What Financial Aid Covers
The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships considers all costs required in order to participate in a study abroad program. When your financial aid is repackaged for study abroad, the package will be awarded based on the necessary costs for study abroad:
- Roundtrip airfare
- Tuition and fees
- Pre-departure expenses (e.g. student visas)
- Room and board
- Local transportation
- Orientation
- Books
- Incidentals
- Accident, travel, and health insurance
- Any mandatory excursions, labs, language programs, etc.
Program Affordability
Because financial aid eligibility and the estimated family contribution are determined based on federal and campus formulae, many financial aid students with greater financial need find that there is zero difference in the net cost of studying abroad when they go for the semester or year with the UC Education Abroad Program. Students with lower financial need, instead, might want to compare the cost of study abroad to the cost of living on campus and identify programs with lower budgets to save. Students can meet with an advisor to discuss their financial aid situation.
Program Budgets
UCEAP budgets compose the total cost of attendance, including airfare estimates, for UC students. Detailed information on UCEAP budgets is available on the UCEAP website for each program. After selecting a program, click on the "Cost" tab in the left side menu. Then scroll down to the "Customize Your Estimate" builder.
IOP and UCSA budgets for study abroad typically include all essential costs for participation in the program except airfare. Students should know that they need to add the cost of airfare to most IOP and UCSA budgets but these costs are still used to calculate student financial aid packages in eligible programs.
Summer Financial Aid Concerns
Summer financial aid is often more limited. For this reason, we encourage financial aid students to consider a semester or yearlong program whenever possible. Summer study abroad is more likely to require students take on more or larger loans. If, for academic or other reasons, a student can only participate during the summer, the student should compare programs from UCEAP, UC Summer Abroad, and the International Opportunities Program to identify the program with the best value compared to the financial aid availability for that option.
