Sufficient gre score to get aid
Okay let me not bluff you all, i mean the international students( asians specially)a are not given aid on i20 unless
you apply to a low profile university relative to your profile
Or you are something exuberant and awesome!(which in general we can't expect)
So does that make any sense? I could present it in a larger scenario!
Let me say you got 1200 Gre score, which i believe is an decent but not a great score and you apply to an university whose stand out performer has just 990! here you get an chance of getting aid!



or the other wise is that, you have an excellent UG and intermediate (say about 80 % or very high GRE or Very high TOEFL). So i ask you not to hope for getting an aid in the first semester if you aim for a very good university! Yes it is true, don't blame me for being rude.



Practicality of getting aid in first semester:

Think with your brain dear, why would some university invest on you? its just pure business my pal! So for it you need a better score. The factors that will influence your aid in the first semester are:
Top class GRE/TOEFL score
Date on which you apply
Academics
In case you have a reference, that'll work!
Top Class GRE/TOEFL:


By top class i don't mean you gotta score 100% but yes GRE above 1250 or 1300 would be very good and a Toefl score of above 100 is excellent. If you want some aid printed on your i20 then you gotta struggle a bit buddy!


DATE:
This could puzzle you, but yes First come first serve is the in general policy.
If the application dead line is about january 1st, then baby keep it asap say 4 or 5 months before the date! You could rather be the first to apply to that university, and may be the first one to get an financial aid. So quicker your process, the late you apply no matter how much score you have you are left out!
A
Academics:
To get aid for the first semester, its better you have an academics of above the distinction level. If you got very good gre scores, then just a minimal of 70% would give you an ample chance.

Reference:
Every job at least 88% of the jobs international students get there are just reference jobs be it on campus or off the campus.

Aid after first semester:
Most of the students do get aid after the first semester. what matters here is
Your rapport with the professors
Your web designing skills
Toefl score (For TA)
Your initiation or skills to impress professor for RA.
Grades you get in first semester
-> Rapport with professors will fetch you an assistance
->Web designing skills have an major impact, hone your skills in it and you might get a job.
->Toefl score, if its high you could demand an Teaching Assistance position.
->Impress a professor and you might get RA
->Read very well in the first semester, top the class and you will get scholarship!


If you are not equipped with any of them you might buy a car and do jobs or internships off the campus!