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Financial Aid

Italy by Shelby Erickson

Financial Aid & Education Abroad

For the most part, you can use federal, state, and institutional aid you would normally be offered for your any CU-approved Education Abroad program. (Non-approved programs cannot be paid for with this aid, and there are restrictions for the GI Bill).

A few types of aid you may receive at CU that cannot be used for Education Abroad programs include:

  1. The College Opportunity Fund (COF) grant: Credit earned on Education Abroad programs will not count toward the COF 145 lifetime credit limit. A more detailed explanation about COF and education abroad is available in the FAQs on the Education Abroad Finances page.
  2. If you have work-study as part of your financial aid package, it cannot be used while you are abroad.
  3. The CU Employee Tuition Assistance Benefits (TAB) cannot be applied toward the cost of a CU Boulder Education Abroad program.

Financial Aid for Semester and Year-long Programs

Your eligibility for financial aid is determined by filing the Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA). The amount of aid you're offered will be based on the FAFSA and the total cost of the education abroad program. You are typically offered the same amount of aid you would receive if you were staying on campus, and potentially more depending on your situation. Financial aid offers are also based on available funds and fulltime enrollment (12 credit hours). If you drop below the equivalent of 12 credit hours while on your program, CU Boulder has the right to revise or cancel aid.

Any student going on a semester program can apply for a Scholarship through the Education Abroad office. You don't need a FAFSA on file to apply.

Perpetual Motion, London, England by Nathan Cook

Financial Aid for Summer Programs

In addition to having a processed FAFSA on file, you must complete a CU Boulder summer aid application, available from the Office of Financial Aid.

For summer financial aid, 6 or more credit hours is required for the following (this 6 credit minimum enrollment can be met using a combination of education abroad and on-campus or online courses):

  • CU Achieve Grant
  • Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
  • Parent Plus Loans
  • Some private loans (depending on the lender)

Pell Grants are offered based on full-time enrollment (12+ credit hours) and will be prorated if enrollment is less than full time (1 to 11 credit hours).

You are eligible for summer aid only to the extent that you've not reached your annual aid limits during the fall and spring semesters and provided you meet all other eligibility requirements. If you borrow the maximum amount of student loans during the fall and spring semesters, you may be eligible for alternative loans.

Any student going on a summer program can apply for a Scholarship through the Education Abroad office. There is no credit minimum to be eligible for most awards. You don't need a FAFSA on file to apply.

How/When Financial Aid is applied

See our Billing page for details on when your aid will be applied. You should be prepared to pay for some program-related expenses shortly after your acceptance and before financial aid is disbursed. These program-related expenses may include your Ed Abroad program deposit, your airline ticket, visa application fees, potential vaccinations, housing deposits, passport, and possible direct-to-program fees.

Be sure to complete all necessary financial steps in Buff Portal. For example, the Office of Financial Aid recommends students authorize their Financial Aid to pay all university charges, and/or submit a Master Promissory Note for loans. More information and instructions to complete required steps can be found on the OFA website.

Pre-Departure Costs

Since you won't have access to your financial aid until the term your program begins, you will need to pay out-of-pocket for some pre-departure costs. This could include your deposit to the CU Education Abroad office, your airline ticket, passport and visa, direct-to-program application fees or deposits, and vaccinations.

If you are concerned about paying for these expenses before your financial aid is available, contact your Ed Abroad program manager to discuss your options.

Additional sources of funding beyond State/Federal Financial Aid

GI Bill

Please refer to the Veterans & GI Bill page for specifics about using the GI Bill for Education Abroad programs or CU in D.C.

Banner photo, Italy by Shelby Erickson