EDUCATION ABROAD

Can I get financial aid to study abroad?

I have not applied for financial aid. What do I need to do?

I have a Bowling Green State University Scholarship. Can I use it if I study abroad?

I am participating in a study abroad program offered by another school. Can I still receive financial aid?

I am not a Bowling Green State University student, but I am going to participate in a study abroad program sponsored by Bowling Green State University. Can I receive financial aid?

When should I contact the Student Financial Aid Office to let them know I am planning to study abroad?

Studying abroad is going to cost more. Can I qualify for more financial aid since my expenses will be greater?

The study abroad program I am participating in needs documentation of what financial aid I will be receiving. Can the Student Financial Aid Office give this to me?

I will be leaving the country before the semester begins. Can I get my excess financial aid/refund check early?

 Can I get financial aid to study abroad?

Enrollment in a program of study abroad approved for credit by the institution may be considered enrollment in the institution for purposes of applying for Title IV aid. If you are an eligible student and enroll in a Bowling Green State University sponsored study abroad program full time, you will be able to retain all Title IV federal financial aid and most state and institutional financial aid.

Bowling Green State University offers several types of study abroad programs:

• BGSU-sponsored Study Abroad and Exchange programs
• Ohio International Consortium (OIC)
• Third Party Affiliate Provider programs

 I have not applied for financial aid. What do I need to do?

To be considered for financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This is your application for federal and state grants and federal loans, and it must be completed every year. The federal government processes the FAFSA and the results are sent to Bowling Green State University. The FAFSA can be filed on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Once BGSU receives your information a financial aid award letter will be either mailed to you or sent to your MYBGSU account, explaining what types of financial aid you are eligible to receive.

 I have a Bowling Green State University Scholarship. Can I use it if I study abroad?

Students can use Bowling Green State University scholarships that are awarded by the Student Financial Aid Office or the Admissions Office for Bowling Green State University or Ohio International Consortium (http://www.uc.edu/global/OIC.htm) sponsored study abroad programs, provided you are enrolled full time. This does not include room, board, or book scholarships, which are specific to the Bowling Green campus. A student studying abroad through another Ohio, U.S. school, Third Party Affiliate Provider program or by direct enrollment at a foreign institution cannot use a Bowling Green State University scholarship at the visited school.

If your scholarship was awarded by an academic department, please contact that office to find out if you can use your scholarship.

 I am participating in a study abroad program offered by another school. Can I still receive financial aid?

If you are participating in a program offered through another university, you will be considered a Guest Student at that institution and you must complete the student section of the Consortium Agreement and submit it to the Student Financial Office along with all required paperwork. Students can download a copy of the Consortium Agreement form from the Student Financial Aid web site (http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sfa.documents). If you will be attending through a Third Party Provider you will need to complete the Contractual Agreement which is available through the Study Abroad Office. This form will need to be completed before any financial aid is released to the Office of the Bursar’s.

 I am not a Bowling Green State University student, but I am going to participate in a study abroad program sponsored by Bowling Green State University. Can I receive financial aid?

If you not a Bowling Green State University student but will be participating in one of our study abroad programs, you will be considered a Guest Student. You should contact the financial aid office at your “home” institution and initiate a Consortium Agreement there.

 When should I contact the Student Financial Aid Office to let them know I am planning to study abroad?

Contact the Student Financial Aid Office at least one full semester before beginning the study abroad program. This will assure that you have completed all the necessary paperwork needed in order for your financial aid to disburse to your Bursar’s account.

 Studying abroad is going to cost more. Can I qualify for more financial aid since my expenses will be greater?

Study abroad students may be eligible for a budget adjustment, which would allow for additional expenses related to studying abroad to be included in their Cost of Attendance. Please note: budget adjustments do not change the student’s eligibility for federal or state grant programs, and it does not increase the amount a student can borrow in a federal loan program. Typically, a budget adjustment will only increase the amount of money a student can borrow in a private loan from a bank or a PLUS Loan (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students).

 The study abroad program I am participating in needs documentation of what financial aid I will be receiving. Can the Student Financial Aid Office give this to me?

Most students should be able to submit a copy of their Financial Aid Award Letter as documentation of the financial aid they will be receiving.

 I will be leaving the country before the semester begins. Can I get my excess financial aid/refund check early?

Financial aid and scholarship funds cannot be released to the Bursar’s Office any sooner than 10 days before the start of the semester at Bowling Green State University or 10 days prior to the start of the study abroad program, provided the program starts after the semester begins at Bowling Green State University. Therefore, funds may not be available to you until after your departure. You are strongly encouraged to meet with the Bursar’s Office so that your refund check is mailed to you or to your parent’s home address (provided you completed a Power of Attorney Form). Otherwise, you may need to make arrangements with your family to handle your funds once they are released.