Study Abroad
Many students can use their financial aid and scholarships to help pay for approved study abroad or National Student Exchange programs. The Office of Student Financial Aid works closely with the Study Abroad Center and National Student Exchange to review student enrollment and program information to determine financial aid eligibility.
In most cases, the type of financial aid a student receives during a regular semester at Iowa State University, such as federal grants, loans, and some scholarships may be applied towards their study abroad or exchange costs. Work-study will not be awarded during the semester.
Financial aid eligibility and award amounts are based on:
• individual enrollment
• program details
• applicable federal state, and institutional regulations
Because study abroad and exchange programs may be different costs and enrollment requirements than a regular semester at Iowa State University, financial aid and scholarships may be adjusted or reduced.
Financial aid eligibility is limited to the approved cost of the study abroad program or National Student Exchange program. Students cannot receive financial aid that exceeds their total program costs.
Tuition specific scholarships
Recipients of tuition-specific institutional awards, including National Merit Scholars, Science Bound, George Washington Carver, and Multicultural Vision Program, may receive their award up to the value of Iowa State University tuition for the semester; however, these awards cannot exceed the actual tuition charged for the approved study abroad or National Student Exchange program.
Rules:
• If host tuition is lower –> scholarship is reduced
• If host tuition is higher or equal –> scholarship remains capped at ISU tuition
State aid
State aid recipients (All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship, Iowa National Guard Service Scholarship, GEAR Up Iowa Scholarship) may not be able to receive these awards when studying abroad or participating in National Student Exchange. They must be paying tuition directly to Iowa State University for their study abroad program or National Student Exchange program to remain eligible to receive State Aid.
Student responsibilities
- • Students should review their financial offer in Workday
- • Contact the office of student financial aid with any questions regarding their specific eligibility
- • Explore additional scholarship opportunities through the ISUAbroad Homepage or Study Abroad Center
Steps to receive financial aid for Study Abroad or National Student Exchange
1. Apply and be approved for your program
Students must apply and be accepted into an approved Study Abroad or National Student Exchange program. Students must meet with an advisor in the Study Abroad Center if they wish to study abroad or meet with a coordinator for the National Student Exchange.
2. Program information is sent to the Office of Student Financial Aid
Your Study Abroad advisor or NSE coordinator will send over your approved program details, enrollment level, program dates, and cost information to the Office of Student Financial Aid.
3. The Office of Student Financial reviews your eligibility
Financial aid eligibility is reviewed based on your approved program, enrollment level, and applicable federal, state, and institutional regulations. Typically, most aid awarded for a student’s regular semester (such as the Pell Grant, merit scholarships, institutional and private scholarships, and federal student loans) can be applied towards a student’s study abroad expenses without issue. Certain situations can cause a student’s financial aid offer to be updated and become different from their aid offer for their regular semester at Iowa State University.
Cost of attendance changes
Students cannot receive more financial aid than their Cost of Attendance limit, which is based on their program’s total budget. If a student’s study abroad or national student exchange program budget is lower than their regular Cost of Attendance amount, then their total amount of financial aid (grants, scholarships, and loans) may need to be reduced in order to fit within the lower Cost of Attendance financial aid limit for the semester. A lower Cost of Attendance can also impact student eligibility for need-based financial aid (such as the ISU Grant), which may also be reduced or removed based on how much their calculated financial need has changed.
Students on semester-length study abroad programs will have their semester Cost of Attendance (COA) updated to match the total budget of their study abroad program. Student aid offers then are recalculated based off the updated Cost of Attendance amount, reviewed for eligibility, and adjusted based on their program costs.
Students participating in shorter study abroad programs during the Fall and Spring semesters (such as during Thanksgiving Break or Spring Break) will have the costs of their program added to their total semester Cost of Attendance in addition to their regular Cost of Attendance amounts for the semester. Student aid offers then are recalculated based off the updated Cost of Attendance amount, reviewed for eligibility, and adjusted based on their program costs.
Study abroad programs with a total budget that is greater than the Cost of Attendance of Iowa State University will have loan eligibility increased to meet this new budget for that semester. Likewise, programs with a lower cost of attendance will have aid reduced.
Lower tuition rates
Students with tuition-matching scholarships (National Merit Scholars, Science Bound, George Washington Carver, and First Cyclone) may have their scholarships reduced to match lower tuition rates at their host institution. If tuition is lower, the rules of these scholarships require that these scholarships be reduced to match the host tuition rates. Tuition-matching scholarships cannot exceed the value of the student’s tuition at Iowa State University and cannot be increased, so in a situation with higher tuition rates the scholarship would be awarded at the standard ISU tuition rate amount.
• If host tuition is lower –> scholarship is reduced
• If host tuition is higher or equal –> scholarship remains capped at ISU tuition
Study Abroad specific scholarships
Students can receive scholarships that are intended specifically for their semester abroad. In certain cases, this can cause a student to have a greater amount of scholarships during their semester abroad when compared to their regular semester at Iowa State. This additional aid can cause changes to the student’s eligibility for need-based aid and can cause need-based aid (such as the ISU Grant) to be reduced or removed.
State aid requirements
Recipients of any state aid from the State of Iowa (Iowa National Guard Service Scholarship, Iowa Workforce Grant, All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship) must be paying tuition directly to Iowa State University for their study abroad programs to remain eligible to receive state aid. If the student’s program pays tuition directly to their host school, then they will not be eligible to receive their state aid for their semester abroad. To stay eligible for state aid we recommend students look into Exchange programs where students have the opportunity to study abroad at a partner institution while paying Iowa State tuition.
Work-study and work-study earnings
Students studying abroad will not be able to participate in work-study programs during their semesters abroad, and typically will have the work-study offer removed from their financial aid for their semester abroad. Additionally, in certain situations, a student’s work-study earnings cannot be removed from their aid offer, and the remaining work-study earnings amounts reflected on the aid offer will remain as a part of the semester aid offer even though they will not disburse like other aid listed.
4. Review your financial Aid offer in Workday
Students should review their financial aid offers in Workday and complete any required tasks to ensure timely processing.
• Aid for fall programs is adjusted in July
• Aid for spring programs is adjusted in mid-November
• Aid for summer programs is adjusted in mid-April
• An email will be sent to each student after aid has been adjusted. Students will be directed to Workday to view their updated financial aid offer
Fall and spring semesters
- Students who already have a FAFSA on file for the current academic year will have their financial aid automatically adjusted based on the class list and program cost provided by the program coordinator. An appointment is not necessary for this adjustment to be made.
- Program costs include:
- • Round-trip transportation
- • Program fee, if applicable
- • Tuition and fees
- • Food and housing
- • Books, course materials, supplies, and equipment
- • Insurance
- • Incidentals
- • Student ID card
- • Visa and mailing cost
- • Passport and mailing cost
- • Inoculations
- • Round-trip transportation
Summer term
In late April, students who have a FAFSA on file for the previous academic year and fill out the Summer Aid Application in Workday will have aid packaged for their study abroad program based on cost of the program (see above) and the class list.
Financial aid during summer semesters is typically more limited than what is available during the fall and spring semesters. Aid offers are typically comprised of federal student aid (Pell Grant, federal student loans, and Federal PLUS loans), private loans, and any study abroad-specific scholarships a student may be receiving.
It is highly recommended students review the Office of Student Financial Aid’s Summer Aid webpage to review the minimum credit enrollment requirements needed to receive federal student during the summer semester.
For more information, email studyabroadaid@iastate.edu or use Navigate to schedule a Study Abroad Financial Aid appointment.