Financial Assistance

If you decide to participate in any of the exchange programs offered by Texas State, your tuition and fees will be the same as they would be if you were studying on campus.

(Undergraduate students: 15 credit hours)
(Graduate students: 9 credit hours)

GI benefits vary depending on the type of program selected, however, in all cases, the following three conditions must be met:

• Students must be enrolled in courses that will apply to their program.
• The programs at the "host" school in the foreign country must be approved.
• VA cannot pay any fees specific to studying abroad unless the student is required to study abroad as part of their program.

For faculty-led programs, the Education Abroad program fee is only covered when studying abroad is required as part of a student's degree plan. The tuition for education abroad programs is covered if the course satisfies a degree requirement.

Please reference the GI Bill Fact Sheet for more information on how your VA benefits may be applied to education abroad programs, or refer to the Office of Veterans Affairs webpage.

Extension courses, including Education Abroad courses, are not covered by the Hazelwood Act unless the course receives tax support, i.e., formula funding. Please refer to the FAQs page of the Office of Veterans Affairs webpage for more information.

Please note that most faculty-led programs are offered via Extension credit.

As a Texas State student participating in an education abroad program, you may be eligible for federal financial aid for course(s) that count toward your degree. Please read the policies below.

Students who receive financial aid to participate in an education abroad program may be subject to repaying that financial aid under certain situations. The purpose of this policy is to inform students about circumstances that may result in having to repay their financial aid.

Determining Unearned Title IV Aid. If you decide to withdraw or are expelled, inform the Education Abroad Office as soon as is possible. If possible, contact the Texas State Financial Aid and Scholarships Office to get information about the consequences of your withdrawal/expulsion (i.e., repayment obligations, impact on your satisfactory academic progress, etc.). You will need to repay any unearned Title IV funds. You can compute a rough estimate of the amount that you will need to repay prior to visiting with a counselor by using the U.S. Department of Education’s “Treatment of Title IV Funds When A Student Withdraws” form.

Unofficial Withdrawals for Failure to Receive Earned Grades. If you fail to receive earned grades (i.e., all U’s, all I's or a combination of all U's, W's or I's) in courses that span the entire period you are scheduled to complete during a semester, you are considered to have, for purposes of federal Title IV funds, unofficially withdrawn from the university. As a result, a federal withdrawal calculation must be performed to determine the amount of Title IV funds that you must repay. The only exception is when an institution can document (within 30 days of the end of the semester) that you were academically engaged after the 60-percent point of the semester. Once semester grades post, and you are considered to have unofficially withdrawn, Financial Aid and Scholarships will perform the federal withdrawal (Return of Title IV) calculation. Once the amount you must repay is determined, Financial Aid and Scholarships will mail you a letter with the repayment details.

Note: A grade of U (Unearned Failing) is awarded to students who do not officially withdraw from but fail to complete a course (i.e., did not take a final exam, stopped attending, etc.) and failed to achieve the course objectives.

If I choose to apply and accept federal funding, I understand that if I withdraw or am expelled from the education abroad program prior to the 60-percent point of the program, usually termed semester, I will be required to repay any unearned portion of my federal Title IV aid. If I fail to receive earned grades (i.e., all U’s, all W’s, all I’s or a combination of all U’s, W’s, or I’s) in courses that span the entire period you are scheduled to complete during a semester, I am considered to have, for purposes of federal Title IV funds, unofficially withdrawn from the education abroad program and may be required to repay any unearned portion of my federal Title IV aid.

Important information regarding course offerings: The federal government requires that your financial aid eligibility only be based on those courses that count toward the completion of your degree. To be considered a full-time student for financial aid purposes, you must enroll in 12 credit hours as an undergraduate student (or 9 credit hours as a graduate student) that count toward your degree. To be eligible for most federal grants or loans, you must be enrolled at least half-time in courses that satisfy a degree requirement. Remember, to be eligible for most financial aid, you only need to be enrolled at least half-time (6 hours for undergraduate students and 5 hours for graduate students).

