Money Matters

Money Matters

A Guide to Paying for Study Abroad

CONTENTS 2 Introduction

3 Determining the Total Cost of Study Abroad What’s Included in Our Program Fees Dates of Service Expenses Not Included in the Program Fee IFSA-Butler Program Fees IFSA-Butler Budget Resources Additional Expenses in Study Abroad Cost of Living

7 Using Financial Aid to Pay for Study Abroad

9 Making Payments Checks and Credit Cards Monthly Payment Option Deferred Payments Direct Billing

11 Scholarships IFSA-Butler Scholarships Scholarship Application Deadlines Scholarships from Other Sources

12 Working Abroad

13 Additional Resources for Study Abroad Financial Aid

13 Quick Reference Contact IFSA-Butler Program Fee Deadlines TuitionPay Payment Deadlines Housing Deposit Deadlines

14 Budget Tips from Alumni

15 Financial Checklist

Money MattersA Guide to Paying forStudy Abroad

IntroductionThe Institute for Study Abroad, Butler University (IFSA-Butler) believes that study abroad should be within the financial reach of every student. From financial aid to scholarships to special billing and funding opportunities, IFSA-Butler is committed to helping students and their parents understand all of their financial options for study abroad.

This booklet includes valuable information about paying your IFSA-Butler fees, determining how much to budget for your country and program of choice, transferring financial aid for study abroad, and sources of scholarships and grants.

Our finance office processes all payments and invoices, and our experienced staff are also avail-able to help answer questions about financial aid, scholarships and payment arrangements. You can reach our finance office Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time.

Thank you for choosing IFSA-Butler! We wish you an enriching experience abroad.

Institute for Study Abroad, Butler UniversityU.S. Office800-858-0229

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Determining the TotalCost of Study Abroad

This section outlines what’s included in our program fees and will also help you determine other expenses associated with study abroad.

What’s Included in Our Program FeesIFSA-Butler’s program fees includes the following: • Tuition • Guaranteed housing • Utilities except for telephones • Meals for some programs (see chart at right) • Comprehensive medical insurance • Pre-arrival preparation • Personalized advising from an IFSA-Butler program advisor • Student visa assistance • Optional group travel arrangements for most programs • Airport pickup for group travelers • Orientation in host country • Welcome and farewell events • Special student co-curricular activities and events organized by our resident staff • Butler University transcript with grade and credit conversions

Dates of Service In-country services are provided between the program start and end dates. Full-year programs are treated as two semesters, and services are not provided between semesters.

Expenses Not Included in Our Program FeesIFSA-Butler’s program fee does not include: • Tuition differentials • Tuition overload fees • Meals (unless otherwise noted) • Housing supplemental fees • Passport, visa or entry clearance fees • International or domestic airfare • Textbooks and supplies • Personal expenses • Commuting costs • Vacation expenses • Housing between semesters, before the program starts or after the program ends

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A Note About Our Program FeesWe quote our program fees in U.S. dollars to protect our students and their parents from fluctuations in the currency market. Our fees are set and are not affected by changes in exchange rates.

We use forward contracts to balance out the exchange rate fluctuations and to protect our fees. Using forward contracts can result in an average exchange rate that may vary significantly from the daily rates quoted by the banks.

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l Indicates an IFSA-Butler service that does not apply to all programs within a country

IFSA-Butler Program Fees Our program fees are clearly outlined on our website. You can view all fees for a country by going to that country page and clicking on the Program Dates & Fees link on the left, or you can view an individual program’s fees by visiting the program page and clicking the Dates & Fees tab.

IFSA-Butler Budget Resources We attempt to provide accurate, overall cost projec-tions for each country and program by gathering infor-mation from our resident offices, partner universities abroad and recent alumni. We share this information with our current applicants and their parents through the following resources:

• Supplemental charge listings Some of our host universities abroad charge tuition differentials and/or supplemental housing fees, and these charges are clearly outlined on the fee pages on our website. See page 5 for more information about these supplemental charges. • Budget planners The country budget planners are intended to provide an overall picture of a country’s cost of living and the cost for items such as food, public transportation and entertainment. • Personal cost estimates Each program page on our website features an estimate of the cost for that program and host city. Expenses listed are meals, commuting costs, student visa, books and personal expenses such as toiletries, snacks, haircuts, course supplies, etc.

