Almost one fifth of students who studied abroad in 2014-15 received financial aid from the International Studies Office or Student Financial Services.
The aid spans fall and spring semesters, as well as January term and summer terms.
More than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students studied abroad during the 2014-15 academic year, according to the University’s U.Va. Global website. Almost 590 students received financial aid from Student Financial Services, or about 19 percent.
Typically, students studying abroad have access to the same financial aid they would have on Grounds, except for federal work study, said Scott Miller, University director of financial aid, in an email statement.
Students are also still eligible for federal, state and institutional financial aid.
Students who already receive financial aid usually receive the same package they would if they were studying on Grounds. Sometimes, however, the package will change if the costs are different, Miller said.
The International Studies Office and individual departments also reward aid to students.
“Students who have not applied for financial aid through Student Financial Services can still receive departmental awards or scholarships from the International Studies Office,” Miller said.
Students may also apply to non-University affiliated scholarships to finance their time abroad.
Third-year College student Leah Day studied abroad this past summer with the U.Va. in Morocco program, and stayed on after the program ended for an internship. While student financial services did not provide much aid, Day said, the director of her program provided her with information on scholarships through other University departments.
“Random scholarships are more helpful than Student Financial Services,” Day said. “I did get a lot of money from U.Va. Global Interns.”
In Day’s case, the scholarships she received from outside of Student Financial Services allowed her to study and live in Morocco for the summer.
“If I hadn’t gotten the scholarship, I wouldn’t have gone,” Day said.
Choosing to study abroad in the summer can also influence the amount of a financial aid package. There are typically fewer grants during the summer since students would not normally be in class.
“It was augmented because it was summer, so it was money I wouldn’t have been paying anyway,” Day said. “During the summer they don’t have much actual grant money, they can just give you loans.”
Mairead Crotty contributed reporting to this article.
Read More
Shots fired incident reported on 700 block of Walker Square
By Finn Trainer | YesterdayThis is the second community alert of May, following an aggravated assault incident May 1.
Board of Visitors Finance Committee hears presentation on budget process
By Cecilia Mould | 5 days agoThe Committee will review and vote on the budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year when the full Board reconvenes for its June meeting.
Police forcefully clear encampment near University Chapel, detain protesters
By Thomas Baxter and Finn Trainer | May 5, 2024The University declared the encampment an unlawful assembly at 2:44 p.m.