Financial aid is usually applied toward the required costs of approved Texas State Education Abroad programs, including Faculty-led, International Exchange, and Affiliated programs. Please note that there is no guarantee that a student will receive enough financial aid to completely cover the total costs of the Education Abroad program. Please contact the Texas State Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to inquire about specific disbursement dates since they depend on your program and type of financial aid. Students should begin investigating the funding options for Education Abroad, including grants, personal savings, scholarships, and loans, as soon as possible.

Please note there are limits on the number of hours that may be taken via extension studies, which includes study abroad courses. Texas State students may take up to thirty credit hours via extension studies.

General Information Regarding Financial Aid and Education Abroad Programs

• Courses abroad must count towards your degree plan in order for you to receive financial aid. Please visit Financial Aid's website for more information. This page is designed to assist you with your questions on the federal Courses Counting Toward Degree requirements. Your financial aid will be calculated based only on the number of hours for which you are enrolled and count toward your degree.
• Students must be enrolled as a full-time student to be eligible for financial aid disbursement (Pell Grant will disburse with less than half-time enrollment). 
• Federal loans for study abroad programs are disbursed in two equal disbursements. The first disbursement is scheduled 10 days before the program start date, and the second occurs at the program midpoint. 
• Students in an Affiliated Education Abroad program or Exchange program must be registered in their placeholder courses (ISEP courses) or their funds will not disburse to their student account.
• Students who withdraw from their Education Abroad program may have to repay all or a portion of the financial aid received.
• Repayment amounts depend on dates of withdrawal.
• Students who do not withdraw from their Education Abroad or exchange program, but do not attend classes, will be considered an unofficial withdrawal and will be required to repay a portion of their aid.

Students Participating in Summer Programs

• Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours to be eligible for financial aid disbursement (Pell Grant will disburse with less than half-time enrollment).
• A student’s Pell Grant and federal loans for summer study abroad are based on what was not exhausted during fall/spring. 
• Summer grants are limited and awarded on a first come, first served basis. 

International Education Fee Scholarship-IEFS

Background
The mission of the Education  Abroad Program at Texas State University is to provide students in all areas of academic interest and levels a variety of educational choices abroad. The International Education Fee (IEF) funds the International Education Fee Scholarship program and assists in that mission by making funds available to qualified students who want to participate in a Education Abroad. The 72nd Texas State Legislature passed the IEF Bill, giving authority to the governing boards of all higher education institutions to charge and collect a $1.00 fee from all students who register each semester or summer session. Texas State University began collecting the fee in the 1992 fall semester and was approved to raise the fee to $3.00 starting in the 2002 fall semester.

Eligibility
The IEF Scholarship is distributed in a competition open to all undergraduate and graduate Texas State students who meet the established eligibility requirements. To be eligible, undergraduate students must be enrolled at least part-time at Texas State with a minimum cumulative Texas State GPA of 2.75. First-semester transfer students must have an admission GPA of at least 2.75. Graduate students must be enrolled at least part-time at Texas State with a minimum cumulative Texas State GPA of 3.25. Each applicant is required to be enrolled full-time in Texas State faculty-led, exchange or affiliated Education Abroad program, unless otherwise stated in the inter-institutional agreement or specified by the program requirements. International students at Texas State, like all other Texas State students, are eligible to apply for a Texas State-approved study abroad program. However, no money will be awarded to international students for study at Texas State University or in their home country. Students who are on academic or disciplinary probation/suspension are not eligible. All applicants must be Texas Success Initiative compliant and must be in attendance at Texas State University during the semester that precedes their study abroad.