Additional Expenses in Study AbroadIn addition to our program fee, students and their par-ents should consider some of the additional expenses associated with study abroad. This section outlines some of the costs you may incur before or during your time abroad. Note that these expenses may vary by program and courseload.

Books and School Supplies Be sure to budget for these items. Your expenses may vary depending on the courses you take.

MealsThe personal cost estimates on our website indicate the approximate cost for meals for each program. Remem-ber that even those programs that include meals do not always cover three meals per day.

Meal Plans in English-Speaking ProgramsMany residence halls abroad have mandatory meal plans. If you are assigned a room in a residence hall where meal plans are compulsory, we will send a supple-mental housing cost bill to your designated billing address near the end of your time abroad. The program fee page on our website outlines the range of costs for each program’s mandatory meal plans, if any.

Additional Insurance IFSA-Butler’s program fee includes a comprehensive medical insurance and assistance plan, but be sure to review the plan to determine whether you need addi-tional insurance. In addition, we recommend securing travel and personal property insurance.

Home University Enrollment FeesSome U.S. universities charge a fee to keep students enrolled during study abroad. This fee can range from $500 to $2,500. Check with your home college’s study abroad office to see if this applies to you.



Host University Penalties and DepositsSome universities abroad have begun requiring large housing deposits or instituting very strict withdraw penalties. These policies vary by university but generally require students to pay a large penalty for dropping out of the program after a specified date.

Although IFSA-Butler students pay their fees to us instead of to the universities abroad, IFSA-Butler is contractually responsible for any fees incurred on behalf of our students. Therefore, we are obligated to follow these universities’ refund policies and to pass penalties along to our students.

These policies are outlined on our website, on housing forms (in cases where penalties or deposits are tied to housing fees) and are also detailed in predepar-ture emails from our program advisors.

Tuition Differential FeesAll IFSA-Butler fees are based on an arts and humanities fee structure. Universities abroad often charge higher fees for courses in science, engineering, psychology, music and fine arts.

The tuition differential fee reflects the cost of equipment the university has to provide for certain degree programs. If you are admitted to a department that imposes a tuition differential fee, the university may charge you that fee even if you do not take any courses in that department.

If you enroll in a department that has a tuition differen-tial, we will send an invoice to your billing address once you are abroad and your enrollment is confirmed. Be sure to investigate the possibility of a tuition differen-tial, as this fee may be as high as $3,000.

IFSA-Butler’s website lists tuition differential fees for each program, where applicable.

Overload FeeSome universities abroad charge a fee for overloads (taking more than the required credit). These universi-ties do not always tell IFSA-Butler about the overload fee in advance. If you plan to take an overload abroad, investigate the possibility of additional fees, as you are responsible for overload fees if they occur. The Student Handbook you will receive during orientation also discusses a full course load to help students avoid over-loads and their related fees.

Supplemental Housing FeesThe housing portion of our program fee is based on the average cost of self-catered (no meal plan) accommo-dation, usually a shared room in a regular dormitory, apartment or house without any extra features.

Many housing providers abroad charge supplemental fees to students. These supplemental fees may cover any or all of the following:

• Mandatory meal plans • Single rooms • Student activity fees • Linen rentals • Gown rental

Supplemental housing fees (including meal plans) are listed with the program fees on our website. Supple-mental housing bills will be sent to your billing address near the end of your time abroad.

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FlightsDomestic and international flights are not included in the IFSA-Butler program fee. However, we arrange optional international group flights for most programs. We attempt to find the lowest fares to keep the group flights affordable. Our Predeparture Essentials email will provide details on how to reserve and pay for a seat.

Our group flights include lower fees for date changes, international baggage allowances and the assistance of a travel agent in the event of travel problems.

Additional Flight Costs If you choose to book your own flights, carefully review your airline’s change fees and cancellation policies. If you have to change your flight date or route for any reason, you may be hit with fees and penalties costing hundreds of dollars.

Passport Fees All of our programs, including Mexico, require a pass-port for participation. If you need to apply for a new passport or renew an old one, check the U.S. State De-partment website for the latest requirements and fees. If you are not a U.S. citizen, check with your country’s embassy or passport granting authority.

Visas and Exit Fees Some of our program countries require students to obtain a visa or entry clearance, or to pay an exit fee before departure. Some countries require a visa for all students, while in others only students undertaking internships or volunteer work must have a visa.

