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Cost & Financial Aid

 

Why Invest in a Study Abroad Experience?

Study abroad is an investment in your future – providing real-life, hands-on experiences that no classroom can match:

  • Leaving your comfort zone helps to develop independence, flexibility, and the capacity to operate effectively, learn quickly, and handle stress in unfamiliar and difficult situations.

  • Experiencing a new place can also open your eyes to different ways of thinking about the world, which supports cross-cultural awareness and competencies that can be brought to bear in addressing complex problems.

  • Immersion helps you to learn or enhance proficiency and confidence in speaking and understanding another language.

  • These experiences help to solidify personal ambitions and mold you into an informed global citizen with a competitive edge for employment in an increasingly borderless economy.

How Much Does it Cost to Study Abroad?

There is no simple answer to this question. The cost of your program depends on the location, length, and program type. Because the cost of living can be much lower in other countries than it is in Southern California, studying abroad is sometimes less expensive than attending CSUSB. At the same time, there are unique expenses (like airfare) that can quickly add up. Be sure to consider costs like:

  • Program fees (be sure to pay attention to what is included!)

  • Roundtrip airfare

  • Passport, visa, entry taxes

  • In-country transportation

  • Meals 

  • Accommodations 

  • Excursions and other entertainment

  • International calling / phone and internet

  • Personal expenses (laundry, ATM fees, etc.)

  • Books and educational supplies

  • Tuition and campus fees

  • Transcript fees

Budget estimates for individual programs are provided on the Education Abroad website.

When considering how you will finance your study abroad program, you might find it useful to use a Study Abroad Budget Calculator. Be sure to consider costs like:

Financial Aid

Your financial aid package, with the exception of work study and some veteran’s benefits, travels with you when you study abroad with CSUSB-approved programs. If you choose to study abroad with a program that is not CSUSB-approved, you will not qualify for financial aid through CSUSB during the term(s) you are away from campus.

If you plan to use financial aid (for example, Pell Grant, Cal Grant, loans and scholarships) to cover costs associated with your education abroad program, we recommend that you make an appointment with Nicolette Cosino, the education abroad specialist in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Walk-in advising is also available Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 - 4:00 p.m. in in the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (UH-150). 

PELL GRANTS

In addition to unused Pell Grant funding from the academic year, Pell Grant recipients may be entitled to a Pell 2 summer grant to help fund summer study abroad program participation. This award is typically 50% of your academic year Pell Grant where you are enrolled as a fulltime summer student (12+ units cumulative between Session A and Session B), and 25% of your academic year Pell Grant where you are enrolled part-time (6-11 units). If you enroll in less than 6 units, you are not entitled to summer financial aid.

LOANS

Some students take out unused loans from their academic year financial aid to cover expenses associated with summer study abroad. You can accept these loans in the student portal (note that if you have not previously accepted a loan, this requires the completion of loan entrance counseling and an e-promissory note). This must be done at least one week before Spring semester finals for your loan(s) to be disbursed.

TUITION GRANTS

 The State University Grant (SUG) can also be used to pay summer tuition and fees. To qualify for summer financial aid, you must be enrolled in at least 6 units across Session A and Session B. More information on summer financial aid.

Additionally, there are many scholarships, grants, and other forms of financial support that are only available to students who are studying abroad.