Financial Aid and Scholarships
Study Abroad experiences can add significantly to the overall cost of undergraduate education. There are multiple resources to draw on in order to help cover the expense of a study abroad program. Some of these resources include:
Financial Aid
The majority of students use financial aid in the form of loans and grants to pay their study abroad costs. Students enrolled in a sponsored study abroad program are eligible to use the following types of financial aid toward the cost of their program:
- Subsidized Loans - These are loans provided by the federal government that do not accrue interest while still enrolled in a degree program.
- Unsubsidized Loans - These are loans provided by the federal government that accrue interest from the time the loan is accepted.
- Parent Plus Loans - These are loans provided to parents by the federal government to help pay the cost of tuition and fees.
- Pell Grant - This is grant money provided by the federal government that does not need to be re-paid when at the completion of a degree program.
- University Grant - This is provided by ASU and does not need to be repaid at the completion of a degree program.
In order to be eligible for most financial aid, you must complete the FAFSA. Please note that the academic year cycle for financial aid purposes is Fall + Spring + Summer. Summer aid, however, is usually not indicated when financial aid packages are determined.
A summer study abroad program requires that students:
- Save financial aid from Fall and Spring disbursements to apply toward Summer
- File a separate application for summer aid toward the end of Spring semester
Please note, the cost of study abroad for any term can be included in the overall cost of attendance at ASU.
Scholarships
In general, there are few scholarships available to help fund study abroad programs. Students that receive an ASU administered scholarship are able to use those to help pay the cost of their study abroad program, such as:
- ASU President’s Scholarship
- ASU Provost Scholarship
- ASU Dean’s Scholarship
- National Merit Scholarship
- National Hispanic Scholarship
- Obama Scholarship*
If you have ASU dependent waivers, you can only use them on a program that charges ASU tuition, such as an exchange program. For all other program types, dependent waivers cannot be utilized to pay the cost of the program.
*Obama scholars can only make use of scholarship funds for one semester of study abroad, and only after attending ASU for at least one academic year.
Other Study Abroad specific scholarships include:
| Scholarship Name | GPA Eligibility | Award Amounts | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| W. P. Carey Study abroad Scholarship | 3.25 | $500-$1000 | W. P. Carey School of Business |
| W. P. Carey Poortvliet Scholarship to the University of Carlos II de Madrid | 3.25 | $500-$1000 | W. P. Carey School of Business |
| GEO Go Global Grant | 2.5 | $750 | GEO Go Global Grant |
| Third Party Provider Scholarships | Variable | Variable | Check your Study Abroad Program Application for a link to provider scholarship if you are attending programs run by CAPA, CIEE, IFSA-Butler, ISA, SIT, SFS, & Semester at Sea. |
| Gilman Scholarship | None but Competitive | Up to $5000 |
Gilman - You must be Pell Grant eligible |
| Boren/NSEP Scholarship | None but Competitive | Up to $20,000 for 1 academic year |
Boren - You must be studying a critical language |
| Critical Language Scholarship | None but Competitive | Variable |
CLS - You must be studying a critical language |
| Fund for Education Abroad Scholarship | None but Competitive | Up to $10,000 for 1 academic year | FEA |
Please note that all scholarships will have other eligibility requirements; read all requirements to determine full eligibility for a scholarship program. The Global Education Office offers how-to workshops throughout the semester on financing your study abroad program.