Financial Support is available for any major to cover a portion of the cost of a summer abroad. The total cost includes tuition and fees, room and board, international airfare, in-country transportation to program site, books, passport, visa, insurance, inoculations, and personal expenses (program budget must be approved by the Education Abroad Advisor).
Don’t forget that some study abroad providers (e.g., ISA, SIT Study Abroad, CGEE and others) also offer scholarships to participants in their programs. Learn more about external scholarships.
Other Financial Aid
Since summer is considered optional, the only forms of financial aid available for summer programs—other than education abroad scholarships and grants—are from federal sources, specifically the Stafford Loan and the Pell Grant (Berea College loans may be an option for BIST participants). Before applying for admission to a summer program, consult with Student Financial Aid Services to ensure that you are able to apply some of your Pell Grant money and that you are eligible for subsidized and/or unsubsidized Stafford Loans sufficient to meet the total cost of participation. The maximum Stafford Loan amount that a student can borrow is based on financial need, classification, dependency status, and annual borrowing limits as set by federal regulations.
To be eligible for a Stafford Loan, students must have a 2.0 GPA or higher and be enrolled on at least a half-time basis during the summer. This generally means enrolling in two courses for a total of 6 semester credits (equivalent to 1.5 Berea course credits).
The application deadline for summer loans is 1 March. Stafford Loan applications will be processed after education abroad scholarships/grants have been awarded and you have been accepted to your program.
Disbursement of Funds
Financial aid for program fees—including both education abroad funding and Stafford Loans—will be disbursed directly to your program administrator, provided that a consortium agreement is in place (see Consortium Agreements in sidebar). Any remaining aid (e.g., for airfare not billed by the program, books, or personal expenses) will be disbursed to students during finals week.
Application Fees
Application fees cannot be covered by financial aid, so plan ahead and save. Application fees can be hefty and generally are non-refundable.
Loans
College loans, based on need, will be available for the $1000 self-help contribution and for any additional need. College loans will be interest-free, except for those applied to the $1000 self-help requirement. Stafford Loans will be available to replace EFC.
Travel Grants
Planning to visit cultural or historic sites beyond the scope of your formal education abroad program? Already approved for a semester abroad? If so, apply for the Emilie Strong Smith Travel Grant, which provides up to $500 for non-program travel. Deadline: November 1 for Spring and April 1 for Fall.
Questions?
For questions about education abroad scholarships and grants, contact the Education Abroad Team at abroad@berea.edu or 859-985-3453, or drop by 205 Woods-Penniman.
For questions about financial aid (e.g., Stafford Loans and consortium agreements), contact Paul Winker or any other counselor in Student Financial Aid Services.
* The Department of Foreign Languages also offers financial support for qualified majors and minors.