Award Selection Process
All Texas State students who meet basic eligibility requirements may apply. The Texas State IEF Scholarship Committee has established the following criteria based on a point system to award the scholarship funds:

IEFS Award Criteria*

* criteria currently under revision 

Notes:

• Students who apply to a Education Abroad program in a location for which the U.S. Department of State has issued a travel advisory level 3 or 4 are not eligible for IEFS.
• The IEFS Committee reserves the right to suspend awards to students who have selected programs that are deemed to follow insufficient academic quality and/or health and safety practices. Suspension of awards will be removed once the issues have been resolved to the satisfaction of the university's administration and the IEFS Committee. You are advised to check with Texas State Education Abroad to obtain the most current information.

Scholarship Awards

The IEF Scholarship Committee awards scholarships to qualified students based on the availability of funds, the number of applicants, and their qualifications. Often the number of applications exceeds the amount of award funds available, and therefore, not every applicant will receive a scholarship. In the recent years, the average awards have been as follows:

Fall: $1,500    

Spring: $1,500

Summer: $1,000

Please note that awardees will be notified within 2 weeks after the IEFS application deadline.

Applying for IEF Scholarship

Please visit https://txstate.academicworks.com/ to apply for the IEF Scholarship.

IEFS Follow-On Service Projects (REQUIREMENTS)

All IEF Scholars are required to complete a Follow-On Service Project to help promote international education at Texas State University.  

Once IEF Scholars have completed their education abroad programs and are back in Texas, students must sign up for their Follow-on Service Projects during the first two weeks of the semester at Texas State via the student portal in CANVAS (students will be added to the Canvas site once they accept the award).

A hold may be placed on the student’s record and may be required to return the IEFS funds for IEF Scholars who do not complete their projects as required.  Please click on the link to below to read more about requirements.

Requirements for IEFS Follow-On Service Projects

Texas State University is required to comply with Section 54.2002 of Chapter 54 of the Texas Education Code, which states that any mandatory or discretionary exemption or waiver from the payment of tuition or other fees applies only to courses for which the university receives tax support, i.e., formula funding. Please refer to the Tuition Waivers & Exemptions page on the Student Business Service webpage for more information.

Consequently, tuition waivers/exemptions do not apply to extension courses, including Education Abroad. Students are encouraged to contact the agency responsible for administering a particular waiver or exemption in question directly for more information on financial assistance options available.

Underhill-Kens Education Abroad Scholarship 

Texas State University is committed to people and ideas from different walk of life, and global perspectives. Student global engagement can be achieved through education abroad programs, which is a great way to connect Texas State students with the world.

The purpose of the Underhill-Kens Scholarship is to enable students with limited financial means to study abroad. Approximately $11,000 is available for awards each academic year.

Eligibility & Criteria:

• Eligible candidates must be in the "committed" status in their Texas State Education Abroad program by the scholarship application deadline.
• Must have a 3.0 GPA for undergraduate students and a 3.5 GPA for graduate students and be in good standing with Texas State University.
• Must be a full-time student preceding the semester of travel (12 hours for undergraduate or 9 hours for graduate students).
• Students must have demonstrated financial need (the selection committee may consult with the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office to help determine the applicant's financial need).
• Candidates will be required to be enrolled in the education abroad programs with a minimum of 4 weeks abroad
• Students can be undergraduate or graduate students with preference given to upperclassmen undergraduates.
• Preference will be given to students participating in programs that will spend a full semester abroad.
• Students from all disciplines may apply, except for those majoring in the McCoy College of Business.
• Upon completion of their education abroad programs, recipients of these funds will be required to submit a report detailing what they learned from the experience and make a short presentation. The report needs to be sent to Kimberly Garrett (kgarrett@txstate.edu) with a copy to Education Abroad (educationabroad@txstate.edu) by February 14 (fall awardees) and by July 14 (spring awardees). 

Deadlines

Award Details:

• Scholarship awards may vary from student to student, however, the minimum award will be $2,000 per student.
• Awards will be given to the best-qualified applicants as determined by the selection committee. 
• Awardees will be notified by mid-November for spring program applications and by mid-May for fall program applications.

