Using Financial Aid

With a few exceptions, you can use any federal, state, and institutional aid you would normally receive at CU towards a CU-approved Education Abroad program.

The exceptions to this are:

  1. The College Opportunity Fund (COF) grant cannot be used towards Ed Abroad because students attending an Ed Abroad program are paying the program fee, not CU Boulder tuition. But credit earned on Education Abroad programs also does not count toward the COF 145 lifetime credit limit. Find out more about COF at the CU College Opportunity Fund (COF) Project website.
  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.
  4. There are certain restrictions for the GI Bill.

Financial aid cannot be used towards non-approved programs. 

Semester & Year-Long Programs

Your eligibility for financial aid and the amount you're offered will be based on your FAFSA application 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.

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.

  • The following awards require you to take 6 or more credit hours over the summer term to qualify (this can be met by a combination of education abroad, 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 have 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.

How & When Financial Aid is Applied

See our Billing page for details on when your aid will be applied. 

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

You should be prepared to pay for some program-related expenses after your acceptance and before financial aid is disbursed. These may include:

  • Your Ed Abroad program deposit
  • Direct-to-program application fees/deposits
  • A housing deposit
  • Your airline ticket
  • Passport application fee
  • Visa application fees

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

Apply for Scholarships!

There are lots of Ed Abroad scholarships available to you! See our Scholarships page for more info.

Additionally, the Go-to Guide for College Financial Aid can be a helpful resource on navigating financial aid and finding scholarships for college.