Understanding Study Abroad Costs & Financial Aid

It is very important to understand that

there are many different fee structures and billing arrangements among Purdue’s 200 + study abroad programs;
each student has different financial aid eligibility and options;
each student is responsible for learning whether the aid s/he has while on campus can be used for study abroad.

Furthermore, please note the following points:

If you already receive financial aid for your education costs while studying at Purdue West Lafayette, it's extremely important to meet with a financial aid advisor to determine the costs that YOU must pay for YOUR program and which aid opportunities are open to YOU;
students not receiving aid currently may be able to get loans from DFA for their overseas program; filing FAFSA is required for this.
all students should link here and read about the financial aid process for study abroad;
study abroad advisors do not have expertise about financial aid and they will refer you to DFA for definitive information about how your aid will cover your overseas study costs;
it is not wise to accept information about financial aid from friends or previous participants of your program;
when meeting with a study abroad advisor to discuss overseas study options, you will be given preliminary budgets for each program. These budgets list the education costs of the program and the additional costs that you will need to pay out of pocket. These additional costs vary from program to program and from person to person.
please note that installment and deferred payment plans are not available at Purdue for the period students study abroad, though some co-sponsored programs may offer installment plans for their fees.

Federal Financial Aid

Students participating in Purdue-affiliated study abroad are eligible for federal financial aid through the Purdue Division of Financial Aid. DFA has prepared guidelines concerning the financial aid process for study abroad; these are available on their website. If you cannot find answers to your questions by reading the guidelines, telephone the DFA at 765-494-0998 or visit their office at 305 Schleman Hall. Be sure to ask for the specialist in charge of study abroad.

Costs Depend on Program Type

The three basic program types are explained below. If you are not certain of the program type, please refer to the program's web page where this information is listed.

Program Type 1: Exchange Programs

Exchange programs are exactly what they sound like: a Purdue student goes to a partner university for one semester and in exchange, a student from that university is able to study at Purdue for one semester. Purdue students pay their regular tuition (in-state students pay in-state tuition and non-residents pay out-of-state tuition). There are no supplemental fees. This means that

the least expensive year or semester study abroad option for an in-state student is probably an exchange program;
the financial aid that you receive while studying in West Lafayette will probably apply to your tuition and fees for the terms you study overseas;
most scholarships or fee remissions will cover the education costs of exchange programs; State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana scholarships (Higher Education, Core 40, Honors, 21st-century), staff-dependent remissions, or CDV benefits can be used to cover tuition for exchange programs.
The Study Abroad Office staff is not responsible for providing accurate information about your financial aid. Students must meet with representatives in the Division of Financial Aid to get accurate information about their costs while studying abroad.

Click here to list exchange programs.

Type 2: Co-sponsored and Direct-enroll Programs

Co-sponsored programs are designed and administered by outside organizations, usually non-profit agencies. Examples include Arcadia CEA, CIEE, IES, IFSA, DIS. Students participating in co-sponsored programs pay program fees directly to the organization plus a study abroad fee (not tuition) to Purdue. Program fees do not depend on Indiana residency status. They are usually higher than in-state tuition + room and board, but lower than out-of-state tuition + room and board. This means that

for out-of-state students, co-sponsored programs are usually about the same cost as staying on campus or sometimes less;
for Indiana residents, co-sponsored programs are usually more expensive than tuition and fees while at Purdue. IMPORTANT: Indiana residents who are recipients of State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana scholarships (Higher Education, Core 40, Honors, 21st-century), staff-dependent remissions, or CDV benefits cannot use this aid to cover the program fees of co-sponsored programs. Recipients of Purdue merit scholarships, such as the Top Scholar Award, can use their aid for these programs. Availability of aid must be determined by DFA.

Click here to list co-sponsored programs.

Type 3: Purdue-administered Programs

Purdue-administered programs are either administered by the Study Abroad Office or they are departmental programs designed and administered by a Purdue faculty member or academic department.

Participants in Purdue-administered programs are charged program fees, not tuition. Therefore, Indiana residents who are recipients of State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana scholarships (Higher Education, Core 40, Honors, 21st-century), staff-dependent remissions, or CDV benefits cannot use this aid to cover the program fees of Purdue-administered programs. Recipients of Purdue merit scholarships, such as the Top Scholar Award, can use their aid for these programs. Availability of aid must be determined by DFA.

Summer Study Abroad

If you plan to study abroad during the summer, remember the following:

most summer programs are either co-sponsored or Purdue-administered. That means that State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana scholarships (Higher Education, Core 40, Honors, 21st-century), staff-dependent remissions, or CDV benefits cannot be used to over the costs of these programs;
if you want to take summer classes at Purdue in addition to going on study abroad, take a close look at the amount of your summer aid award. It may not be enough to comfortably cover both a study abroad experience and classes/rent/food in West Lafayette;
your aid eligibility may increase if you take more credits over the summer, for example, if you register for distance learning courses in addition to your study abroad courses.

