American student and Costa Rican school girl. By rachfog.
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Ok, so you’ve figured out how much it’s going to cost. Now you’re staring at that number and wondering how many cups of coffee you’ll need to serve before you can afford to cover it. No idea where to start? Here are a few things to think about:
How do you pay for school at home? If you are going abroad for a semester or a year chances are that your financial aid will cover it so you’ll only be paying a little more than you would at home. Make sure that you’re applying for an eligible program by talking to your school’s study abroad office. If you’re taking out loans for school you can use them to pay for your semester abroad too. If your tuition at home is covered by an assistantship or in some other way by the school you’ll have a bit more trouble. Talk to the study abroad office as well as the department that is financing you to see if there is any possible way for them to pay for (at least part of) your time abroad. Even if they agree you may be limited to going on programs sponsored or organized by your school.
The next option is to apply for travel, research, or language grants and scholarships. You might be surprise to know how many scholarships and grants get wasted because nobody applies! Look for funding from your school and department, the school where you will be studying, and from external sources.
Once you have determined how much the program will cost, what your financial aid, loans, scholarships and grants will cover and how much will be left for you to pay take at look at these financial planning tips.
Finally, if you are absolutely not able to pay for the program that you chose, consider going abroad as a volunteer, for work, or through a government-funded program like the Fulbright.
Don't forget to stop by often and see what's new. Liked this article? Check out Top 5 Exotic Travel Locations for Students 2009. If you would like help planning your next trip, email me at the link above with your questions.
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