If you are a student who is currently using your Texas Guaranteed Tuition Plan (TGTP) for regular tuition and fees, then your TGTP benefit should automatically be applied to your study abroad tuition. Please note this will not cover program fees.

If you have not used your TGTP benefit before, visit our Tuition Assistance Document Uploader to submit a signed copy of your TGTP ID card in order to begin utilizing your benefit.

If you have any issues or questions about your TGTP benefit, please contact tuiassist@txstate.edu.

Rob Coffin Education Abroad Scholarship for Cultural Exchange

Texas State University is committed to people and ideas from different walk of life, and global perspectives. Student global engagement can be achieved through education abroad programs, which is a great way to connect Texas State students with the world. 

This scholarship honors the life of Robert (Rob) E. Coffin, a proud Texas State alumnus (BA, 2000). Rob served his country as part of the US Navy, earning a Combat Ribbon, Humanitarian Service Medal, and several other awards before returning to Texas to pursue a university degree. Rob's exposure to different people and cultures while in the Navy shaped his decision to pursue an International Studies degree at Texas State where he also minored in Spanish and was a member of Sigma Delta Pi (National Spanish Honors Society). Rob passed away on April 11, 2008. 

Eligibility & Criteria: 

• Eligible candidates must be in the "committed" status in their Texas State Education Abroad program by the scholarship application deadline. 
• Candidates must be undergraduate students pursuing a degree or minor in International Relations, International Business, or International Studies. 
• Must be in good academic and disciplinary standing. 
• Students must have demonstrated financial need (either medium or high according to the information on file with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships). 
• Upon completion of their education abroad programs, recipients of these funds will be required to provide a report/essay related to their time abroad or a related cultural exchange. This report can be used to encourage other students to consider studying abroad and can be shared with the donors. Please submit this report/essay (300-500 words) directly to Kimberly Garrett with a copy to Education Abroad by the September 1st deadline. You can also include some photos showcasing your experience abroad. 

Application period for Summer 2025 programs: March 21, 2025 - April 15, 2025. 

Award details: 

• Number of awards for Summer 2025: 1
• Amount of award: $1,000
• The selected awardee will be notified within 2-3 weeks after the scholarship application deadline.

Past recipients: 

Summer 2023: Mario Serratos - The clash between Being and Circumstances

First-Generation Initiatives seeks to support students' development of highly sought-after academic and professional skills that include adaptability, communication, self-awareness, and confidence. The development of these skills often impact students academic performance, retention, and future opportunities for career success. To support first-generation students in funding co-curricular activities, the First-Generation Initiatives team is offering the First-Gen Student Academic Experience Grant.

Purpose

If awarded the grant, you can use for the following co-curricular experiences:

• Travel to present at a conference
• Training and professional development opportunities
• Study abroad airfare

Eligibility

• Undergraduate students in good academic standing during the semester the funds are requested with a minimum TXST GPA of 2.50
• Enrolled in at least 12 credit hours during the semester the funds are requested
• Must be a first-generation college student
  • At TXST, we define first-generation college students as students whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) did not graduate from a 4-year college or university degree in the United States.
• Meet all Texas State University travel regulations (if requesting funds to travel)

API actively seeks to support students who fall within demographic groups who are traditionally less likely to study abroad. In light of this goal, API is pleased to offer two new scholarship opportunities:

Students who are the first in their families to attend a college or university are eligible to apply for the API First Generation Scholarship, which offers one deserving semester or academic year student a scholarship in the amount of $750. 

Students who are studying science, technology, engineering or mathematics are eligible to apply for the API STEM Scholarship, which offers one deserving semester or academic year student a scholarship in the amount of $750.

In addition to the new opportunities listed above, API students can apply for any of the following scholarships:

API strongly encourages eligible students who are interested in studying at John Cabot University to apply for the API/JCU Scholarship, which provieds one full tuition scholarship per session abroad (Fall, Spring, Summer 1, Summer 2) to an outstanding minority student.

