Budgeting for a Study Abroad Program
Budgeting for a Semester Program
- Students continue to pay tuition to ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½, and ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ pays the student’s tuition to the study abroad program on their behalf. All aid, including academic scholarships, state grants, need-based funding, and outside assistance, is still applied toward ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½â€™s tuition charge.
- Students are responsible for paying room, board, and any additional fees to the directly to their overseas institution or program provider; students will not pay room or board to ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ during the term(s) spent abroad. Remember to cancel ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ housing and meal plans for the term in which you will be studying abroad.
- It is very important to budget appropriately for study abroad. While there are many free budget spreadsheets available online, the Office of Education Abroad (OEA) prefers .
- Be sure to look at the Costs/Scholarships section of your program on Terra Dotta. The section provides a sample budget for your semester program, including costs for housing, meals, books, passport, visa, airfare, local transportation and miscellaneous spending. The sample budget will give you a good idea of how much to budget for, but everyone's needs are different.
Budgeting for Short-Term Faculty-Led Programs
- Students register for the study abroad course at ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½, and pay tuition and a program fee to ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½. Program fees and the items they cover vary by program.
- Federal financial aid can be used for tuition, program fees, and other course-related expenses.
- Students are responsible for paying any additional expenses themselves (travel, souvenirs, etc.).
- It is very important to budget appropriately for study abroad. While there are many free budget spreadsheets available online, the Office of Education Abroad (OEA) prefers .
Budgeting for a Summer Program
Summer study abroad is directly enrolling in summer courses at any of ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½'s partner institutions.
- Register for at least one course at an overseas institution and transfer it back to ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½.
- Students pay tuition, room and board, and fees to the overseas institution.
- It is very important to budget appropriately for study abroad. While there are many free budget spreadsheets available online, the Office of Education Abroad (OEA) prefers .
- Be sure to look at the Costs/Scholarships section of your program on Terra Dotta. The section provides a sample budget for your summer program, including costs for tuition, housing, meals, books, passport, visa, airfare, local transportation and miscellaneous spending. The sample budget will give you a good idea of how much to budget for, but everyone's needs are different.
Money Matters
The Office of Education Abroad has a few quick tips we have for financial security.
- Call bank(s) and credit card companies before departing.
- Find out what their international transaction fees are and if they have student accounts for international travel
- Have phone numbers and account numbers for banks/credit cards somewhere safe (i.e. not with the cards!)
- Carry some U.S. currency in case of emergency
- Obtain some foreign currency before departing, if possible
- Traveler’s checks are NOT recommended. Many retailers overseas no longer accept them.
How to Find Funding
- Additional need may be met with Parent PLUS or private loans for undergraduate students and Graduate PLUS loans for graduate/professional students.
- For questions on federal financial aid, contact Lindsey Sobeck.
- Remember, there are many scholarships available too! Talk to your study abroad advisor about them - they can help you choose specific scholarships tailored to your region, program, and identity.