Financial Aid for Study Abroad

Complete the aid application online: FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) for the school year that you intend to study abroad by the priority deadline.

To receive your financial aid for study abroad, be sure to complete any required paperwork and accept your loans in Web4U. If you're borrowing federal student loans for the first time, you'll also need to complete Entrance Counseling and sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN) at StudentAid.gov using your FSA ID. Parent PLUS Loans and private loans may also be available to help cover study abroad costs, though both require a credit check.

Study abroad may be more affordable than you think. Depending on the program and location, you may even be able to study abroad for less than the cost of staying on campus.

To get started, explore our guides to WWU's most affordable study abroad options:

• Pay In-State or Less to Study Abroad
  We've identified programs that cost the same as or less than WWU's in-state cost of attendance. Yes, this even applies to many out-of-state and international students.
• Cost-Effective Summer Programs
  Discover affordable summer opportunities that can help you stay on track academically while keeping costs down.

Looking for ways to make study abroad more affordable? Check with the Scholarship Center to see if your current scholarships can be applied to study abroad costs.

Don't miss the many study abroad scholarships available exclusively to students studying abroad. Applying could save you thousands of dollars.

Schedule a meeting with a Study Abroad Advisor or Financial Aid Counselor to discuss your unique Financial Aid situation or ensure you are choosing an affordable program and capitalizing on available scholarships.

Before you commit to a program, make sure you understand the total cost, payment deadlines, and when your financial aid or scholarships will be available. Every study abroad program handles billing and payments differently. Faculty-led and exchange programs are billed through your WWU student account. For most other programs, you'll pay program fees directly to the provider or host institution.

If your program requires payment before you receive your aid, it is your responsibility to make arrangements with the program regarding any deferments and your payment schedule. Financial aid disburses funds to your Student Account on the first day of the quarter OR the first day of your program, whichever is later. If you have financial aid, you can have a deferment form completed through the Financial Aid office.

Make arrangements with your program regarding your payment schedule. It's important to note, financial aid will be disbursed to you. WWU will not pay program costs directly.

Visit BankMobile to set up Direct Deposit refund preferences. If you have additional questions about your refund preferences, please contact the Student Business Office at sbo@wwu.edu or 360-650-2865.

Ensure your personal information is up to date on your Web4U.

You might have an outstanding financial aid requirement, need to accept a scholarship, or sign a form for registration to maintain your student status at WWU. It's imperative that you check your WWU email for important communications to make sure that you complete all of your requirements to receive financial aid.

Consider having someone serve as Power of Attorney to take care of any financial matters that may arise while you are away. A Power of Attorney legally gives the person you indicate the authority to sign documents in your absence.

Most financial aid can be applied to study abroad, including:

• State Grants- WA College Grant and WA College Bound
• Federal Grants (Pell) & Federal Private Loans, Parent PLUS Loans

As a general rule, funding that does not provide actual cash to you cannot be applied to study abroad costs. This includes:

• Work Study
• Admissions Merit-Based Scholarships, Western grants, and Tuition Waivers, including:
  • Admissions Achievement Awards
  • Multicultural Achievement Program (MAP) Scholarship
  • Western Award for Excellence (WAE) scholarship

  • Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) scholarship

     

If you're unsure whether a scholarship, waiver, or other form of funding can be used for your study abroad program, contact an Education Abroad advisor.

College Savings Plans, such as Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET/WA529), can be used to help pay for eligible study abroad programs and qualified educational expenses, including tuition, housing, meals, books, and other approved costs.

529 funds are commonly used for:

• Exchange Programs, including WWU Pay In-State Exchange and ISEP Exchange
• Global Learning Faculty-Led Programs
• Some additional approved study abroad programs

You may also be able to use 529 funds at international universities that are recognized as eligible institutions for federal financial aid. Many overseas universities qualify.

A few important things to know:

• 529 funds must be paid directly to an eligible institution of higher education.
• WWU cannot collect 529 funds and then pay a third-party program provider or host university on your behalf.
• GET cannot pay study abroad providers directly or reimburse expenses you've already paid out of pocket.
• Travel costs to and from your destination are not considered qualified educational expenses.

Not sure whether your program is eligible? Meet with an Education Abroad advisor or request a Program Match Appointment to explore programs that may work with your GET funds.

If you receive Veterans (VA) education benefits, you may be able to use them for certain study abroad programs that apply to your degree requirements.

Eligible options may include:

• Faculty-Led Global Learning Programs that award WWU credit. If your faculty-led program includes coursework through a host university abroad (such as a Partnership Plus program), those credits may not be eligible for VA benefits.
• Direct enrollment at international universities approved through the VA WEAMS database. Recommended institutions include:
  • University of Liverpool
  • American College of Greece

To use VA benefits, courses taken abroad must count toward your degree requirements.

Unfortunately, VA benefits generally cannot be used for exchange programs or programs offered through third-party providers such as CIEE, USAC, or WorldStrides due to their billing structure. Learn more about using VA Benefits for Study Abroad or make an appointment with an advisor. 

Financial Aid disburses funds directly to your Student Account on the first day of Western's quarter OR the first day of your program, whichever is later. WWU will not pay program costs directly to your host university or study abroad program/provider; in these situations, a refund will be issued after any WWU fees are paid and the student is responsible for paying the program directly.

If your program requires payment before you receive your aid, it is your responsibility to make arrangements with the program regarding any Financial Aid deferments and your payment schedule. The Financial Aid Office can fill out the deferment form provided by your study abroad program after your EdAbroad Advisor drafts a budget for your program. 

Students and families sometimes need a 1098-T form for tax purposes. Whether WWU can provide one depends on how your study abroad program is billed.

WWU may be able to include study abroad expenses on your 1098-T if you pay WWU directly for your program, such as:

• WWU Exchange Programs
• Faculty-Led Global Learning Programs

If you pay a study abroad provider or host university directly, WWU generally cannot include those expenses on your 1098-T because the payments were not made to WWU.

If you're participating in a provider program or direct enrollment program, check with the organization you paid to determine:

• Whether they can provide tax documentation related to your educational expenses
• Whether they are eligible to issue a 1098-T
• Whether they can provide a record of qualified educational expenses for your tax preparer

Because tax situations vary, students and families should consult a tax professional with questions about education-related tax benefits.

Summer aid may be limited since it is the last quarter of the academic year. Contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss an aid estimate after you have chosen a program. 

Is summer your ideal timeline? Check out our most affordable cost-effective summer study abroad programs!