Students participating on an API program who have been awarded a Gilman scholarship will be eligible to receive up to $1,000 in matching contributions from API.  To receive the API Gilman Matching Scholarship, Gilman winners should indicate their scholarship details on their financial aid information after acceptance to an API study abroad program.

Finally, students are encouraged to apply for API General Scholarships, which range from $250-$1,000 per session.  The general scholarship is need and merit-based.

Applications and details regarding these scholarships can be found on the API website. We are so pleased to be able to award over $400,000 in study abroad scholarships annually to assist students in their quest to study abroad.

AIFS 

AIFS recognizes the challenges today’s students face with meeting the cost of their education. We believe a study abroad experience is an essential component of well-rounded university education and we are committed to providing financial assistance to as many students as possible in support of their goal to study abroad. AIFS funding, combined with other sources of financial support you can access, will help make study abroad attainable.

"Over 50% OF OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM AIFS IN THE FORM OF SCHOLARSHIPS OR GRANTS." -AIFS

Each year, AIFS awards more than $800,000 in scholarships, grants, and financial support to deserving students & institutions. Funds are available for fall, spring, and summer terms. For more information please visit AIFS website. 

Boren Scholarships and Fellowships provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to add an important international and language component to their educations. Boren Scholarships and Fellowships focus on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad.

Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 for an academic year’s study abroad. Boren Fellowships provide up to $30,000 for language study and international research.

Applications and detailed information on the Boren Scholarships and Fellowships are now available on www.borenawards.org.

Graduate students, please contact Dr. Andrea Hilkovitz & Dr. Brian Smith, Boren campus representatives in The Graduate College, if you're interesting in applying for a Boren Fellowship (gcexternalfunds@txstate.edu)

CEA

In addition to the financial assistance you can pursue at Texas State, there are a variety of foundations and both private and public organizations that provide financial assistance for study abroad.

The following resources contain useful information on financial assistance:

Online

• The SmartStudent Guide to Financial Aid
• U.S. Department of Education
• FastWeb
• StudyAbroad.com
• Institute of International Education
• NAFSA
• Global Austin
• The Education Abroad Network

Publications

• A Student’s Guide to Scholarships, Grants, and Funding Publications in International Education and Other Disciplines, Michigan State University, Rm.209, Office of International Studies and Programs, East Lansing, Michigan (April 1997). Contains 79 pages of annotated bibliographical information on references and websites.
• Scholarships, Fellowships and Grants for Programs Abroad (American Collegiate Service, 1989).
• Marie O’Sullivan, ed., Financial Resources for International Study, Institute of International Education, New York(1996).
• Worldwide College Scholarship Directory, Dan Cassidy.

The Institute of International Education's Freeman-ASIA program provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.

Detailed information is available at http://www.iie.org/programs/freeman-asia.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers funded research, study, and teaching opportunities in over 140 countries to US citizens. Students may apply for Fulbright Study/Research awards in all academic and creative & performing arts fields, which provide grants for individually designed research/creative projects, or English Teaching Assistant (ETA) awards, through which grantees are placed in schools overseas to supplement local English language instruction.

Grant benefits for all Fulbright U.S. Student grants include round-trip transportation to the host country; funding to cover room, board, and incidental costs, based on the cost of living in the host country; and accident and sickness health benefits. 

Applications take several months to prepare and are typically due in October. Undergraduates should contact Dr. Lisa Haegele (haegele@txstate.edu), undergraduate Fulbright Program Adviser.

Graduate students should contact Dr. Brian Smith & Dr. Andrea Hilkovitz, graduate Fulbright Program Advisers (gcexternalfunds@txstate.edu.

The Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) was established to address the need for an independent study abroad scholarship provider. FEA seeks to expand access to study abroad by granting scholarships of up to $10,000. FEA also awards a scholarship specifically for students who attend a university in Texas.

For more information, please visit the Fund for Education Abroad website at http://fundforeducationabroad.org/.