The visa application process and cost vary consider-ably from country to country, but fees can be as high as $600. Note that your visa requirements may be differ-ent if you are not a U.S. citizen.

IFSA-Butler contracts with Perry International, a pass-port and visa processing company, to help our students with entry requirements for any country. We offer this service at no additional charge to students.

Commuting CostsStudent housing may be located a considerable distance from classes. This is particularly true in large cities such as Buenos Aires, Dublin, London and Sydney. Commuting expenses may involve bus or subway tick-ets and/or passes, or a bicycle purchase or rental.

Independent HousingAlthough IFSA-Butler guarantees and arranges hous-ing for students on our programs, students studying in the U.K., Ireland, Spain, Australia and New Zealand may choose to arrange housing independently. If you choose to arrange your own housing, we will not charge you the housing component of your program fee or the $300 housing deposit. Students who choose independent housing must make all housing arrange-ments, including deposits, damage costs and payment of utilities.

Independent housing is not an option for students in Latin America or the Middle East.

On-Site Housing Fees Some universities require small out-of-pocket costs related to housing, such as key deposits. If required, students pay these fees directly to the host university or housing provider.

Cost of Living Students and parents should note that large cities such as London, Dublin, Barcelona, Buenos Aires and Sydney have a high cost of living, much higher than most cities in the U.S. Choosing a less expensive host city may offer large savings.


F I N A N C I A L A I D

Using Financial Aid to Pay for Study AbroadIf you are already receiving financial aid to help pay for college, chances are that some or all of that aid can be transferred to an IFSA-Butler program abroad. In fact, more than 70 percent of our students use financial aid to pay for some portion of their IFSA-Butler program fees. Below are details about the process and legalities of using financial aid for study abroad.

Getting Started

Make a Financial Aid Appointment Make an appointment with your home college financial aid office as early as possible to discuss financial aid for study abroad. The office can help walk you through your home college’s policies and paperwork requirements. Your financial aid office can also explain the amount and types of aid that can be used for an IFSA-Butler study abroad program. See page 8 for more details.

Financial Aid Transfers IFSA-Butler accepts any transfer of financial aid that a U.S. college or university is willing to process for study abroad. However, please note that only your home college or university can transfer federal financial aid. Because IFSA-Butler is not a degree-granting institution and therefore cannot process aid of any kind, your home college or university must process your financial aid and transfer it to IFSA-Butler for payment of your study abroad program.

Butler University Butler University cannot process financial aid for any students except those who expect to receive an undergraduate degree from Butler University. Please do not send financial aid correspondence to Butler University unless you are a degree student at Butler.

Contractual/Consortium AgreementsIFSA-Butler has contractual or consortium agreements with U.S. colleges or universities whose students partici-pate on our programs. With a contractual or consortium agreement, IFSA-Butler attests to your status as a full-time student, and your home institution approves your attendance on an IFSA-Butler program for study abroad. Most importantly, a contractual or consortium agree-ment allows for certain types of federal and state aid to be applied to your study abroad program (see page 8).

Be aware that although many universities participate in a contractual agreement with IFSA-Butler, no university is legally required to do so.

Leave of Absence Some colleges and universities require students to with-draw in order to participate on a study abroad program. If you are required to take a leave of absence for study abroad, your home college is under no obligation to process any financial aid, including federal aid. Unfortu-nately, IFSA-Butler cannot process aid for students, so if your home university refuses to transfer your aid, you will have to make alternate payment arrangements.


Meeting With Your Financial Aid Advisor

Make a List of Your Current Aid Make a list of the types of financial aid you have previously received or for which you have been eligible. Consult your most recent award letter.

Items to Bring With YouWhen meeting with your financial aid advisor, take the following information with you:

• Previous financial aid package information (your award letter, if applicable)

• Current fee information from www.ifsa-butler.org• A checklist of costs not covered by our fees (see

page 3)• IFSA-Butler personal cost estimates for your

specific program, located on our website• This booklet, which includes information about

direct billing and contractual agreements

Eligible Aid Below are different types of aid and their eligibility for use in study abroad.

Transferable for Study Abroad in Most Cases • Pell grant • Stafford loans • PLUS loans

Nontransferable for Study Abroad • College work study

According to Home College Policy • College grants • College scholarships • Perkins loans • State grants, loans and 529 plans

Adjusting Aid for Study Abroad Ask your financial aid office about the higher cost of living abroad. Some institutions will recalculate financial aid based on the cost of living abroad, as well as the cost of the program itself. This recalculation can be to your advantage if our programs are more expensive than the cost of your home institution, and if your study abroad location is more expensive than the city where your home college is located.

