The Catholic University of America

Financing Education Abroad

Education Abroad is Affordable. Most students find that the cost of education abroad can be suprisingly affordable, considering what you are getting out of it (credit, cultural experience, travel). CUA students participating in CUA-administered or affiliated programs are able to use most form of financial aid - with the exception of federal work-study - to help pay for their programs.

CUAbroad Program Costs

Paying Your Bills

Financial Aid

Scholarships 

CUA PROGRAM COSTS SUMMARY

Semester or academic year CUA programs have the following payments:
Application Fee: $100, non-refundable, due at the time of application.
CUA Tuition: $15,870/semester (2009-2010)
Program Fee: $5,000 per semester
Deposit: $500 or $1,000, depending on the program. Due upon acceptance. Balance of the program fee is charged to the student's CUA student account.

Non-CUA program administrative fees (non-refundable) due to CUAbroad:

$175 for 3-6 credits and summer, $300 for a semester, and $500 for a year)

CUA Semester Program Cost Details:

CUA students participating on an affiliated CUAbroad semester and academic year education abroad program pay a non-refundable $100 application fee to CUAbroad + CUA tuition + a $5,000 education abroad program fee which covers overseas housing, any mandatory mealplan - if offered - and other costs not directly associated with tuition plus administrative costs. Airfare, meals and visa costs are not generally included.

CUA students participating on a CUAbroad short-term study tour (winter, spring or summer intersession) pay a non-refundable $100 application fee to CUAbroad + a program fee that varies depending on the length and nature of the program (on average between $2,500 and $6,000) which covers tuition, airfare, housing, meals, excursions, in-country transportation. CUA tuition is not charged. In some cases airfare is not included (check specific program information).

CUA students participating on a non-affiliated CUAbroad program (semester/year long or short-term) pay a non-refundable administrative fee ($175 for 3-6 credits, $300 for a semester, and $500 for a year) to CUAbroad + an education abroad program fee directly to the sponsoring university/program. CUA tuition and housing fees are not charged. The average cost for a semester runs between $10,000-$20,000 and usually includes tuition, housing, airfare and some meals. Costs vary depending on the sponsoring institutions, what is included, and length of program. Students must work closely with CUAbroad before and after the program to stay registered and receive credits.

To compare the cost of attending courses on campus versus education abroad programs, students and their parents are encouraged to consult the CUA Office of Financial Aid's Estimated Cost of Attendance (ECA) here.

 

PAYING YOUR BILLS

Payment of the application fee and the deposit must be made directly to CUAbroad. Credit card payments must be made by completing the CUA Credit Card Form. The program fee balance and the CUA tuition will be charged to the CUA student account. All accepted participants must complete the CUAbroad Financial Aid contract. Students are responsible for making payments to CUAbroad on time.

Forms of Payment:

Application Fee: payment may be made in cash, bank check, personal check, money order or credit card.
Deposit: Acceptable methods of payment include bank check, money order or credit card. No personal checks will be accepted. The remainder of the program fee is charged to the CUA student account, and can be paid directly to the Student Accounts office or online via CardinalPAY.

Participants receiving any type of financial aid (grants, loans, scholarships, etc.) through CUA toward their degree must consult with their financial aid advisor regarding the payment for their education abroad programs.

Non-CUA students (those pursuing a degree at another higher educational institution applying to participate in a CUA program) must contact their own institution's financial aid office for guidance.

 

FINANCIAL AID
Most federal and state financial aid - with the exception of work-study - and/or commercial loans can be applied to help pay for programs sponsored by U.S. accredited institutions which includes CUAbroad's programs. Federal work study awards may be used during the fall before the student departs or may be used after he or she returns in the spring.

CUA grants and scholarship awards will not apply to non-CUAbroad programs.

Please request a CUAbroad program cost breakdown to take with you to the CUA Financial Aid Office to determine your loan eligibility for CUAbroad-affiliated programs. If you are participating on a non-CUAbroad program, it is your responsibility to request a cost breakdown from the sponsoring institution to provide to the CUA Financial Aid office.

IMPORTANT: Making Satisfactory Progress. Student who is not making federal satisfactory progress would only be allowed to use a Commercial Loan for any ineligible semesters and would not receive CUA funds or federal funds. The federal satisfactory progress rules are very different from the academic ones. A student with a good cumulative G.P.A. may be making progress academically under the rules of their Dean. However, if that student is not completing 12 credits per semester 12 credits per semester or withdraws from or fails more than 20% of his or her classes (has a percentage of completion that is less than 30% after 2 years at CUA) or does not have a 2.0 cumulative G.P.A., he or she is not eligible for any aid except Commercial Loans. If the student has never had financial aid probation before and can reach the 80% completion rate during the semester abroad or in the academic year, we may be abl eto offer probation. The cumulative G.P.A. is not negotiable. This is on a case-by-case basis and depends upon the student's overall record. Consult with the Office of Financial Aid to make sure you understand this. For more information on policies regarding satisfactory progress, please click here.

