Contemplating education Abroad?

Financial Aid and Scholarships can answer questions about using financial aid, scholarships and/or loans to pay for education abroad program expenses. It is important to discuss your financial options with a financial aid counselor during the EARLY stages of the planning process. Under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, federal financial aid funds may be used for tuition charges, room and board (if contracted with the University) and mandatory fees. Many financial aid options require that coursework taken abroad will satisfy CCU degree requirements. Additional eligibility requirements may apply, and students receiving merit-based scholarships must confirm with a CCU financial aid counselor whether their scholarships can be applied to cover education abroad program costs.

Start by following the 5 steps below!

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at, listing CCU’s federal school code (003451) on the application.
• The FAFSA application opens on October 1^st of every year.
• NOTE: For dependent students, both the student and parent need a user name and password to electronically sign the FAFSA.
2. In researching your programs, make sure you choose an option that is academically AND financially appropriate.
• Some programs are cheaper than CCU’s cost of attendance. Others are much, MUCH more expensive. Try to consider the average cost per week or month instead of getting fixated on the total program fee.
• There are dozens of scholarships available, and some are program-specific. Apply for as many as you can!
3. Once your online CCU Education Abroad application is approved, make sure you confirm that your enrollment status will not affect your financial aid and scholarships.
• Enrolling in less than six credit hours may jeopardize your eligibility to receive financial aid.
• Be aware that there are some restrictions on the number of semesters (or course credits) for education abroad that can count toward a degree program.
• Some courses that are not required may not be covered by financial aid.
4. Apply for Scholarships.
• Visit here to see available scholarship opportunities for Education Abroad funding. 
5. Consider applying for additional loan funding, if the financial aid and scholarship monies awarded do not cover all of your program costs. 
• Several options are listed on the Financial Aid and Scholarships website.
• Some students take out a loan to study abroad, then apply for scholarships upon return to pay off the loan.

For more questions about studying abroad, please visit the Center for Global Engagement’s website.