Information for International Students
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F-1 Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
We are proud to honor our long tradition of students participating in work experience during their MBA journey by adding this as a required component of our curriculum, reinforcing the strong professional profiles and capabilities of our graduates to prospective students.
International Students should note, regarding this curriculum change, some special implications:
- The new requirement of the 1.0 credit Applied Business Course satisfies Curricular Practical Training (CPT) work experience requirements under the F-1 visa.
- To take part in work experience that qualifies for CPT, international students will be required to arrive in-country, and begin completing classes in person, by March 9, 2021. Students will need to work with the Rice University Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) to navigate the process of adjusting the entry date on their I-20, if they are arriving later than currently expected.
- Until you are able to arrive on campus, you will be able to start your education remotely. In fact, you will need to do so to be able to be eligible for CPT when you arrive. These classes are held during hours from 9:00 am to 5:00 p.m. U.S. Central Standard Time. If your time zone is more than 4 hours outside of Central Time, we will provide you with recordings of your classes. For courses that require team collaboration, you will need to work with your teammates to identify times for Zoom meetings that will accommodate everyone. This means that although you will have access to recordings of the class sessions, successful completion of the course will necessitate you being present, engaged and connected during early or late hours for your time zone.
- For those who don’t think you will be able to arrive by March 9 or who prefer not to start their education remotely, CPT deferral requests are being handled on a case-by-case basis. All CPT deferral requests must be communicated by June 30, 2020 for consideration. You may send a request to the Director of Recruiting and Admissions Janice Kennedy at janice.l.kennedy@rice.edu.
Application Requirements
Please review special instructions for international students.
Financing Your Degree
As an International Student, you are required to demonstrate sufficient funding to cover the cost of attendance in order to obtain your student visa. We encourage you to review the information on the Office of International Students and Scholars site and reference the International Financial Declaration Form for MBA Students.
International Payments
For those planning to wire funding from abroad, Rice University has partnered with flywire to facilitate this process at as low a cost to you as possible. Please reference the University Cashier's Office for additional information.
International Grant & Loan Organizations
The following loan opportunities may not require a US citizen or permanent resident co-signer.
Banco de México-FIDERH is a federal trust managed by the Central Banco de México that offers affordable low-interest loans to Mexican students for graduate studies either in Mexico or abroad. The Jones Graduate School of Business (JGSB) participates in a collaboration agreement with FIDERH. If (1) a Full Time MBA applicant is awarded an admissions scholarship and (2) is approved for funding by FIDERH, the JGSB guarantees that the total admissions scholarship award will be a minimum of 25% of tuition.
CONACYT is a member of Mexico’s department of education and offers scholarship and stipend opportunities to Mexican nationals seeking to study abroad.
FUNED is a non-profit private organization which offers Mexican nationals low-interest loan funding. The Jones Graduate School of Business (JGSB) participates in a collaboration agreement with FUNED. If (1) a Full Time MBA applicant is awarded an admissions scholarship and (2) is approved for funding by FUNED, the JGSB guarantees that the total admissions scholarship award will be a minimum of 25% of tuition.
Global Student Loan Corporation is a third-party loan facilitator that assists in providing educational loans to citizens of India.
The Leo S. Rowe Pan American Fund grants interest-free educational loans to students, from Latin American and Caribbean OAS member countries, to help them finance their higher education studies in the United States.
Prodigy Finance offers loans without a co-signer to students studying at a select number of US MBA programs. Rice University's Full-Time MBA is an approved program.
US Loan Organizations
US banks require international students to have a US Citizen or Permanent Resident (green card holder) co-signer when applying. The Student Financial Services Private Loans page contains an historical lender list that may assist your search. If interested, please navigate to that page and select the ELMSelect link at the bottom. Please note that you are not limited to this list and may apply with any lending institution of your choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you cannot find a question to your answer below, please reach out to us at ricemba@rice.edu.
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No. The institution does not act as a co-signer or guarantor of student loans.
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Soon after you are admitted to the program and have submitted your enrollment deposit, you will need to begin the the visa process with the Office of International Students. As part of that process, you will have to show that you have sufficient funding to cover the estimated cost of tuition, fees, and living expenses.
In order to expedite this process, we recommend students begin applying for a private loan as soon as possible.
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We always encourage you to borrow conservatively. In deciding how much to borrow, a basic principle is to request sufficient funding to cover the costs for the academic year (Fall + Spring). You can reach out to the Student Financial Services Office for additional help on determining how much you're able to borrow.
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