EDA Developing Countries List

The National Technical Institute for the Deaf receives federal funding and there are provisions in the Education of Deaf Act supporting deaf and hard-of-hearing students from developing countries with tuition surcharges (or rather tuition discounts). 

This web page lists the admissions contact for prospective deaf and hard-of-hearing international students as well as the list of developing/non-developing countries as determined annually by the World Bank as of October 1 each year for the upcoming academic year.

An international student will retain their developing country tuition surcharge credit as long as the student's enrollment status remains uninterrupted through their academic years. This applies even if a student’s country status changes from developing to non-developing. If the country's status changes from non-developing to developing, the surcharge credit can be adjusted going forward, but cannot be adjusted retroactively. This applies to new applicants and to students who move from undergraduate to graduate programs.

Updated as of 10/21/2025:

You should apply as an international student if you are a citizen of a foreign country and are not a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident.

Learn more about the application process