Home Institution Policies When you meet with the financial aid advisor, ask about your college or university’s policy on the transfer of federal, state and college aid. This information will give you a foundation for your preliminary budget.

Financial Aid Details and Reminders

Send a Financial Aid Statement to IFSA-ButlerHave your home institution’s financial aid office send us written notification of your financial aid, how much financial aid will transfer to your study abroad program and the date the funds will be transferred to IFSA-Butler. Often financial aid funds are not released until after a study abroad program begins, so we need to know your financial aid plans in advance.

Student StatusFor financial aid and certification purposes of U.S. agencies, you are studying on an Institute for Study Abroad, Butler University program. If you are completing documents that request enrollment verification for your time abroad, be sure to give “Institute for Study Abroad, Butler University,” not your IFSA-Butler program or host university name.

Completing the Transfer of Financial AidIf your home institution is unclear about the arrange-ments for billing or a contractual/consortium agree-ment, please have a staff member contact IFSA-Butler’s finance office at 800-858-0229.

Consortium Agreement Copy Get a copy of the contractual or consortium agreement from your university’s financial aid advisor and be sure the advisor has sent a copy to IFSA-Butler’s finance office. This agreement is the only guarantee that your financial aid will transfer to your IFSA-Butler program.


Making PaymentsIFSA-Butler offers numerous choices for program fee payments. Below are some of the payment options available to students, parents and U.S. colleges.

Checks

IFSA-Butler accepts personal checks and money orders for payments: • Make checks payable to Institute for Study

Abroad. • Checks should indicate on the memo section the

student’s full name and the name of the program abroad (e.g., University of York).

• Send checks to: Institute for Study Abroad 6201 Corporate Drive, Suite 200

Indianapolis, IN 46278

See page 13 for payment deadlines.

ACH Payments

IFSA-Butler accepts ACH transactions paid from a checking or savings account. These payments can be made online through CashNet. CashNet provides a secure website which can be accessed throught the Student Portal at https://students.ifsa-butler.org/stu-dentportal/SP_Select.

In the Student Portal, click “My Account” at the top right, enter the amount you wish to pay and select your method of payment. There are no fees associated with payments made via ACH from a checking or savings account.

Credit Cards

IFSA-Butler accepts Visa and MasterCard payments. Credit card payments also can be made online through CashNet, which can be accessed throught the Student Portal at https://students.ifsa-butler.org/studentpor-tal/SP_Select.

In the Student Portal, click “My Account” at the top right, enter the amount you wish to pay and select your method of payment. For each online credit card payment, the payee will incur a service charge from CashNet. For credit cards issued by a U.S. bank, the service charge is 2.75%; for internationally issued cards, the fee is 4.25%.

See page 13 for payment deadlines.

Monthly Payment Option

IFSA-Butler offers a monthly payment option through Higher One (TuitionPay). TuitionPay allows you to spread the payment of IFSA-Butler fees over several months. TuitionPay is for semester (five payments) and year programs (10 payments) only.

TuitionPay Information We automatically send TuitionPay information to all parents, unless a student attends a direct bill institu-tion (see page 10), or has requested in writing that we not contact his or her parents. We will send TuitionPay information to any student upon request.

Signing up for TuitionPay Use the Higher One website (tuitionpay.higherone.com) to sign up for the TuitionPay plan. We will review your registration to verify that you are eligible to participate in the program.

Expenses Eligible for TuitionPay Parents and students may use TuitionPay to pay for the following expenses and types of programs: • IFSA-Butler semester or year program fees

• Housing fees for direct bill students whose home colleges cover tuition only (see page 10)

• Tuition differentials (see page 5) • Meal plans • Housing supplemental fees (see page 5)

Using TuitionPay for Supplemental CostsAs noted above, you may use TuitionPay to cover the cost of meal plans, supplemental housing fees and tuition differentials. However, because these addi-tional invoices are not sent until after a student’s arrival and enrollment abroad, you will need to estimate the amount of the supplemental costs for your program and build that amount into your TuitionPay monthly pay-ment. Higher One will send you a refund if you overesti-mate the cost of supplementals.

