Financial Aid

Many students are eligible for financial aid to study abroad. You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To maximize aid eligibility, apply between January 1 and March 2 of the calendar year in which you plan to begin the program abroad.

The total cost for a year overseas depends on a number of factors, including the cost of living in the host country, the local inflation rate, the currency exchange rate, the length of time spent abroad, and each individual’s unique spending habits. While studying abroad, you will pay the same kinds of expenses that you pay here in California: rent, food, clothing, transportation, personal expenses, etc. It is important to study the cost requirements for your program very carefully. You must make sure that you understand the realistic costs and that you know where the money is coming from before you go, since you cannot and should not count on working while you are abroad.