You can find and compare loans on the FinAid website.
• NECO Emergency Loan. Because we believe that unexpected expenses should not derail a promising optometry career, NECO provides interest-free emergency loans of up to $1,000 that can be made available in a matter of days. The loan must be repaid before the start of the next academic term.
• Lines of Credit. For student lines of credit and personal lines of credit or a home equity loan to provide extra resources. Banks offer different maximum caps on student lines of credit.

Plan to have sufficient funds for living and school expenses readily available, especially as you get settled in Boston and at NECO. Your tuition statement includes the cost of a basic equipment packet, yet you will need to buy additional equipment and books, food, and there are always unanticipated expenses.

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A checklist for Canadian students

Roughly 25% of NECO’s student community comes from Canada. If you’re an incoming or current Canadian student, here are some helpful tips from peers and alumni who’ve walked in your shoes.

• Open a U.S. bank account as soon as possible. This will enable you to pay rent and tuition with U.S. checks and use ATMs without charges.
• If you have a TD account in Canada, you can open a TD account in the United States.
• Then get an American credit card, so you can charge items without international transaction fees.
• For financing your optometry education, however, your home bank can be a helpful resource for exploring options and co-signing loans.
• Visit CANLearn for useful for information about financing options such as government-sponsored student loans and grants.  Although student loans from the Canadian government won’t cover all four years of your optometry program, they are interest-free while you are in school.