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Aid for study abroad programs

You may be eligible to receive federal financial aid funds for a study abroad program. Your enrollment in a study abroad program in courses that are approved for credit at WSU, may be considered for financial aid eligibility. File your FAFSA and follow-up to have your aid in order before you leave.

Funding options

Non-WSU programs

If you enroll in a non-WSU program, a consortium agreement is required before we can consider your eligibility for financial aid funds. The host school must be eligible to participate in Federal Tile IV programs.

If you are approved for aid to attend non-WSU programs, you will be eligible to receive Federal Direct Loans and Federal Pell Grants only. You will not be eligible to receive WSU scholarship or WSU grant funding. If you are not attending at least half time, you may consider an alternative private loan through your lender or credit union.

We will use the cost-of-attendance figures from your host school to determine your aid eligibility. 

Remember to submit your transcript showing the final grades you received for your program. We cannot apply aid for your next semester until we confirm your satisfactory academic progress status. 

WSU programs

Carefully review the costs of your program. If the costs are high, you may want to consider filing a Budget Adjustment Request form available on our forms page.

You must be enrolled at least half-time to qualify for federal loan funds.

Receiving your funds

WSU will disburse aid funds within four weeks of receiving all of your financial aid application materials or at the beginning of the study abroad period, whichever occurs later.

This may mean that you will have to pay any up front study abroad travel, program fees and deposits on your own.

Financial aid funds will be disbursed directly to you. It is your responsibility to pay all charges to the host institution. We encourage you to sign up for direct deposit to receive funds directly deposited to your bank account.

Study Abroad & Global Programs

FAQs

  1. What steps do I need to follow to use federal financial aid funding for a study abroad program?

The first step is having a valid FASFA on file with WSU for the academic year. If your financial aid application is selected for a review process known as verification, this review must be completed before any financial aid funding can be disbursed.

  1. Can I use financial aid funding to pay for a study abroad program?

Yes, you may be eligible to receive federal financial aid funds for a study abroad program. To receive aid funding, you must meet the enrollment requirements of the award. The Host School must be eligible to participate in federal aid programs.

If you are attending a non-WSU program, you will be eligible to receive only Federal Direct Loans, Pell Grant, and alternative private loans. WSU grants are not available to students studying abroad under consortium agreements. Alternative/private loans must be lender approved.

Additional grants/scholarships awarded by your department or college may be used to pay for study abroad programs. You will need to research and apply for these opportunities on your own. If you are receiving a scholarship and have questions about the availability of these funds for a study abroad program, contact the department awarding the scholarship.

  1. How much does it cost to participate in a study abroad program?

The Study Abroad Office has this information available at https://oip.wayne.edu/study-abroad. If you are attending a WSU program and have unusual extra expenses, you may consider filing a Budget Adjustment Request form. If you are attending a non-WSU program, we will use the cost of attendance figures from your host school to determine your aid eligibility.

  1. When do I receive the aid?

WSU will disburse aid funds within four weeks after we receive all your financial aid application materials OR at the beginning of the study abroad period, whichever occurs later. Financial aid funds will be disbursed directly to you. It is your responsibility to pay all charges to the host institution. We encourage you to sign up for direct deposit to receive funds directly deposited to your bank account.

  1. Is there anything else I need to know?

Remember to submit your transcript showing the final grades you received for your program. We can't apply aid for your next semester until we review your enrollment and satisfactory academic progress status. Remember that if you drop out or fail to earn credits after your financial aid has paid you may be required to return funds.

Checklist for students in non-WSU study abroad programs

___ 1. Meet with your academic advisor to obtain approval of the study program and the courses you wish to enroll in at the host institution. The program and courses must be relevant to your degree plan at Wayne State University. Your advisor must complete the "Home Institution" section of the consortium agreement and sign the agreement to show departmental approval. Approval by the department indicates course equivalency has been established through a Transfer Credit Evaluation and ALL credits received at the host institution will be transferred to WSU.

___ 2. Ask your host institution to complete the consortium agreement. The financial aid office at your host school must complete the "Host Institution" section, sign and return the agreement to you. The Host School must be eligible to participate in federal aid programs in order to receive federal aid.

___ 3. Verify that the Consortium Agreement is completed and signed before you submit to the WSU Office of Student Financial Aid. The form will be reviewed, and your aid eligibility will be determined.

___ 4. Be prepared to pay any up-front study abroad travel, program fees and deposits on your own. Financial aid funds will be disbursed directly to you. It is your responsibility to pay all charges to the host institution. WSU will disburse aid funds within four weeks after we receive all your financial aid application materials OR at the beginning of the study abroad period, whichever occurs later.

___ 5. Submit a transcript for all courses to WSU Transfer Credit Evaluation. Aid for your next semester at WSU will not be applied until your grades are reviewed and we have confirmed your satisfactory academic progress status.