Financing Your Study Abroad

Studying abroad often has unexpected costs and financial commitments that students should be aware of before applying to a program.

Paying for Exchange Programs

Unless special exceptions are noted and approved, AUC’s accounting office will charge undergraduate students studying through an exchange 15 US credits and AUC graduates will be charged 9 US credits.
Students must pay AUC tuition to AUC by AUC’s regular semester deadline.
If students are receiving an AUC exchange scholarship, the amount will not be released until students pay their full AUC tuition.
Payment plans or paying through installments are not allowed when studying abroad through an exchange program. Students must pay the total amount of AUC tuition by its regular deadline.
Other fees by the host university, including but not limited to housing, student activities fees, insurance, etc. must be paid to the host university by their respective deadlines.

Paying for Direct Enroll Programs

Students directly enrolling at another university must apply through IPSO’s regular study abroad application deadline. If the university is already partnered with AUC, IPSO will need to confirm if students are allowed to direct enroll for a semester outside of the exchange agreement. If the university is not affiliated with AUC, IPSO will need to ensure the university is accredited and viable option for students.
Students directly enrolling at a university are responsible for paying to the host university its tuition, associated fees, insurance, and any other relevant costs.

Important Reminders:

Students are encouraged to complete this budget worksheet before applying to their desired programs.
Financial aid may apply to students who travel on exchange programs. Students are responsible for understanding their financial aid package and working with the Office of Student Financial Affairs and Scholarships to confirm if their scholarships apply towards their study abroad program.
Graduate students are responsible for confirming with the fellowships office if and how their fellowship applies towards their study abroad program.

If you’re studying abroad on a budget, here are things to consider to alleviate costs:

Avoid large cities, as the prices for housing and daily expenses will be much larger.
Plan early.
Apply to scholarships.
Be realistic about the cost of your dream location.

Study Abroad Scholarships

Students are encouraged to apply to different scholarship opportunities to support their study abroad experiences. The Office of Student Financial Affairs and Scholarships manages the AUC
Study Abroad scholarships application. Its goal is to maximize opportunities for eligible students by providing diverse financial support.

The scholarships funds the following living expenses:

Housing
Meals
Health Insurance
Flight Tickets

Expenses not Covered:

Visa Fees
Transportation
Personal Expenses
Transcript Fees
Telephone Bills
Books and Supplies

Check the list of available study abroad scholarships

Other Funding Opportunities

Apart from the listed scholarships, the Office of Student Financial Affairs and Scholarships offers various other funding options for exchange scholarships. The number of scholarships available may vary each semester.

Scholarship Allocation

The number of exchange scholarships for each semester will be determined based on funding availability and the following factors:

Number of Applicants
Financial Need of Applicants
Amounts Requested

Important Application Information

Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis this year. The earlier you submit, the sooner you'll receive a decision.

Scholarships are competitive, and financial need plays a crucial role in the selection process.

ERASMUS Grants

Some partner universities with AUC offer Erasmus grants to help offset travel costs or living expenses. The grant amounts vary per country. While these grants are a great benefit, students should not fully rely on an Erasmus grant to supplement their entire study abroad costs, especially for initial pre-arrival costs. Grants are often distributed after arrival in-country and are distributed in different installment amounts.

Information for Graduate Students

Students on an external fellowship need to receive approval from the fellowship entity. For example, Yousef Jameel fellows need approval from the respective office.
Graduate students on Institutional fellowships must check with their departments/graduate students' services and fellowships office to find out if the fellowship applies during their semester abroad
Graduate students are eligible to apply for the support grants offered by AUC.