Using Financial Aid and Other Funding Sources
Federal Financial Aid
Students can use their existing federal financial aid toward their study abroad program cost if they are awarded aid for the term they plan to study abroad. Any student who wishes to receive or use their existing financial aid to study abroad is encouraged to make an appointment with their Financial Aid Counselor to discuss financial aid options.
KU Scholarships
Students can use existing KU Freshman Merit Scholarships awarded upon admission to KU toward study abroad program costs if they continue to be eligible for the award for the term they intend to study abroad.
Kansas Resident Scholarships
For semester and academic year programs, students can use their existing KU Scholarships toward their study abroad program fees. Summer scholarships are not awarded.
Out-of-State Scholarships
For semester and academic year programs, students can use their out-of-state merit scholarships towards study abroad cost; however the scholarship amounts will be adjusted depending on the type of study abroad program you are participating in. KU Exchange Programs are billed at the KS-Resident tuition rate, therefore the Out-of-State Merit Scholarship will be converted to the equivalent In-State Merit Scholarship during the semester that a student is in a KU exchange program abroad. Tuition for direct enrollment and Student Initiated Programs is not billed by KU but directly by the host institution, so students are billed the host institution rate in these programs. As a result, the Out-of-State Merit Scholarship that the student normally receives will remain the same when participating in these programs. Out-of-State Merit Scholarships cannot be applied to summer study abroad. If you have questions on how KU Out-of-State Merit Scholarships can be applied towards study abroad costs, contact your Financial Aid Counselor.
International Student Scholarships
These generally cannot be used towards most study abroad programs. International Student Scholarships can be used towards faculty-led study abroad programs where students are enrolled in KU study abroad courses taught by KU faculty which charge KU tuition.
KU Endowment Loans
KU Endowment Loans are available in amounts up to $5,000/year for undergraduate students (except for freshmen) and $6,000/year for graduate students. KU Endowment Loans offer a low interest loan which can be a good option for students who need funds to cover the upfront costs of study abroad, such as securing a passport or student visa or purchasing airfare. This loan is typically disbursed two weeks after application.
Private/Alternative Loans
Private/Alternative Loans are also an option for students who are not awarded enough financial aid to cover the entire program cost.
Steps for Using Financial Aid for Study Abroad
If you have not done so already, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available online. You must also complete an online study abroad program application by the program deadline. If you wish to be considered for a KU SAGE Scholarship you must also complete the Scholarship Application by the deadline.
In your program application checklist within your JayhawksAbroad portal, you will see an item called “Using Financial Aid & Scholarships?” If you intend to use scholarships, loans, VA benefits, and/or any other form of financial aid or scholarships to pay for your study abroad program, you must answer ‘YES’. Once you have done this, SAGE will submit your study abroad budget to the Financial Aid and Scholarships office (FAS) after you are accepted into the study abroad program. This budget will provide the total estimated program cost to FAS, which will be used to calculate your financial aid for study abroad.
After the Financial Aid and Scholarships office (FAS) receives your budget, you must contact their office and complete any materials needed to request additional financial aid. You are not guaranteed to be eligible for enough federal financial aid to pay all costs associated with your study abroad program so it is important to look into alternate funding sources with FAS Scholarships, KU Endowment Loans, or Private/Alternative Loans. NOTE: DO NOT commit to a study abroad program until you have secured enough financial aid and know that you can cover all costs associated with the program.
Once your aid is posted on your KU Enroll & Pay account, accept it and complete any promissory notes for loans. When you’ve secured enough aid to cover all costs of the program, you can commit to your study abroad program by signing the Financial Contract with SAGE. After committing to your KU study abroad program, fees will be posted to your KU Enroll & Pay account according to the billing cycle. See Billing for more information. In order for your aid to transfer, you must also enroll in the designated course(s) for your study abroad program on Enroll & Pay.
We highly recommend setting up Direct Deposit so that excess financial aid is disbursed directly into your bank account.
When is Financial Aid Disbursed?
Federal Grants, Federal Loans, and KU Scholarships are typically disbursed and available on the first day of on-campus classes, and cannot be disbursed earlier, regardless of the study abroad program dates. Students who depart before aid is disbursed will need to make a plan to ensure adequate funds are available to cover expenses until their financial aid is disbursed.