Expenses Not Eligible for TuitionPay The following expenses and types of programs are not eligible for TuitionPay payments: • Summer programs • IFSA-Butler custom programs • Tuition for students from direct bill institutions

(see page 10) • IFSA-Butler’s $500 program deposit • Host university penalties or deposits (see page 5)

P A Y M E N T S


Parents with Existing TuitionPay Accounts If you already use TuitionPay for your home college tuition, you must create a separate account in order to use TuitionPay for IFSA-Butler’s fees.

Deferred Payments

IFSA-Butler allows deferred payments in cases when financial aid will not be disbursed until after our pay-ment due date. In these cases, we include a payment deferral form in our invoice packet and on our website.

Please have your financial aid office complete the form and return it to IFSA-Butler, or submit a copy of your updated financial aid award letter for the time you will be abroad. Financial aid verification forms and letters should include the anticipated amount of your financial aid and the disbursement dates of these funds.

All fees not covered by financial aid or other sources are due in full by the stated due date on page 13.

Direct Billing

Many colleges and universities in the U.S. have a direct billing arrangement with IFSA-Butler. With direct billing, you pay your study abroad fees to your home college, and your college pays IFSA-Butler on your behalf.

Expenses Covered Through Direct Bill Arrangements Some direct billing arrangements cover tuition or hous-ing only, while others cover all IFSA-Butler fees. To find out your home college’s direct billing agreement with

IFSA-Butler, if any, log on to the IFSA-Butler student portal and view the “Billing Information” section, or contact your home college study abroad office.

Direct Bill Agreements Direct billing arrangements change frequently. Please confirm your home college’s status and details with your home campus study abroad advisor.

Delinquent Payments

If we do not receive financial aid documentation or your full payment by the payment deadline, you will be withdrawn from the program, with no refund of your $500 program deposit or the cost of your airline ticket. Please make arrangements to pay your fee by the payment deadline.

Bills from Host Universities

IFSA-Butler acts on our students’ behalf in dealing with host universities and housing offices abroad. You should not receive tuition, accommodation, utility or board bills directly from the host university. If you receive a bill from your host university or hous-ing office, forward it to the IFSA-Butler office in your host country immediately. Do not pay the university or housing agent directly.

The only exception are small expenses such as linen and key deposits. These are listed on page 6 as part of the expenses that some students pay directly to their host university or housing provider abroad.


ScholarshipsScholarships can be a tremendous help in offsetting the cost of study abroad. This section covers IFSA-Butler’s scholarship opportunities and other options for study abroad scholarships.

IFSA-Butler Scholarships

Requirements

Unless otherwise noted, IFSA-Butler scholarships are awarded on the basis of financial need. All applicants must submit financial documentation, including a financial aid award letter, along with their scholarship application.

Eligibility

Any student applying for an IFSA-Butler program may apply for a scholarship. Note that some scholarships are awarded for certain programs or countries only, or for students of specific backgrounds.

Scholarship Availability

IFSA-Butler scholarship awards are limited and very competitive. Scholarships are not transferable between students or from one semester to another.

General Scholarships

IFSA-Butler’s general scholarships may be applied toward any program and term. Awards are: • Summer programs: $1,000 • Semester programs: $1,500 • Full year programs: $2,500

Memorial Scholarships

We offer memorial scholarships in memory of former students and staff members:

Nancy Cushing-Daniels Memorial Scholarship This $5,000 scholarship is awarded annually to a Span-ish major with a GPA of 3.3 or above studying in Latin America or Spain.

Colleen Dodd Memorial Scholarship This $3,500 scholarship is awarded to a student study-ing for the semester or year in Ireland.

Noah Burris and David Farrington Memorial Scholarship Each for $3,500 schlorship is awarded to a student studying for the semester or year in Australia.

Marcus Ames-Lewis Memorial Scholarship This $2,000 scholarship is awarded to a student study-ing at Birkbeck, University of London.

Program and Country ScholarshipsThe following scholarships are for certain programs or countries:

Costa Rica: $1,000 for any program

Massey University: NZ$1,000

Middle East: $3,500 for any semester or year program in Egypt, Israel or United Arab Emirates

Queen’s University Belfast: This program is affiliated with the Fulbright Commission. Students may apply for a Fulbright scholarship that pays for most of this program’s expenses.

