Financing Your Study Abroad Hawai'i Program
One of the most common questions we get from students planning to study abroad is, "How can I afford it?" At Study Abroad Hawaii we are committed to making study abroad affordable for as many students as possible. We will work closely with you and your institution’s financial aid office to make this as smooth a process as possible. If at any time, however, you or your parents/guardians are confused, do not hesitate to give our office a call or send us an e-mail.
 
Definition of Financial Aid
First, it is important to understand that, by definition, financial aid includes ALL aid that you can receive to study abroad: federal loans and grants; state loans and grants; institutional loans, grants and scholarships; and private loans, grants and scholarships. While this is all aid that you might receive while at your home campus, it does not necessarily guarantee that it will apply to a study abroad program. Only your home school can determine what type and how much aid you will receive for a study abroad program.
 
 
Financial Aid and Study Abroad
Under federal law, all federal financial aid that you qualify for (loans and grants) can be used to study abroad if the program you are attending has been approved for credit by your home institution. Beyond this, it is up to your home institution to decide whether or not you can utilize state and/or institutional aid to study abroad. In nearly all cases your home university will require a "consortia agreement" to be signed between them and SAH to process your financial aid for study abroad. In such instances, SAH can arrange an agreement that meets the needs of your home institution.
 
 
Applying for Financial Aid to Study Abroad
The key to using financial aid for study abroad is to apply early. In order to be considered for any type of aid by your home institution you will need to apply for it using the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. You can pick up a FAFSA from your school's financial aid office or you can apply on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA can take up to eight weeks to process, so, again, start early! If you have applied for financial aid in the past, you only need to let your financial aid office know that you are planning to go abroad and then submit the study abroad program budget to them. Above all, meet with your university's financial aid office early in the process so that you clearly understand the "ins and outs" of your particular institution.
 
 
Determining the Amount of Your Financial Aid Package
The amount of financial aid that you receive is determined based upon the cost of the program. Upon your acceptance to the Study Abroad Hawaii program, we will furnish you with a budget sheet for the program you will be attending. This budget will include all "reasonable" costs such as tuition and fees for the program, living costs, health insurance, books and supplies, and transportation costs (airfare and program travel). Once you have submitted this budget to your financial aid office they will be able to determine the amount of aid you will be eligible to receive toward your study abroad program.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other Financial Aid Assistance
If you have already applied for financial aid from your home school, but still need more to afford a study abroad program, we can suggest some options. First and foremost is our own Study Abroad Hawaii Scholarship Program. These scholarships are based upon academic merit and are available for any semester, year, or summer program.

Additionally, here are two sites at which you can find out about other financial aid opportunities:

FastWeb: A free website that offers over 600,000 scholarships worth over one billion dollars! www.fastweb.org

International Education Financial Aid: An interactive website that assists students in finding scholarships specifically for study abroad. www.iefa.org
 
 
Study Abroad Hawai'i, 25 New South Street, #102, Northampton, MA 01060
Phone: (413) 584-7639
Contact Study Abroad Hawai'i