Financial Aid & Paying Your Bill

Financial Aid 

Can I use financial aid to study abroad? The short answer is: yes for semester programs, sometimes for short-term programs. Planning ahead may make it easier to obtain additional funding, so begin your study abroad planning process early!

Financial Aid for Semester Programs

All semester study abroad students on an Exchange Program can take their full SAU financial aid package, including scholarships and federal/state loans (excluding work-study), for up to one semester. Students participating in an approved Provider Program can take all of their federal/state loans (excluding work-study) and up to $4,000 of their SAU scholarship award.

Tuition remission or tuition exchange awards cannot be applied to study abroad costs. Students are able to use their SAU funding only once in the course of an undergraduate career at SAU.

Financial Aid for Short-Term Study Abroad

Students should work with the Financial Aid Office to see if they are eligible to use financial aid to pay for short-term study abroad programs. Short-term faculty-led programs often require large deposits up to 8 months prior to departure. Review the program information and deadlines carefully to plan for any additional financial assistance you may need. Students must enroll in at least 6 credits to be eligible for summer loans.

Paying Your Bill

Short-Term Faculty-Led Program Students

Students usually must submit a $500 application deposit by TouchNet by the application deadline. Once the application deadline has passed, the deposit often is non-refundable unless the program is canceled or if you are not accepted. After you are accepted into an SAU faculty-led study abroad program, you must pay a commitment fee by TouchNet within four weeks after the application deadline. The commitment fee ranges from $750-$1,500 depending on the cost of plane tickets and other initial expenses. This fee is non-refundable after its due date. The application deposit and commitment fee are applied to your total program costs. Your remaining balance is due prior to your departure and by the specified deadline. The final payment should be submitted to Student Account Services or on Beeline.
All students participating in a semester-long study abroad program through a program provider will be charged a $300 Study Abroad Fee. This fee will be added to your total program cost. In most cases, St. Ambrose establishes direct billing relationships with our study abroad partners. The direct billing procedure makes it easier to allocate your financial aid to pay study abroad costs. You can expect to receive a bill from St. Ambrose University for your study abroad fees. You can pay your bill through Beeline or directly to Student Accounts. Monthly billing plans cannot be used to pay study abroad costs. The entire program fee must be paid in full prior to your departure. Once the full payment is received and financial aid is released, St. Ambrose will then pay our partner institution on your behalf. If you receive an invoice directly from the program provider, please contact the Center for International Education. If you withdraw from your study abroad program, you may not be entitled to a refund. Contact your program provider for specific information.