Financial Aid for Studying Abroad
Many students studying abroad at the University of Northern Colorado use financial
aid to fund their study abroad. We want to make sure you understand how these processes
work and what resources are available.
We strongly encourage you to visit the Office of Financial Aid as early as possible
so that you have a clear picture of what financial resources you have as you make
the decision to study abroad. You can call, email, or schedule an appointment online.
Only the Office of Financial Aid can give advice about your specific financial aid
package.
Financial aid includes grants, loans, and scholarships. Each type of aid has its own
requirements and limitations. Generally speaking:
Federal Financial Aid:
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- If you complete the FAFSA, you may be able to use federal financial aid for any study abroad program, if the courses you take meet
- Course Program of Study (CPOS) requirements, meaning they must count toward your degree program at UNC.
- Federal financial aid will not pay for courses not required for your degree program.
- Federal financial aid will not pay for minor courses if not required for the major.
- Pell grants can be applied toward the costs of studying abroad.
State and Institutional financial aid:
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- Some scholarships from the UNC Scholarship Application may apply towards study abroad programs. To check if your scholarship can be applied to your study abroad program, meet with the Office of Financial Aid.
- State and institutional aid can only apply to Exchange and Faculty-Led Study Abroad programs, not to affiliate provider programs (such as programs through ISEP Direct, USAC or AIFS).
- Dependent tuition grants can only apply to Exchange and Faculty-Led Study Abroad programs, not to affiliate provider programs (such as programs through ISEP Direct, USAC or AIFS).
Private Scholarships:
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- Some private/external scholarships will allow funds to apply toward the costs of studying abroad; check with your private scholarship administrator to confirm eligibility.
Colorado College Opportunity Fund
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- If you are a Colorado resident, you will not receive the college opportunity fund for credits taken abroad since you will not be based in Colorado during your semester abroad.
Work Study
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- Any work-study award you receive will be put on hold during your study abroad semester, since you'll be away from campus and unable to work during that time.
Study Abroad Scholarships
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- There are scholarships available to support study abroad. Please visit the Education Abroad Scholarships page for more information.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Federal regulations require that the University of Northern Colorado monitor the academic progress of students who apply for and/or receive federal, state and institutional aid.
Students must make satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward their academic degree program in order to maintain their eligibility for financial aid, even while studying abroad.
At UNC, SAP is defined by the following three criteria:
1) GPA: Meeting minimum cumulative grade point average requirement (GPA)
2) Pace of Completion: Earning a minimum number of units for credit per semester (Pace of Completion)
3) Maximum Time Frame: Completing the degree objective within a maximum number of credits attempted
A student not meeting SAP is given one term of financial aid warning if they drop below the minimum GPA requirement and/or 67% completion rate requirement unless determined immediately ineligible per policy
A student is placed in an ineligible status for financial aid if one or more of the following occurs:
- SAP requirements have not been met for two consecutive semesters
- Zero (0) credit hours are completed in a semester (withdrawals and/or dropped coursework).
- The cumulative GPA falls below 1.0 at the end of any semester for an undergraduate student
NOTE: Being ineligible for financial aid does not necessarily prevent a student from enrolling and attending classes. It means they are responsible for any charges incurred during the semester of ineligibility.
For more information, please visit UNC’s Maintaining Your Aid website.
