Funding Your Trip
Short-term faculty-led programs cost between $2,000-$5,000, with the median cost being $3,000. Semester program costs vary greatly, with most being about the same cost as a semester at Concordia. Explore specific programs for more details.
Select a Program
Program costs can vary widely, so selecting a program is the first step. If your budget is something that you are concerned about, there are numerous semester abroad programs that can actually save you money, even including airfare!Identify your Costs
What is the total program cost? Will you have to pay for room and board in addition to tuition, or is room and board included in the cost of tuition? What about air and ground transportation, tour fees, entrance fees, program fees? Review the Budget Sheet for your selected program to help figure out what the program will cost.Complete the International Cost of Attendance Form
This form is passed on to the Financial Aid Office, and is used to adjust your cost of attendance, which may make additional funding options, such as increased loans, available to you to cover the cost of your abroad program.Meet with a Financial Advisor
After completing the form, you should schedule an appointment with your financial aid advisor to discuss options like increasing loan amounts and finding additional scholarships or sources of funding.Explore Grants and Scholarships
There are numerous other sources of funding for study abroad. Additionally, the same general scholarships and grants that are out there are by-and-large applicable to a semester abroad as well.Get Creative
www.fundmytravel.com is a crowdfunding site that is designed to fund studying and/or volunteering abroad. By engaging your social media tools, travelers can promote their fundraising campaigns to a network of family, friends, professional and personal contacts.Fund My Travel
Don’t knock old-fashioned fundraising either! Car washes, rummage sales, auctions, and letter campaigns have sent thousands of college students abroad.
Billing
Students going on a provider program (API, TEAN, AIFS, etc.) for a semester will pay Concordia's tuition rate, (or the program tuition rate if it is higher than CUWAA). This will be paid directly to Concordia, so the student keeps their financial aid package and can use 529 funds to pay the fees. Housing is billed to Concordia by the program provider, and the true housing cost is charged to the student. Any scholarships given by providers are taken out of the housing cost unless they exceed the housing amount.
Housing
It is important to know whether your student's housing cost covers meals and/or laundry. Housing and a meal plan at CUW is $5,585. That means that if your apartment housing abroad is $5,000 (but doesn't include meals) it will end up being more expensive than staying on campus. Homestays are often a great option, because your host mom or dad will provide 2-3 meals each day and free laundry for $2-3,000!
Study Abroad Scenario
Hannah is going to Italy for the fall semester. The program provider bills Concordia for the published program fee, which includes tuition, fees, and housing. Hannah's Concordia account shows a $15,030 charge for tuition and a housing fee of $2,500. Her $1,000 API scholarship was taken off the housing cost, which was originally $3,500. Hannah's overall Concordia bill is $17,530. Hannah's financial aid package each semester covers $8,000, so when that is factored in, Hannah will pay $9,530 to Concordia for her semester abroad. Meals, flights, and personal expenses are not billed and must be be paid by Hannah.Funding Your Program
Students typically pay for study abroad through a combination of financial aid, scholarship, grants, raised funds, and personal funds. Study abroad costs vary depending on the program you select. While some programs are more expensive, the majority of programs are similar to what you would spend at CU and some may be less, even including airfare. There are also scholarships and grants available to help students study abroad.Financial Aid
Most financial aid a student receives at Concordia can be applied to a study abroad program. Exceptions may include sports and music scholarships, if your program causes you to miss shows or competitions. Any questions about the applicability of your financial aid to a study abroad experience should be directed to your financial aid advisor.Student Loans
While you can increase your student loans to fund your study abroad program, you must meet specific criteria.Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
As long as you are enrolled in one of Concordia's approved study abroad programs, you're still considered a Concordia student while abroad, so you will still pay regular tuition to Concordia. Concordia will then pay the foreign university's tuition up to the amount of Concordia’s tuition.
This means that as long as your foreign university tuition doesn't exceed Concordia's, you'll still pay the same tuition you would at Concordia. (There aren't many cases in which tuition abroad will be more expensive.) Students must contact the Financial Aid Office to verify all tuition costs.
This means that as long as your foreign university tuition doesn't exceed Concordia's, you'll still pay the same tuition you would at Concordia. (There aren't many cases in which tuition abroad will be more expensive.) Students must contact the Financial Aid Office to verify all tuition costs.
Housing is separate, and you will pay the housing cost of the program or university in which you are enrolled for the semester. Some programs include a meal plan in their program cost. Others require students to shop for food on their own and make their own meals. There are also programs where students stay with a host family who will provide most of the student's meals.
Short answer: Yes, though some restrictions may apply based on which kind of aid is part of your aid package, and what you will be doing/studying abroad. Direct any questions about your financial aid to your financial aid advisor.
Yes, there are many! Concordia typically has scholarships available up to $1,000 per student depending on eligibility and the number of applicants. This scholarship has been put on hold due to the current pandemic. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship offers an average of $4,000 to one out of every three applicants. There are dozens of other private scholarships and grants available if you are willing to put in the work of researching and applying.
Additional costs can fluctuate between programs and countries. The main expenses associated with a semester abroad include airfare, passport, visa, additional traveling during the semester, necessities bought while abroad, spending money, and international health insurance. Also keep in mind that exchange rates fluctuate, which may affect the total cost of your study abroad experience as well.
Once you apply, you will gain access to Learning Content through your study abroad portal that will cover vital information about health and safety. You will also attend the Pre-Departure Orientation where additional information will be presented.