- Student pays for USF credit, in which courses and credits will appear directly on his/her USF official transcript; therefore, student pays USF tuition rate to USF as any normal semester. As a result, all USF financial aid such as USF grants and scholarships, and federal and state aid (except Federal Work Study) automatically apply to the student's term abroad. 

- Student does not have to complete a Leave of Absence Form because he/she is technically still enrolled as a USF student. 

- While a student is abroad during the Spring semester, parents are encouraged to take care of their child's USF Financial Aid renewals for the next academic year. 

*Contact the CGE regarding Room and Board concerns. 

- Student pays host institution/program fee directly to the host program provider (e.g., to the Institute for International Education for Students, or to New York University). Tuition and fees vary per program and cover different things.

- Student must complete a LEAVE OF ABSENCE form for the semester(s) he/she will be studying abroad. He/she will not be enrolled as a USF student, and will not be eligible for USF financial aid during his/her semester(s) abroad. 

- Nevertheless, there are funding opportunities such as grants, scholarships, and/or loans provided by certain host institutions/programs. If the host program cannot provide financial aid, the USF One Stop & Financial Aid office may be able to assist in finding private loans. See One Stop for details.

- If the student receives Federal and/or State financial aid (Cal Grant, Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans, etc.) from USF, it is advisable to see a financial aid counselor to discuss important steps to reserve a Cal grant for the return semester, or to put Federal loans into deferment or forbearance, which allows these loans to remain in a non-payment status while the student is on leave.

Scholarships & Other Funding Opportunities

There are many funding opportunities through various programs and organizations. Some of them are country and/or program specific while others are based on financial need and merit. There are a few based on cultural and ethnic heritage as well. The following guide may assist in your funding research.
Scholarships, Financial Aid, & Loan Directories: comprehensive directories of study abroad scholarships, fellowships, and grants to find funding for study outside the US at an undergraduate, graduate, or professional level of study.

Study Abroad Funding
Fast Web
International Education Financial Aid
International Education Financial Corporation

Merit & Need Based:

Gilman Scholarship– For recipients of Federal Pell Grant
Fulbright Scholarship - Grants are made to citizens of participating countries, primarily for: university teachin, advanced research, graduate study and teaching in elementary and secondary schools.

Country & Program Based Financial Aid & Scholarships:

DAAD Scholarships - German Academic Exchange Students
Freeman-ASIA Scholarship - Open to students studying abroad to Asia
Association of Teachers of Japanese (ATJ) Bridging Project Scholarship - Open to students studying abroad to Japan
IES Scholarships & Aid – Merit & need based, summer, semester, diversity, public university, disability. Open to IES admitted students.
AIFS Semester & Summer Scholarships– International, Diversity, Study Again, & Affiliate Scholarships. Open to AIFS admitted students.
Arcadia Scholarships - Open to Arcadia admitted students.
CIEE Scholarships - Open to CIEE admitted students.
Boston University Scholarships & Grants - Merit, need based, & program specific. Open to BU admitted students.
CEA Scholarships - merit & need based. Open to CEA admitted students.
New York University - Program specific. Open to NYU admitted study abroad students.
Cultural, Minority, Non-Traditional Scholarships:
National Security Education Program (NSEP) David Boren Scholarships - Boren Scholarships and Fellowships provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to add an important international and language component to their educations. We focus on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad.
American Association of University Women - the largest source of funding exclusively for graduate women in the world, supports aspiring scholars around the globe, teachers and activists in local communities, women at critical stages of their careers, and those pursuing professions where women are underrepresented.
Hispanic Study Abroad Scholars - Over $8 Million in scholarships for Hispanic study abroad. The HSAS Scholarship offers $1,000 per semester to students of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) attending Global Learning Semesters programs.
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships - The purpose of the Ambassadorial Scholarships program is to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries and geographical areas. The program sponsors several types of scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students as well as for qualified professionals pursuing vocational studies.