Petition for financial aid for first year international students

by Jason Papadopoulos - News Editor

A petition is circulating around WPI this week, that aims to give undergraduate, first year international students at WPI the right to apply for financial aid. A few international students that were accepted into WPI for the 1995-1996 academic year, applied and received financial aid from WPI. Many international undergraduate students that entered WPI this academic year had no knowledge that they could apply for financial aid, as all documentation they received from WPI strictly stated that no financial aid was available for international students.

After coming to WPI many students have found out that WPI has introduced financial aid for international undergraduate students. Many students have approached various people from the admissions office, the financial aid office, and student life office, but they have been told that they may not apply for financial aid, and that they should have applied when they were applying for entry into WPI. Students have pointed out that they have been unable to apply for financial aid since they had no knowledge of its availability.

At its meeting, on Wednesday, Aprl 3rd, the ISC (International Student Council) endorsed the petition and now it is available to all students and faculty that want to show their support. Students or faculty that are interested in finding out more about the petition, and/or signing it, may contact Jason Papadopoulos at 831-6311, e-mail: jasonp@wpi.edu, or the ISC at e-mail: isc@wpi.edu.