• Students Studying Abroad
Financial aid is available for students who study abroad. The type and amount of financial aid you are eligible to receive is based on the Study Abroad program you are attending.
If you enroll in a University of Michigan-sponsored Study Abroad program, you may apply for financial aid through the Office of Financial Aid. If the program pays tuition through U-M or if you are paying course program fees to U-M that cover the tuitiion and housing costs for your trip, you will be considered for all aid programs (Pell Grant, Michigan Grant, scholarships, etc). If you pay tuition directly to the host partner, you you may only be eligible for federal programs (Pell Grant, SEOG, Direct Loans, etc., but not Work-Study.) Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more details.
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Depending on the cost of your Study Abroad program, the financial aid you receive may or may not meet your full demonstrated financial need.
To make up the gap between your aid and the cost of your program, you may want to apply for a departmental scholarship, a private scholarship, or a supplemental loan.
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Planning to travel? Read this
Visit the M Global Michigan website for up-to-date university policies about travel planning and to download the University Standard Practice Guide and policy as it relates to students studying abroad.
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Applying for aid: Fall/Winter Programs
This form notifies the Office of Financial Aid that you will be abroad for a term or terms. If you do not complete the form, you will not receive financial aid.
Applying for aid: Spring/Summer Programs
- Download and complete the 2013 Spring/Summer Study Abroad Financial Aid Request (PDF) -- This form notifies the Office of Financial Aid that you will be abroad for a term or terms. If you do not complete the form, you will not receive financial aid.
- Complete this form by the Spring/Summer financial aid deadline (usually in early March).
If you enroll in a non-UM-sponsored Study Abroad program and you expect to receive academic credit that will transfer to U-M, check first with your program to see if you may apply for financial aid as a “guest student” through the sponsoring institution.
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If you cannot apply for aid through the program sponsor, you may apply for aid through U-M’s Office of Financial Aid. However, because you are attending a non-UM program, you will be eligible only for federal aid programs (Pell Grant, SEOG, Direct Loans, etc., but not Work-Study). You will not be eligible for U-M grant funding (Michigan Grant and M-PACT Scholarship) while attending a non-UM program.
In addition, if you are receiving any departmental or private scholarships, check with your department or donor to make sure you are eligible for the scholarship while attending a non-UM study abroad program.
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Depending on the cost of your Study Abroad program, the financial aid you receive may or may not meet your full demonstrated financial need. To make up the gap between your aid and the cost of your program, you may want to apply for a supplemental loan. For more information about aid for non-UM programs, contact our office.
Applying for aid: Fall/Winter Programs
- Follow the instructions to apply for Fall/Winter aid.
- Complete a Consortium Agreement (see below). This agreement notifies the Office of Financial Aid that you will be abroad for a term or terms. If you do not complete the form, our office will not know you are abroad and you will not receive financial aid.
- Submit the agreement 4-8 weeks before your program start date.
Applying for aid: Spring/Summer Programs
- Complete a Consortium Agreement (see below. You do not need to complete a Spring/Summer Request for Funds Form.) This agreement notifies the Office of Financial Aid that you will be abroad for a term or terms. If you do not complete the form, OFA will not know you are abroad and you will not receive financial aid.
- Submit the agreement 4-8 weeks prior to your program start date.
• WHAT IS A CONSORTIUM AGREEMENT?
Consortium agreements enable the Office of Financial Aid to process your federal aid, private scholarships, and/or private loans, even though you are not a registered U-M student during your term(s) abroad. This agreement is completed by you, your academic advisor and/or the Office of Credit Transfer Evaluation, and your Study Abroad program. You will need to obtain signatures and/or paperwork from each office or participant in the agreement. You must allow 4-6 weeks to complete this process before you leave.
A consortium agreement is needed for either of these situations:
Study Abroad programs that are sponsored by institutions that have a Title IV School Code (e.g., EMU, MSU, WMU). To find out whether the institution sponsoring your program has a Title IV School Code, please visit the FAFSA website (www.fafsa.gov).