Other Sources of Aid

If you find that you need supplemental funds to pay for your study abroad experience, the first place to look is our scholarships page. Please note that it's important to apply for scholarships early, some at the time you apply for your selected program. Pay attention to your program's web page; a few partner universities and agencies offer special scholarships to the participants in those programs.


My Study Abroad
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Furthermore, please note the following points: If you already receive financial aid for your education costs while studying at Purdue West Lafayette, it's extremely important to meet with a financial aid advisor to determine the costs that YOU must pay for YOUR program and which aid opportunities are open to YOU; students not receiving aid currently may be able to get loans from DFA for their overseas program; filing FAFSA is required for this. all students should link here and read about the financial aid process for study abroad; study abroad advisors do not have expertise about financial aid and they will refer you to DFA for definitive information about how your aid will cover your overseas study costs; it is not wise to accept information about financial aid from friends or previous participants of your program; when meeting with a study abroad advisor to discuss overseas study options, you will be given preliminary budgets for each program. These budgets list the education costs of the program and the additional costs that you will need to pay out of pocket. These additional costs vary from program to program and from person to person. please note that installment and deferred payment plans are not available at Purdue for the period students study abroad, though some co-sponsored programs may offer installment plans for their fees. Federal Financial Aid Students participating in Purdue-affiliated study abroad are eligible for federal financial aid through the Purdue Division of Financial Aid. DFA has prepared guidelines concerning the financial aid process for study abroad; these are available on their website. If you cannot find answers to your questions by reading the guidelines, telephone the DFA at 765-494-0998 or visit their office at 305 Schleman Hall. Be sure to ask for the specialist in charge of study abroad. Costs Depend on Program Type The three basic program types are explained below. If you are not certain of the program type, please refer to the program's web page where this information is listed. Program Type 1: Exchange Programs Exchange programs are exactly what they sound like: a Purdue student goes to a partner university for one semester and in exchange, a student from that university is able to study at Purdue for one semester. Purdue students pay their regular tuition (in-state students pay in-state tuition and non-residents pay out-of-state tuition). There are no supplemental fees. This means that the least expensive year or semester study abroad option for an in-state student is probably an exchange program; the financial aid that you receive while studying in West Lafayette will probably apply to your tuition and fees for the terms you study overseas; most scholarships or fee remissions will cover the education costs of exchange programs; State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana scholarships (Higher Education, Core 40, Honors, 21st-century), staff-dependent remissions, or CDV benefits can be used to cover tuition for exchange programs. The Study Abroad Office staff is not responsible for providing accurate information about your financial aid. Students must meet with representatives in the Division of Financial Aid to get accurate information about their costs while studying abroad. Click here to list exchange programs. Type 2: Co-sponsored and Direct-enroll Programs Co-sponsored programs are designed and administered by outside organizations, usually non-profit agencies. Examples include Arcadia CEA, CIEE, IES, IFSA, DIS. Students participating in co-sponsored programs pay program fees directly to the organization plus a study abroad fee (not tuition) to Purdue. Program fees do not depend on Indiana residency status. They are usually higher than in-state tuition + room and board, but lower than out-of-state tuition + room and board. This means that for out-of-state students, co-sponsored programs are usually about the same cost as staying on campus or sometimes less; for Indiana residents, co-sponsored programs are usually more expensive than tuition and fees while at Purdue. IMPORTANT: Indiana residents who are recipients of State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana scholarships (Higher Education, Core 40, Honors, 21st-century), staff-dependent remissions, or CDV benefits cannot use this aid to cover the program fees of co-sponsored programs. Recipients of Purdue merit scholarships, such as the Top Scholar Award, can use their aid for these programs. Availability of aid must be determined by DFA. Click here to list co-sponsored programs. Type 3: Purdue-administered Programs Purdue-administered programs are either administered by the Study Abroad Office or they are departmental programs designed and administered by a Purdue faculty member or academic department. Participants in Purdue-administered programs are charged program fees, not tuition. Therefore, Indiana residents who are recipients of State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana scholarships (Higher Education, Core 40, Honors, 21st-century), staff-dependent remissions, or CDV benefits cannot use this aid to cover the program fees of Purdue-administered programs. Recipients of Purdue merit scholarships, such as the Top Scholar Award, can use their aid for these programs. Availability of aid must be determined by DFA. Summer Study Abroad If you plan to study abroad during the summer, remember the following: most summer programs are either co-sponsored or Purdue-administered. That means that State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana scholarships (Higher Education, Core 40, Honors, 21st-century), staff-dependent remissions, or CDV benefits cannot be used to over the costs of these programs; if you want to take summer classes at Purdue in addition to going on study abroad, take a close look at the amount of your summer aid award. It may not be enough to comfortably cover both a study abroad experience and classes/rent/food in West Lafayette; your aid eligibility may increase if you take more credits over the summer, for example, if you register for distance learning courses in addition to your study abroad courses. Other Sources of Aid If you find that you need supplemental funds to pay for your study abroad experience, the first place to look is our scholarships page. Please note that it's important to apply for scholarships early, some at the time you apply for your selected program. Pay attention to your program's web page; a few partner universities and agencies offer special scholarships to the participants in those programs.
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