Financial Aid Eligibilty for foreign students

Most foreign citizens are not eligible for federal student aid. There are, however, some instances in which non-citizens may be eligible for financial aid from the U.S. federal government.

U.S. PERMANENT RESIDENTS AND OTHER ELIGIBLE
NONCITIZENS

A lawful permanent resident (LPR) is a noncitizen who is legally
permitted to live and work in the United States permanently. Other
eligible noncitizens include;

• Refugees. This status is considered temporary, although
refugees can apply for permanent residence;

• Persons granted asylum. Persons who have been granted asylum
in the United States are given employment authorization for
one year. At the end of that year, they are eligible to apply for
permanent residence. Asylum status continues unless revoked
by DHS or until permanent residence status is granted;

• Conditional entrants. These individuals are refugees who
entered the United States under the seventh preference
category of P.L. 89-236 or whose status was adjusted to lawful
permanent-resident alien under that category. Note that the
DHS stopped using this category on March 31, 1980;
• Persons paroled into the U.S. for at least one year. These
individuals must also provide evidence (such as having filed a
valid permanent resident application) from the DHS that they
are in the U.S. for other than a temporary purpose and intend
to become a citizen or permanent resident;

• Cuban-Haitian entrants.

Some noneligible statuses are:

• Family unity status. Such individuals have been granted relief
from deportation under the Family Unity Program. Previously
they were eligible for FSA funds.
• Temporary residents. These individuals are allowed to live and
work in the U.S. under the Legalization or Special Agricultural
Worker program. Previously they were eligible for FSA funds.
• Individuals with nonimmigrant visas. This includes those with
work visas, and students, visitors, and foreign government
officials.

Here is the link:

http://www.ifap.ed.gov/sfahandbooks/attachments/0506Vol1Ch2.pdf