NIH seek applicants for loan repayment programs
The National Institutes of Health are now accepting applications for five Student Loan Repayment Programs: Clinical Research LRP; Clinical Research for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds LRP; Contraception and Infertility Research LRP; Health Disparities LRP; and Pediatric Research LRP. Qualified health professionals who are accepted into the programs may receive up to $35,000 toward their educational debt as well as coverage for federal and state tax liabilities.

Program participants must possess a doctoral-level degree, devote 50 percent or more of their time to research funded by a non-profit organization or government entity (federal, state, or local), and possess educational loan debt equal to or exceeding 20 percent of their institutional base salary. U.S. citizens, permanent residents or U.S. nationals may apply. Applications must be received by Dec. 15.

For more information, visit www.lrp.nih.gov.

Grad schools report fewer applications from abroad
Applications from foreign students to U.S. graduate schools declined 28 percent from 2003 to 2004, according to a report released this month by the Council of Graduate Schools. International student admissions -- or accepted applicants -- decreased by 18 percent. The report, the second in a three-part series of surveys, analyzes trends in the admission of international students to U.S. graduate schools and acknowledges several factors affecting these trends (such as global competition, changing visa policies and delays and international perceptions of America).

The report also found:

• While international graduate applications and admissions declined considerably, applications from U.S. citizens and permanent residents remained steady and their admission rate declined only 5 percent.
• Eighty-eight percent of responding institutions reported a decline in international applications, while 12 percent reported seeing an increase.
• Applications from China dropped 45 percent between 2003 and 2004, while applications from India declined 28 percent and applications from Korea declined 14 percent. According to the CGS, the majority of international graduate applications come from these three countries.
• Three-fourths of graduate deans reported taking some policy action to address the decline in international graduate student applications; 72 percent of responding institutions reported making at least one change in their admissions processes to facilitate international admissions.

For more on this report, visit www.cgsnet.org/pdf/Sept04FinalIntlAdmissionsSurveyReport.pdf.