The financial guilt of studying abroad

“Financial stress and financial guilt. These are the two feelings international students can never avoid while studying abroad. This is especially true with the increasing price of education. In Seoul, South Korea, universities are rushing to increase tuition fees for international students by 2.5 to 3.19% for the 2026 academic year. In 2025, the highest recorded was 5.49%. Despite the increase, it’s still relatively affordable. However, international students in the US are at the mercy of high university tuition fees. Let’s put it into perspective. Tuition fees in South Korea, for instance, range from 8.6 million won to 16 million won (US$6,000 to US$12,000) per year. In the US, it may cost international students US$28,386 to US$58,628 per year. For Jugal Bhatt , a Master’s of Computer Science graduate from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), figuring out how to pay the high fees wasn’t really an issue. He was fortunate enough to get some help from his parents. “Honestly, I wouldn’t say my parents are rich, but they are comfortable enough to support my education in the US,” he shares. “ When applying, I couldn’t secure a scholarship either way, as UIUC do not offer many scholarships or financial aid for international students.” This is where the financial guilt comes in. Bhatt is a graduate of Vellore Institute of Technology. Source: Jugal Bhatt “Is it even going to be worth the amount I’m putting in?” Paying US$31,193 a semester is rough. Bhatt knows it, even if his parents were the ones footing the bill. His parents were already growing old, and he knew they should not be draining their bank account to fund his education in the US. It sent him into a spiral of doubts. “Is this worth it? Should I do this?” Bhatt wonders. “I kept asking myself that. My parents were so supportive, but as a grown adult, you feel that you shouldn’t be getting this much help from your parents.” Despite the financial guilt he felt throughout the application period and his first semester in the US, Bhatt was sure of himself. He was sure that with the skills he would learn through the Master’s of Computer Science, he would get a high-paying job and be able to earn back the money spent on his education sooner rather than later, so he could pay his parents back. That’s not all; the minute he landed in the US, Bhatt knew he had to find ways to help alleviate the financial stress. Bhatt is originally from India. Source: Jugal Bhatt 3 ways for you to help ease your financial stress as an international student in the US With minimal financial subsidies from the university, the only legal way was to take up jobs on campus. International students in the US on an F-1 or J-1 visa can work through on-campus jobs, permitted immediately upon arrival, with only a maximum of 20 hours per week during semesters and full-time during school breaks. The path he took was a common route many international students take; however, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get paid well. Ronald Vincenzo Khaw de Leon , a former international student from Berklee College of Music, struggled to find jobs that could cover the cost of living. “I was only able to find seasonal jobs that paid US$4 above minimum wage, but it would only be for three times the whole semester — hardly enough to cover rent and food,” Vincenzo shares. Bhatt managed to find a way to earn extra cash for a longer time. Here are three ways to help reduce the financial stress of studying abroad: Jugal Bhatt is a software engineer at Amazon in the US. Source: Jugal Bhatt Work as a teaching assistant or research assistant “There’s something called a ‘graduate funding opportunities’ for master’s students,” Bhatt shares. “You’ll become either a teaching assistant or a research assistant.” It was hard at first, especially as an international student. “I was actively applying and reaching out to several professors, but no luck,” he says. “But one day, I was having a chat with my flatmate and asked him how he managed to get his teaching assistant job. To my luck, he was actually graduating soon, so his position will soon be vacant.” Bhatt met up with the professor and pitched himself. “The class I had to teach was actually on the topics I had worked on as a full-time software engineer in India,” Bhatt recalls. “So, the skill sets I have and the requirements the professor needed aligned. So, I got the job.” Best of all, Bhatt was able to participate in research and even secure another teaching assistant job for the following semester. If you get hired for these positions, you’ll get paid a stipend along with a tuition waiver. “Every month, I would get paid US$2,900 before taxes,” he shares. “It would come down to about US$2,524 after taxes.” Bhatt was able to sustain himself. Paying for rent, buying groceries, and even eating out became easier. His financial stress, even financial guilt, started to lessen. “It was more than enough for the town I was living in, and I was even able to save a lot of money,” Bhatt says. Before joining Amazon, Bhatt was a founding software engineer at LiletLLM (YC W23), an open source Python SDK and Python FastAPI Server. Source: Jugal Bhatt Apply for hourly based jobs with university clubs If teaching and research assistant jobs are hard to come by, consider applying for hourly based jobs with university clubs. “If I weren’t able to get the jobs, I was planning on applying for work elsewhere on campus,” Bhatt explains. “Possibly taking up an IT role or maybe even working alongside the photography club. While they don’t pay as much as teaching or research assistant jobs, I would at least be able to pay my rent and food expenses.” Become a resident advisor While this isn’t Bhatt’s tip or experience, it’s been well documented that becoming a resident advisor (RA) is the way to go. Housing would cost between US$6,000 to US$24,000 per year, and becoming an RA meant that you’ll be able to get free on-campus housing and even stipends. Imagine saving that much each year while studying abroad. Overcoming financial guilt Sometimes, even after you take action and control over your own financial circumstances like Bhatt has, you still feel this sense of guilt. Financial guilt, to be specific. Financial guilt, for the lucky ones who haven’t experienced it before, is that feeling of emotional distress, shame, or anxiety that stems from financial decisions or status, often rooted in past scarcity and comparison. International students, especially those living in a country where things are more expensive and the currency is stronger, have a tendency to feel this guilt. But it’s definitely not a healthy and sustainable mindset to have. With that in mind, it’s important to practice self-compassion and acknowledge past financial mistakes without judgement. And of course, creating a proactive, realistic financial plan does definitely help.

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