Financial Aid for Non-CUA PROGRAMS
A CUA student wishing to use financial aid must obtain the Dean's signature on the Consortium Agreement indicating whether or not he or she will accept the number - all or some -of the credits from the program. The Federal program most likely to be affected by the number of credits is the Pell Grant which is a credit-based calculation. The CUA Office of Financial Aid has copies of the Consortium Agreement for CUA students to take to the Dean. After obtaining the Dean's signature, the form must be signed by the host institution (program provider) as well.

Any departmental grants or scholarships (including Modern Languages) must be coordinated through the Financial Aid package as all CUA funding resources are required to be coordinated with Federal aid.

SCHOLARSHIPS
Currently CUAbroad does not offer scholarships to outgoing and incoming education abroad students. However, there are many sources at CUA and outside CUA for education abroad scholarships. The key is to start looking early!

  • Alessandro S. Crisafulli Fund. The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures offers several Education Abroad Travel grants of $800 to undergradute language majors and Italian Studies minors, which is supported by the Alessandro S. Crisafulli Fund. Click for the Application Form.
  • The Boren Scholarship and Fellowships
    Funding from the National Security Education Program (NSEP) support the U.S. Undergraduate and graduate studetns to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests. Up to $20,000 for undergraduates and $30,000 for graduate students, depending on cost and length of program. Additiona information on NSEP can be found on their website.
    IMPORTANT NOTE:  Your on-campus representative for the Boren Scholarship and Fellowship is the Director of Education Abroad, Ella Sweigert sweigert@cua.edu.  On-campus application deadline for the Boren is the last day of classes, Monday, December 14, 2009.  Following review and interviews by the campus Boren Scholarship Committee, applicants will be notified of their acceptance/endorsement by CUA by mid-January.  The Boren Fellowship application deadline is January 28, 2010 and the Boren Scholarships application deadline is February 10, 2010.  A representative of the Boren Scholarship will hold an informational meeting on the CUA campus on September 16, 2009 at noon in Rm. 112 McMahon Hall.  Please follow this link for more information
  • The Gilman International Scholarship This scholarship, offered through IIE, is eligible to Federal Pell grant recipients who are planning to study abroad for an academic semester.
  • Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA)
    The Freeman-ASIA Program aims to increase the number of U.S. undergraduates who study in East and Southeast Asia by providing them with the information and financial assistance they will need. Award amounts for the current application cycle range from a maximum of $5,000 for a semester/quarter program to a maximum of $7,000 for an academic year program.
  • The Fullbright Program
    The Fullbright U.S. student program equips future American leaders with the skills they need to thrive in an increasingly global environment by providing funding for one academic year of study or research abroad, to be conducted after graduation from an accredited university. Included in the Fullbright Program are English Teaching Assistantships in select countries such as Asia, Eastern and Western Europe, and Latin America.
  • The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is pleased to announce that for summer 2009 we will again offer the RISE (Research Internships in Science and Engineering) and RISE professional programs. Scholarships are awarded to American and Canadian undergraduates (RISE) and graduate students (RISE professional) in the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences (geology), and engineering.
     
  • Global Engineering Education Exchange Program
    Global E is a study abroad exchange opportunity for undergraduate engineering students to be exchanged with top U.S. and international engineering programs.
     
  • The Language Flagship Fellowships
    The Language Flagship, an NSEP initiative, is designed to help individuals achieve superios-level proficiency in certain critical languages. This is an award up to two years for post-BA students to support their instensive language study at Flagship institutions in the U.S. and overseas.
     
  • Mobility International USA
    MIUSA nvites people with disabilities between the ages of 18-24 years old to apply for MIUSA'sSummer 2009 Costa Rica: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Disability Rights Leadership program. Generous scholarships are available. Participants will have the opportunity to share perspectives on disability with the local community, develop leadership skills, experience Costa Rican culture by living with a host family, learn Spanish, and much more.More information on this program can be found online at http://www.miusa.org/exchange/costarica09/index_html. Deadline is March 20, 2009.
  • Whitaker International Fellows and Scholars Program
    The Whitaker Program supports biomedical engineers, from graduating senionrs through post-doctorates, in conducting high-quality research or study overseas.
  • Council for European Studies Fellowships. Founded in 1970, the Council for European Studies (CES) - at Columbia University - is the leading academic organization for the study of Europe. The Council promotes and recognizes outstanding, multidisciplinary research in European Studies through a range of programs, including conferences, publications, and awards. To learn more, visit their web site. CES sponsors a variety of fellowships for graduate and undergraduate students. CUA holds a membership in this organization and CUA students are eligible to apply for grants and fellowships.