For Chinese students preparing to apply to American universities, what exactly is the difference between having a U.S. Green Card and not having one? In this regard, immigration experts at Worldway have conducted an analysis and summarized 9 major advantages of studying in the U.S. with a Green Card.
Difference 1: Visas
Applying for a U.S. Green Card through the EB-5 investment immigration program takes approximately one and a half years from application to receiving the immigrant visa. There are no requirements regarding language, academic qualifications, business experience, or work history; one only needs to explain the legal source of the $500,000 investment. Once the application is successful, the entire family, including unmarried children under the age of 21, can receive visas to enter the United States simultaneously.
In contrast, a U.S. student visa is a non-immigrant visa, and visa officers operate under the presumption of "guilty until proven innocent," assuming an intent to immigrate. If the applicant is from a high-risk region, such as the Wuyi area, the difficulty of the application increases further. The key is to provide sufficient and credible materials to U.S. immigration officials to prove the purpose of the study. Additionally, one must consider English proficiency; without a good TOEFL score and decent speaking skills, it is difficult to pass the visa interview.
Difference 2: Tuition
Since all primary and secondary schools in the U.S. provide compulsory education, tuition is free (excluding elite private boarding schools). Students do not need to pay any fees, only lunch money. After new immigrants arrive in the U.S., the enrollment procedure for public schools in their place of residence is very simple; one only needs to present a home purchase or lease agreement, along with utility bills, phone bills, and proof of the child's vaccinations.
Regarding university tuition, if an international student without a Green Card studies in the U.S., the annual cost of tuition, living expenses, room and board, and round-trip airfare is approximately 250,000 RMB. For a four-year undergraduate degree, this amounts to at least 1 million RMB. However, for local students (citizens or residents), tuition is only one-third that of international students, and international students are not eligible to apply for financial aid. State universities or community colleges often charge international students higher miscellaneous fees and credit fees.
Difference 3: Student Loans
Green Card holders over the age of 18 can apply for various types of student loans in the same year they receive their Green Card. For example, when attending a top-tier private American university, annual tuition can be as high as $30,000. When a Green Card holder wants to pursue a 2-year master's degree, which costs $60,000 to $70,000, they can apply for a loan.
Difference 4: Admission to Top Universities
To enter top-tier American universities, such as the 8 Ivy League schools, the average annual acceptance rate is only 9.2%. Generally, the number of international students admitted by prestigious schools each year is about 5% to 10% of the total enrollment, and they are recruited from all over the world. Taking Harvard University as an example, in the past 7 years, it has only admitted 7 Chinese students per year; 90% to 95% of the spots are reserved for permanent residents or citizens, with about 2,000 local students admitted each year.
Mr. Xie immigrated to the U.S. with his family when his son was in the 4th grade. His son had excellent academic performance and was eventually admitted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). A Chinese girl in his son's class also had excellent grades, but because she had not immigrated to the U.S., she could only apply as an international student and eventually went to the University of California, Berkeley. This shows that for two equally excellent students, even if they both study in the U.S., their university application outcomes can be vastly different due to their status.
Difference 5: Scholarship Applications
For international students intending to apply for U.S. university scholarships, they must compete with excellent individuals from all over the world for a very limited number of scholarships open to foreign nationals. However, for those with a U.S. Green Card, the range of scholarships available is far greater than what a foreigner can apply for.
Difference 6: Part-time Work
International students have limited opportunities for part-time work due to their status. First, they can only apply for on-campus part-time jobs, most of which are manual labor without technical requirements, and the number of positions is limited, making it difficult for most international students to obtain them. Second, only students who have obtained such positions and received a Social Security Number are eligible to work part-time off-campus. Local students do not have status issues, face fewer restrictions on working, and can freely choose where to work. There are more off-campus part-time jobs available, with higher pay and more diverse work content.
Difference 7: Medical Expenses
The high medical expenses for international students can only be covered through commercial insurance or out-of-pocket payments. In contrast, the medical expenses of local students are mostly covered by social insurance, and their parents can be by their side at any time to provide more care and guidance in their studies and daily life.
Difference 8: Employment
U.S. Green Card holders are not restricted in their employment in the U.S., whereas foreign students face highly unequal competition when looking for jobs after graduation. The U.S. government has specialized agencies that provide free job-seeking assistance to its citizens.
Difference 9: Staying in the U.S. for Work
After completing their studies in the U.S., international students must first resolve their status. F-1 students have a one-year Optional Practical Training (OPT) eligibility after graduation. If a student has not applied for OPT within 60 days after graduation, they must leave the U.S. After obtaining an OPT visa, they seek a job, and then the employer can sponsor the transition from F-1 student status to H-1B employment status. After holding an H-1B visa, the applicant can apply for a Green Card while working. The typical cycle lasts 6 to 7 years.
The U.S. issues 140,000 Green Cards for employment-based immigration each year. The number of Green Cards obtained by citizens of any single country through employment-based immigration cannot exceed 7% of the total, meaning no more than 9,800 Green Cards. However, the number of applicants for employment-based immigration from countries like China and India far exceeds this number. This means that many Chinese students who have obtained master's and doctoral degrees in the U.S. face a long waiting period even if they find a job and have an employer sponsor their Green Card application. If a student uses up their 6-year work visa without receiving a Green Card after completing their studies, they have no choice but to leave the U.S. According to statistics from authoritative departments, the number of Chinese students returning home after graduation is increasing year by year. In contrast, children of applicants who have obtained family Green Cards through EB-5 investment immigration have already resolved their status and can legally settle in the U.S. to work or continue their studies.
It is evident that children with Green Cards have advantages in every aspect of studying in the U.S. Parents who intend to send their children to study in the U.S. should consider obtaining a U.S. Green Card for the whole family through the EB-5 investment immigration program as early as possible, paving a smooth path for their children's future education, work, and life in the United States.
