Many students have concerns about the costs of studying abroad. While numerous factors contribute to the overall cost of a term of study in a foreign country, AU is committed to making study abroad an option for everyone. The obligatory costs of studying abroad are usually similar or sometimes even less than a term in Washington, DC! One of the ways that AU makes this possible is by allowing you to apply your financial aid to your term(s) studying abroad.
**All students who have completed and submitted their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the AU Financial Aid Office by the appropriate deadlines will be considered for financial assistance each year.** You may apply your scholarships and grants to pay for term(s) abroad provided that you are enrolled full-time (the equivalent of at least 12 AU undergraduate credits per semester). You CANNOT use federal work-study awards to pay for your study abroad experience.
In selected cases, your Cost of Attendance (COA) may be adjusted to reflect additional expenses that the student will incur while studying abroad. The increase to the COA allows you to apply for additional loan funds to cover study abroad related expenses. You should contact AU Central for more information on this process. The Financial Aid Office can only distribute your aid within 10 days from the beginning of the academic term at AU. You may be required to pay some costs (plane tickets, program/housing deposits or other costs) prior to the date that your financial aid will be posted to your account for your use. You should expect to pay for these costs out-of-pocket and will be reimbursed for these costs when your financial aid is disbursed. If you are using financial aid to pay for non-AU costs, these funds will be distributed to your AU student account and you will need to request a refund for these funds to have them sent to you. Information about requesting refunds can be secured from AU Central.
The information provided here only refers to students studying abroad for a semester or academic year. AU institutional aid is not available for the summer terms, unless you are in a 3-year fast track degree program. You may be eligible for federal aid if you plan to complete at least 6 credits during the summer term and have completed the AU Summer Financial Aid Application and FAFSA by the appropriate deadlines. Please consult AU Central to determine your eligibility for summer aid.
You may wish to seek additional sources of funding for the study abroad experience beyond your normal financial aid package. You are encouraged to apply for AU Abroad’s Mobility Awards that are both need and merit based. There are also a wide variety of scholarships, grants and loans available for study abroad. The Office of Merit Awards has lists of awards available for which students may qualify. You can also research options on two helpful websites, www.studyabroadfunding.org and www.iefa.org, and there is information on program-specific awards on the AU Abroad website. If you wish to apply for non- AU scholarships you should begin planning early as many of these awards have application deadlines far in advance of the term of study abroad.
You pay the standard, full-time AU tuition rate when studying abroad on an AU program for a semester or year. You will receive a bill for tuition from the AU Office of Student Accounts and will pay along the standard deadlines. AU will also bill you for the mandatory technology fee and the program fee associated with your chosen program. Program fees vary greatly! Please visit the AU Abroad Web site for more information about program fees and estimated costs.
You will often pay living expenses, such as housing and meals, directly to the partner institution or a local representative, if they are not covered in the program fee. Costs generally not covered in the program fees include international airfare, transportation within the country, health insurance, and visa fees where applicable. Miscellaneous costs, including entertainment and extracurricular travel, are the responsibility of each participant.
You can continue to utilize the American Payment Plan (APP) to pay for the study term abroad. You should determine the estimated costs of the term abroad charged to your student account and include these when calculating the APP payments the summer prior to the academic year the you plan to study abroad.
You are strongly encouraged to purchase the Tuition Refund Insurance for your term abroad. It will help minimize financial losses if you suffer serious illness or injury and have to leave your study abroad program before the semester is completed. For more information about the Tuition Refund Plan, contact the Student Health Insurance Coordinator at (202) 885-3298.
Your financial aid package for the following year cannot be determined until all of your grades from the previous academic year have been posted to your AU academic record. The finalization and disbursement of financial aid may be delayed if your transcripts are received late or if you have not completed the course equivalency process. It is important to remember that those who continue to meet the minimum eligibility requirements of your award will not lose your financial aid. It is your responsibility to ensure that your transcript is received by AU Abroad and your course equivalencies are completed in a timely manner.
AU institutional grant and scholarship funding are not available for students participating in Non-AU Abroad Programs on a Permit to Study Abroad status. Students participating in Non-AU Abroad programs should contact the AU Financial Aid Office to determine their eligibility for Federal aid.
The information provided on this form applies only to students pursuing a degree at American University in Washington, DC. Students from other universities should consult their own financial aid office for information about applying for financial aid.