Study Abroad programs that are sponsored by an agency or organization (e.g., CEA, CET, ISA) that does not have a Title IV School Code.To obtain a consortium agreement, you must meet with a financial aid officer. The officer will also give you instructions for completing the form. Consortium agreements are not available online.
The following programs do not qualify for a consortium agreement:
- Programs that occur in the United States
- Semester at Sea
- Programs in which the student does not earn any credit in a degree program
- Non-UM programs that take place in countries listed on the U.S. State Department’s list of current travel warnings. These programs require special approval before a student is eligible to receive any financial aid.
Even if the non-UM program is not listed, check eligibility with the Office of Financial Aid. If your program does not qualify, you cannot receive federal aid, private scholarships, and/or a private loan through the university. You will need to fund your study abroad program on your own.
• WILL I GET MORE AID FROM OFA IF I GO STUDY ABROAD?
You might receive more aid in the form of loans. Grant funding is awarded based on a student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC), not on the student’s educational costs.
• CAN I USE MY CURRENT FINANCIAL AID WHILE ABROAD?
U-M programs: Yes. If the program pays tuition through U-M or if you are paying course program fees to U-M that cover the tuition and housing costs for your trip, you will be considered for all aid programs (Pell Grant, Michigan Grant, scholarships, etc). If the program is through U-M but pays tuition directly to the host school or agency, contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information about your aid eligibility.
Non-UM programs: If you pay tuition directly to the host partner, you will be eligible only for federal programs (Pell Grant, SEOG, Direct Loans, etc., but not Work-Study.) In addition, eligibility for U-M scholarships such as the Jean Fairfax, Michigan Tradition and Michigan Experience scholarships and the Scholarship Recognition Award will be lost for that term if you attend a non-U-M study abroad program in the Fall or Winter.
• DOES THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID HAVE STUDY ABROAD SCHOLARSHIPS?
Specific scholarships are not offered through the Office of Financial Aid. But there are other resources available. Visit the M-Compass website at www.mcompass.umich.edu and follow this path for more information: Getting Started > Is Study Abroad for You? > Search M-Compass for programs. Select scholarship programs and click on the search button. There, you will find a list and links to available scholarships in several U-M Colleges and Schools. Check the Scholarships and Grants section of this website for information about other available scholarships.
• CAN I USE MY DEPARTMENTAL OR PRIVATE SCHOLARSHIP WHILE ATTENDING A NON-UM STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM?
Contact your department and/or donor to see if you are still eligible for the award while attending a non-UM program.
• IF I AM UNABLE TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MY PROGRAM, WHAT OTHER ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE?
You may be interested in applying for a supplemental loan. Please visit the Comparing Supplemental Loans page for information about supplemental loans.
• WHEN DOES A STUDENT NEED TO NOTIFY OFA THEY ARE GOING STUDY ABROAD?
Fall term: By July 1. If you are going abroad through a U-M program, complete a Fall Study Abroad Financial Aid Request form (available June 1). If you are going through a non-UM program, complete a consortium agreement available from the Office of Financial Aid.
Winter term: By Dec. 1. If you are going abroad through a U-M program, complete a Winter Study Abroad Financial Aid Request form (available Nov. 1). If you are going through a non-UM program, complete a consortium agreement available from the Office of Financial Aid.
Spring/Summer term: By the first week in March. If you are going abroad through a U-M program, complete a Spring/Summer Study Abroad Financial Aid Request form. If you are traveling through a non-UM program, complete a consortium agreement available from the Office of Financial Aid.
• WHAT OPTIONS ARE THERE IF I NEED MY FINANCIAL AID EARLY TO PAY FOR AIRFARE OR NON-UM PROGRAM FEES?
Speak with a financial aid officer regarding the qualifications and process for obtaining a Study Abroad advance.
• CAN I USE MY MICHIGAN EDUCATION TRUST (MET) FUNDS FOR A STUDY ABROAD TERM?