Financial Aid may be available for students who participate in Study Abroad Programs. To be considered, you must be formally accepted into an study abroad program through International Programs and Services and meet financial aid eligibility requirements before your aid assistance can be determined. International Programs and Services provides information detailing the costs for your study abroad program.
Your cost of attendance, in combination with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and available aid funds will be used to determine your aid assistance for the term you plan to be abroad. In most cases the only remaining aid eligibility is in the form of Direct Student loans, Parent PLUS loans, or Private/Alternative loans. Direct Student loans have yearly aggregate limits which cannot be exceeded. If you have been awarded your federal yearly loan maximums you will be limited to Parent PLUS loans or Private/Alternative loans.
Once we have reviewed and determined your aid eligibility you will receive an offer letter outlining your options. Please note that Student Financial Services is not able to provide information on your financial aid eligibility until we have received your program cost from International Programs and Services.
Using Aid for Study Away
With the exception of Federal Work Study funds, your financial aid can be used for your study abroad experience. Your study abroad advisor can provide you with program costs. Financial aid is disbursed using the standard dates for the university. Aid funds are generally paid out the third Friday after the start of the term.
Cost of Attendance and Study Away
FPU develops a cost of attendance that will represent the average cost to attend FPU for an academic year. This is an estimate and is used for financial aid awarding purposes only. As long as you are participating in an FPU sponsored program, all of your financial aid including any scholarships will apply to your student account each term.
Student Account Billing
Financial aid cannot be disbursed prior to the start of the regular FPU term for Study Abroad participants. Your financial aid has the same requirements and will be disbursed the same as it is when you are attending FPU. You may pay all of your program costs to FPU, all costs to an outside agency or foreign university, or tuition and fees to FPU and other costs, such as room and board, to a foreign university. Be sure to check with your Student Financial Services Advisor to make sure you understand exactly what you will owe to whom, and when it is due. Most program providers offer a billing plan that takes into account your financial aid award and the date that aid will be released. Please note that you MUST finalize your Financial Aid before requesting that your aid is certified. Financial Aid will certify your CURRENT award package and the provider will request that you pay the difference, so be sure you have accepted all your financial aid prior to submitting any verification forms.
Before you go
- Complete your FAFSA.
- Sign & Submit all paperwork.
- Accept your Financial Aid by completing your Offer Letter.
- Sign Master Promissory Notes for all loans & complete any required Entrance Counseling.
- for anyone that needs to have information about your aid.
- through the Online Payment Center.
- Plan ahead for emergency funding.
- Pay any up front program costs.
- Pay off any outstanding balance on your FPU student account.
- Most importantly, if you have questions, or do not understand how the process works, ASK!