The aid application for students wishing to study abroad is the same as for returning students. Included in the Study Abroad Office's acceptance packet will be a letter with further instructions from the Financial Aid Office. You may also refer to the section Study Abroad and Financial Aid.

Anyone may apply for financial assistance at Northwestern. Family resources are determined by the information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the College Scholarship Service Profile, and the University Aid Application. (See Study Abroad and Financial Aid for specific application information.) If your family contribution is determined to be less than the total cost of your program, you may qualify for financial assistance.

Yes. The student expense budget used to determine eligibility for financial aid is based upon the cost of your program. Financial need is considered to be the difference between this budget and the expected family contribution. Therefore if the cost of the program is greater, so will your financial need be greater.

You cannot receive financial aid in excess of the cost of attendance. If your costs are less, the financial assistance you receive will be reduced accordingly.

In order to be considered for Northwestern scholarship assistance, you must be paying Northwestern tuition. In the case of an unaffiliated program, tuition is being paid directly to the host institution. The Study Abroad Fee merely covers administrative costs associated with studying abroad, such as credit transfer.

The Study Abroad Fee is included in the student's expense budget and therefore is considered part of the student's cost of attendance when determining eligibility for financial aid.

No. Even though the study abroad program is sponsored by another university, Northwestern is still considered your home institution. You are only eligible to receive aid from the institution where you are officially enrolled in a degree-seeking program.

Students receiving assistance from an outside agency (state grant, private scholarship, private loan) typically find that these funds can be used to help defray program costs.

Students, in all likelihood, will not be allowed to work while studying in a foreign country. If you have received Federal Work-Study in prior years, this component of your aid package will be replaced by additional loan assistance while you are abroad.

The student expense budget includes the total cost of your program plus airfare. Depending upon your family's financial resources, you may petition the Office of Financial Aid to have your tuition deposit waived or receive a cash advance to help with the purchase of your plane tickets.

Program costs for students going abroad for the winter and spring quarters, as well as any adjustments to the financial aid package, will be reflected on the December and March invoices.

Additional information can by found on this website in the section Applying for Financial Aid - Study Abroad & Financial Aid or on the Study Abroad Office website.

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If you don't find the answer to your question or would like to discuss your concerns with a counselor, please contact us by phone at (847) 491-7400 or e-mail us at ug-finaid@northwestern.edu.