Funding for Study Abroad
Using Financial Aid and Loans to Study Abroad
Studying abroad is a valuable educational experience and it can also be a costly
one. It is important to get your finances together well before your classes are
scheduled to begin. All aid, including alternative loans, is processed through
the Office of Student Financial Aid. The process of filing a FAFSA (Free
Application for Federal Financial Aid) and/or applying for an alternative loan
can take up to a month, even longer if there is a problem along the way.
- Need-based financial aid that can be used abroad: Federal Pell Grant, Federal
SEOG Grant, State Grants, R.I. Children's Crusade, ACG Grant, SMART Grant,
Federal Stafford Loan and Federal Perkins Loan.
- Support may also be available from The Ridgeway F. Shinn Jr. Study Abroad Fund
(undergraduates only). Contact Bryan
Brophy-Baermann (456-2709) or bbrophy1@ric.edu for information about
eligibility and the application process.
- A good resource for study abroad scholarships is
www.studyabroad.com
Procedures for taking aid abroad:
- Letter of Approval: You must get approval for your study abroad program from
the Director of Study Abroad. The Director needs to send a letter/email
verifying that you are going abroad to Kristen Marcantonio in the Office of
Student Financial Aid and James Dorian in the Records Office. (Bryan
Brophy-Baermann is the Acting Coordinator and can be reached by email
bbrophy1@ric.edu.)
- Budget: You must submit an estimated budget to the Office of Student
Financial Aid. This budget should be broken down into categories: tuition, fees,
housing, food, books, transportation while abroad, plane tickets and other
miscellaneous expenses.
- Authorization of Credit Form: This form can be found in the Financial Aid
Office (http://www.ric.edu/financialaid/pdfs/consortiumagreement.pdf)
and is needed in order to ensure the credits you are taking abroad will transfer
to RIC. One form is needed for each class you are registered for. A copy of each
form needs to be submitted to the Office of Student Financial Aid. No aid can be
awarded until the Records Office enters your study abroad credits into the
system.
- Consortium Agreement Form: This form can be found at the Office of Student
Financial Aid. You must have a representative from the host institution (i.e.
Academic Programs International (API), Bryant College, etc.) fill out this form
and return it to the Office of Student Financial Aid. If you have questions
about who your host institution is you should contact Kristen Marcantonio in the
Office of Student Financial Aid.
Steps 1-3 must be complete before your aid and loans can be awarded while
step 4 must be complete before the money can be refunded to you. It is important
to understand that even if you have completed the four steps outlined above
there will be delays in getting your aid if your financial aid application, i.e.
your FAFSA and any supporting documentation, is incomplete. It is your
responsibility to make sure everything is processed for both federal aid and
alternative loans in order for the aid to disburse two weeks before your
departure.
If you have any questions please contact Kristen Marcantonio, Assistant
Director, Office of Student Financial Aid at (401)456-8033 or kmarcantonio@ric.edu