The U.S. Department of State’s Gilman-McCain Scholarship provides awards of $5,000 for undergraduate child dependents of active duty service members to study or intern abroad on credit-bearing programs. Developed under the framework of the Gilman Program, this scholarship is open to eligible students enrolled at accredited U.S. colleges and universities who receive any type of Title IV federal financial aid.

For more information please visit Gilman-McCain Scholarship 

Global Experiences

Interning abroad is a great investment in your future career. We encourage you to find the right plan that fits your needs and budget. Below are some examples of financing ideas to consider when looking into an internship abroad available through Global Experiences.

Below are some of the options available through Global Experience: 

• Installment Plans
• GE Scholarships
• Credit and Financial Aid

For more information please visit Global Experiences website.  

ISA 

To help make studying abroad easier, ISA makes a variety of scholarships and grants available to students participating in their programs. Below are some of the many scholarships ISA offers. 

• Castañeda Partnership Scholarship - $2,000
• Pacific Access Scholarship - $2,000
• Live Like Ally Scholarship - $2,000
• Summer Pathways Scholarship - $1,000
• Short Program, Big Impact Scholarship - $1,000
• Community Engagement Scholarship - $1,000

Additionally, ISA also offers Host University Scholarships, ISA Supplemental Awards, and ISA Grants. For more information about scholarship applications please visit ISA Scholarship and Grants website. 

Global Austin

GlobalAustin promotes opportunities for Central Texas communities to experience global, cross-cultural exchange. Each year, Global Austin provides curated professional, educational, and cultural experiences for hundreds of international visitors. Our guests represent virtually every corner of the world. We host Citizen Diplomacy receptions, Distinguished Speaker Series, film screenings, internationally-themed events, maintaining the online International Calendar of Austin, Great Decisions discussion groups, and many other Internationally themed events and activities.

Global Austin awards two $1,000 scholarships to students at colleges and universities in Central Texas who are planning to study abroad.

"Join us in our mission as "GlobalAustin promotes opportunities for the Central Texas community to experience global, cross-cultural exchange."

https://www.globalaustin.org/scholarships-supporting-exchange

HISTORY OF THE SCHOLARSHIP

Lauren Darby is a Texas State University graduate, Housley Principled Leadership Program graduate, and sits on the Stelos Alliance Board. Lauren attributes many personal and professional successes to her time at Texas State, and the opportunities provided that allowed her to expand her learning outside of the classroom. Through this scholarship, she aims to help provide an opportunity to a fellow Bobcat to study abroad as she was able to through support while attending Texas State University.

The New Horizons Scholarship, worth $2,000, will be awarded for the first time in Fall 2024. It will be awarded annually and funded by Lauren Darby and designated donations to the Stelos Alliance.

Phi Kappa Phi offers fifty $1,000 scholarships to students. You do not have to be a PKP member in order to receive this scholarship. For more information please visit PKP's Study Abroad Grants webpage.

Semester at Sea

There are a myriad of outside funding options available to Semester at Sea students.

"ISE Awards $5 Million in Financial Aid Annually" -Semester at Sea

• Below are some of the opportunities Semester at Sea offers, 
• Need Grants
• Merit Grants
• Davis UWC Scholarship
• Tutu Ubuntu Scholarship (Spring Voyages only)
• Minority Serving Institution (MSI) Scholarship

Visit Semester at Sea website to learn more about application deadlines and additional sources of funding. 

USAC

Many students ask, “Can I afford to study abroad?” and the answer is, yes!

Depending on where and when you choose to study abroad, you may find the cost comparable or even more affordable than staying at your home university.

As a non-profit, USAC’s goal is for students to gain international experience affordably. That’s why, in addition to maintaining reasonable program fees, we provide more than $2 million in scholarships and discounts (and have a scholarship for every program!) and offer assistance when it comes to applying financial aid to your program costs. To learn more, visit USAC's  website.