University of Bristol: $4,000 (students who pay in-state tuition only)

University of Canterbury: NZ$1,250-$5,000

Students planning to study for the semester or year will be automatically considered for the following scholarships:

Australian National University: $3,000

University of Glasgow: $1,500 per semester (students who pay in-state tuition only)

Please see our website at www.ifsa-butler.org for the most up-to-date scholarship information.

Special Scholarship Opportunities

Fill the GAP Fill the GAP (Global Account Program) allows students to create a Fill the GAP savings account as early as their freshman year in college and use the money later to pay for an IFSA-Butler program. Participants receive a matching scholarship up to $1,000.

Summer students may participate in Fill the GAP, but no matching scholarship is available for summer programs.

First Generation Scholars Program The First Generation Scholars Program awards up to $2,500 for study abroad-related expenses for students who are first generation college students. Support services are also part of this great program.

How to Apply for Any IFSA-Butler Scholarship

Download a scholarship application from our web-site. Please note that some scholarships have special requirements such as essays.

S C H O L A R S H I P S


Scholarships from Other Sources

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship ProgramThe Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program awards scholarships up to $5,000, depending on the length of the study abroad program.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, the pro-gram is administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE). For more information, see IIE’s website at www.iie.org/programs/gilman.

The BUTEX ScholarshipThe British Universities Transatlantic Exchange Association (BUTEX) offers £500 scholarships to undergraduate students studying abroad at a U.K.university that is a member of BUTEX. More information is available on BUTEX’s website at www.butex.ac.uk.

Boren Awards for International StudyThese scholarships give generous awards for study in Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America and the Middle East. Awards are up to $20,000.

Other ScholarshipsMany other study abroad scholarships are available to students through government programs, community groups and international organizations. The IFSA-Butler website lists many of these opportunities.

Rhodes, Fulbright and Marshall awards are normally given only for graduate work. Rotary International, however, does give some scholarships to undergradu-ates. To learn about available opportunities, contact your local Rotary chapter.

Crediting and Reporting ScholarshipsIf you receive an IFSA-Butler scholarship, the award will be credited to your portion of the bill once your program begins. You are responsible for reporting any awards to your home university financial aid office.

Be aware that receiving any study abroad scholarship may result in changes or reductions to scholarship and loan funds that you receive from your home university.

Working AbroadIFSA-Butler discourages students from working. Study abroad requires a big investment, and academics will take up most of your time and energy. Working abroad can compromise your study abroad experience.

If you feel you must work abroad, research your host country’s work requirements before leaving the U.S. You may need to secure a visa, entry clearance or work permit. Be sure to contact Perry International before departure at 312-372-2703 or www.perryvisa.com.

Below is a list of our program countries’ work abroad regulations, accurate as of January 2017.

Unpaid internships only:

• China • Israel • India • Spain

Paid work not allowed, but internships or volunteer positions available:

• Argentina • Chile • Czech Republic • Costa Rica • Mexico • Peru

Paid work allowed with visa or work permit:

• Australia: Department of Immigration and Citizenship (www.immi.gov.au) • New Zealand: Immigration Service (www.immigration.govt.nz) • Republic of Ireland: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (www.enterprise.gov.ie) • United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales): U.K. Border Agency (www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk)

IFSA-Butler Scholarship Application DeadlinesFall semester, semester 2 and academic year programs: • March 1 (priority deadline) • April 1 (final deadline)

Spring semester, semester 1 and calendar year programs: • October 1 (priority deadline)

• November 1 (final deadline)

Summer programs: • February 1 (priority deadline) • April 1 (final deadline)


R E S O U R C E S

Additional Resources for Study Abroad Financial Aid

Institute for Study Abroad, Butler Universitywww.ifsa-butler.org

FinAid! The SmartStudent Guide to Financial Aidwww.finaid.org

International Education Finance CorporationStudent loans for studying abroadwww.college-degrees.com/ international-education-finance.html

National Security Education Program (NSEP)Undergraduate and graduate scholarships for study abroadwww.iie.org/nsep

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Quick ReferenceContact IFSA-Butler Important Contact Details: Business Hours:Institute for Study Abroad [email protected] Monday-Friday6201 Corporate Drive, Suite 200 Toll free: 800-858-0229 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET Indianapolis, IN 46278 Finance office fax: 317-940-9762 www.ifsa-butler.org Program office fax: 317-940-9704

Program Fee DeadlinesChina, Cuba, Czech Republic, England, July 1—fall semester and academic yearIndia, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, Scotland, November 15—spring semesterSpain, Wales

