Hello everyone.
I have been told by UPenn that I will be given a $25.000 scholarship for the LL.M. I am an international student and have problems with paying the rest of the expenses. The Total estimated expenses based on the university website for 2006-2007 LL.M. program is $58,380, with the academic subtotal of $41,330, and living expenses of $17, 050. First, I would like to know whether living expenses are that high there? Second, how could I pay for the remaining $33,000?

I'm guessing you will have to take out "student loans" in your home country. (If there are no other chances of scholarships? It seems a little late for that, if you are starting school in the fall.) I don't think you can get American "student loans", unless you are a citizen or have a sponsor.

You should probably figure out the cheapest rent you can get, and then add on living expenses to see what extra money you need. Some people use less money that others, especially if they pay for their LLM themselves.

Thanks Han. It was very kind to help me.

The problem is that I can't get anything from my home country.
By the way, are the living expenses estimated on the website absolutely precise? I mean, do you think $17,050 is the right estimation for living expenses in Philadelphia?

Thank you in advance.

With regard to your living expenses, the biggest cost will be rent, followed by food and utilities. Don't get a car. It is too expensive. You will be in Philadelphia for 9 months, so $17,000 will give you a budget of about $1,900 per month. If you budget carefully, you could probably get by spending maybe $700 per month for food and spending money. I don't know what rents are in Philadelphia (you need to check on Craigslist for an idea), but if you share an apartment you could probably safely estimate rent and utilities in the range of $800 per month. You could also consider renting a room in a house, which would be much cheaper. So if your budget is $1,500 per month, your living expenses for the year would be about $13,500 for the year. I don't know if you can get cheaper than that. You could also try to get a job on campus. International students are allowed to work on campus up to 20 hours per week.

I only got enough scholarships to live cheaply, so I can tell you approximately what I spend.

I live in a very cheap place, so you will probably have to spend at least as much as me. I pay approx $500/month for rent and utilities. Try to live with several people, it is usually cheaper. I do not pay for tv (get bunny ears) and have very cheap internet. Also, try to get a furnished apartment. That will save you a lot. I also have a car, and it was absolutely necessary here, but I don't know about UPenn. Probably not if you live downtown/close to campus. My car was $1500 + $500 for insurance for a year. Other expenses are food. If you buy food at the grocery store and don't go out that much or go shopping, you can probably get by with $200-300 a week. So if you find cheap housing, maybe you'll get down to like $14,000. But maybe you want to take the bar exam? Or go home for xmas? Or vacation? Or get some new clothes? Have a beer or two every so often? Well, then you'll likely spend more than that.

Good luck on getting funds :)

Thank you Han.

It was very kind of you to give me that information. You seem to be economizing so well. May I ask you another question? How much did you pay (including all the costs) for 9 months. I know it differs from person to person, but it would be good to know.

I would take hanney's advice very cautiously. If I am correct in assuming he goes to Wake Forest then the cost of living out in NC is much lower than that of Philadelphia. Just a warning.

Thank you Setho. So do you mean that $17000 estimated on UPENN website is the right amount? can it still be lower Setho?

Setho: this is why I said: "I live in a very cheap place, so you will have to spend AT LEAST as much as me", meaning she will probably have to spend more since she lives in a bigger city.

I spent approx $7000 a semester + car costs + books and tuition (but I paid for my apartment for 10 months all together).

Thank you very much Hannenyh. It was very kind of you indeed to provide me with all that information.

I just wanted add my input because it seemed as if Nina was taking your experience as representative and I didnt want her to be confused. NC is a much different than Philadelphia and chances are she will have to spend significantly more than you, not just for housing but also for food and almost any other expense. Just wanted to make sure she was aware of this as she might not be familiar with the US.

Nina - Congratulatoins for such a big award. Could you share some of your credentials, if you don't mind? What do you think was the most important factor for Penn officials?

Nina, what have u decided about your studies at Upenn. By the way, I have had a chance to go to Upenn for attending an Executive Development Program. Tell u honestly, it was great.

Janisrar,
I have decided to go there, but I have as you know financial problems. Still trying to figure out how I could afford the rest. But as the saying goes "When there is a will, there is a way", I am trying to find the way.
Good luck to you Janisrar.

Visa,

I think the main factors were my work experience, GPA, English, country of origin and sex. There could also be other factors involved, of which I am unaware of at this stage.

If you have a co-signer, who is a citizen or permanent resident (on Green Card) in USA, having good credit history, it is very easy to get a loan. My cousin who is doing his Bachelor's in CS got 25K approved in loan.