Argentina, Australia, Chile, May 15—semester 2 and academic yearCosta Rica, New Zealand, Peru December 15—semester 1 and calendar year

Summer programs May 15

TuitionPay Payment DeadlinesChina, Cuba, Czech Republic, England June 1—fall semester and academic yearIndia, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, Scotland, November 1—spring semesterSpain, Wales

Argentina, Australia, Chile, May 1—semester 2 and academic yearCosta Rica, New Zealand, Peru December 1—semester 1 and calendar year

Rotary ScholarshipUp to $25,000 for students studying abroad for one yearwww.rotary.org

Learning Abroad Center, University of MinnesotaOffers a study abroad scholarship databasewww.umabroad.umn.edu

Scholarships.comScholarships for higher education, including study abroad www.scholarships.com

Studyabroad.comOffers a comprehensive database of international study scholarships www.umabroad.umn.edu


B U D G E T T I P S F R O M A L U M N I

As a rule of thumb, everything is pretty much double the price of the U.S.! Watch your expenses and figure out what is

important to spend your money on. At the end of the day you’re paying for the once-in-a-lifetime experience of being in England, so pick and choose what will be memorable for you!

– Yasemin Erkan, Saint Joseph’s University Birkbeck, University of London (England)

Get to know the “locals.” Making new friends is all part of the experience, and other students often know the best (and cheap-

est) places to go out to eat, drink, etc.

– Hannah Borge, Drake UniversityUniversity of Bristol (England)

Budgeting is so impor-tant! You probably will blow a lot of money your first month, but use that as a learning experience.

What did you spend money on that you don’t need? Did you eat out when you have meals provided? Did you buy American food instead of local food? Thinking about ways to minimize these costs will assure that you save money.

– Rebekah Coble, DePauw UniversityChilean Universities Program, Santiago (Chile)

Don’t constantly transfer costs to dollars. Get used to the foreign currency system and stick to it. This makes living on a budget

easier. Also, get some activities out of your system early on and then concen-trate on school. Then if you have money left in your budget, you can have a lot of fun before you return home.

– Isaiah Prater, University of KentuckyUniversity of Westminster (England)

I would suggest paying attention to the exchange rate and knowing your bank’s policy for using your card in another

country. Some companies and banks have strict guidelines and steep fees for using a credit card overseas.

– Darren Meeker, McKendree UniversityVictoria University of Wellington (New Zealand)


Financial Checklist

q Make an appointment with your home university financial aid officer immediately. Financial aid can be processed only by your home university. IFSA-Butler cannot process aid, nor can we force the home university to do so. However, by law, federal financial aid is transferrable to overseas study.

q Get a contractual/consortium agreement from your home university financial aid officer. It is the only guarantee that your financial aid will be transferred to your study abroad program.

q Ask your financial aid officer to complete and send the contractual/consortium agreement to IFSA-Butler. Some universities require the student to take care of this.

q If your financial aid will not be released until after the IFSA-Butler due date, you must complete and return our payment deferral form, which is included with all IFSA-Butler invoices and also available for download from our website at www.ifsa-butler.org. In lieu of our payment deferral form, you may submit a copy of your updated financial aid award letter for the time you will be abroad. Financial aid verification letters should include the anticipated amount of your aid and its disbursement date.

q Download a scholarship application from www.ifsa-butler.org. See page 12 for deadlines.

q Contact your home campus study abroad office or log in to the IFSA-Butler student portal to find out if your college has a direct billing agreement with IFSA-Butler. See page 10 for more about direct billing.

q Review the TuitionPay payment plan information included in the invoice packet sent to your home address. See page 13 for deadlines.

q If you wish to use the TuitionPay payment plan, sign up online at tuitionpay.salliemae.com. See page 13 for deadlines.

q Complete the country-specific budget planner (included in your welcome packet) and review the personal cost estimates for your program on our website.

q Compile the name, email, telephone number and fax number of the financial aid officer at your home college and place this information with the other documents you plan to take abroad with you.

q If you have taken a leave of absence from your home university and have taken out a student loan, you might be classified as “unregistered” and may be asked to start paying on your loan. Ask your lender to send IFSA-Butler a deferment form so that we can certify your enrollment in our program.


Money Matters: A Guide to Paying for Study Abroad

© Institute for Study Abroad, Butler University, 2017Printed on recycled paper

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Money Matters