Study Abroad & Domestic Study Away

Financial aid can be used to assist with study abroad and domestic study away expenses. If the costs associated with your semester are greater than the cost of a traditional semester at W&M, your financial aid eligibility will not be reduced. However, additional grant funding will not be provided to assist with the higher costs. If the costs are less than the cost of a traditional semester at W&M, your eligibility for need-based aid may be impacted.

Important Information for All Study Abroad & Domestic Study Away Students

Student Status

You need to be registered for a minimum of 6 credits (half-time) to be eligible for financial aid. In order to receive your full financial aid eligibility, you must be registered as a full-time student (12 or more credits). For summer school, being full-time requires that you take at least 12 credits. Enrollment in a study abroad program approved for credit by W&M may be considered enrollment at W&M for the purpose of applying for federal student aid programs.

Associated Costs & Affect on Aid

If the costs associated with your semester abroad are greater than the cost of a traditional semester at W&M, your financial aid eligibility will not be reduced. However, additional grant funding will not be provided to assist with the higher costs. Additional student loans can be offered to assist with the higher costs. There may even be scholarship opportunities to assist with your study abroad expenses.

If the costs associated with your semester/year abroad are less than the cost of a traditional semester at W&M, your eligibility for need-based aid may be impacted.

Grant Eligibility

If you are eligible for grants, they can only be awarded up to the amount you would have received for a regular William & Mary semester.

For example, if your budget at William & Mary for the school year was $15,000, but the budget for your program abroad is $26,000, you can only receive grants based on the budget of $15,000.

Loan offers, if eligible, will increase to meet the budget of your study away program. If the cost of your study away program is less than the cost of a regular W&M semester, your grants will be lowered accordingly.

Summer Term Aid

For the summer term, you are only eligible for loans. If you have already met your Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized limits for the school year, you may be eligible for PLUS (Parent or Graduate) or private loans. PLUS and private loans are credit-based.

Timing of Disbursement of Aid

Disbursements are made no earlier than the start of classes for the regular W&M semester/summer calendar. For programs beginning after that date, disbursements will occur on the first day of the study abroad program.

Students should be prepared to pay fees, airfare, etc. before receiving their financial aid disbursements. If the program you have chosen begins at a time that will cause you financial hardship, you should consider selecting a different program or a different start time (e.g. spring semester instead of fall semester).

How to Apply For Aid

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W&M-Sponsored Programs

Follow instructions from the Reves Center for International Studies to obtain program approval to go abroad.
Be sure you have a current FAFSA on file with the financial aid office. For summer programs, we use the FAFSA for the previous academic year.
Complete the consortium agreement specific to your program and a financial aid disbursement form, both are provided by the Reves Center as a part of your online study abroad application. Your financial aid cannot be revised for your program until these forms are completed.
You will be sent an award notification email to let you know that you can view your revised aid award in Banner Self-Service via my.wm.edu.
Funds will be disbursed on your program's starting date. Please plan ahead for up-front costs (i.e., program deposit, airfare, initial living expenses, etc.). These costs are included in the budget when determining your financial aid. If you aid package exceeds your direct-billed charges, you will receive a refund for these expenses.
Any refund you are due after tuition payment will be issued by the student accounts office. Be sure the necessary forms are completed with them for prompt refund processing.

Programs Not Sponsored by W&M

Follow instructions from the Reves Center for International Studies to obtain program approval to go abroad.
Be sure you have a current FAFSA on file with the financial aid office. For summer programs, we use the FAFSA for the previous academic year.
Complete a consortium agreement and a financial aid disbursement form, both provided by the Reves Center as a part of your online study abroad application. The consortium agreement will first be filled out by the student (top portion only) and then returned to the Reves Center along with a fax number for the host institution or study abroad program. The consortium agreement will then be faxed to the host institution or study abroad program, and the figures they provide will be submitted to the financial aid office. The financial aid office will determine your financial aid award based on the budget provided by the host institution.
You will be sent an award notification email to let you know that you can view your revised aid award in Banner Self-Service via my.wm.edu.
Disbursements are made no earlier than the start of classes for the regular W&M semester/summer calendar. For programs beginning after that date, disbursements will occur on the first day of the study abroad program. Students should be prepared to pay fees, airfare, etc. before receiving their financial aid disbursements.
The student accounts office will issue a check totaling the value of your financial aid package, which you will then use to pay the hosting institution or program. Refunds may not be mailed until after your program's starting date. Please plan ahead for up-front costs (i.e., airfare, initial living expenses, etc.). These costs are usually included in the budget when determining financial aid. Your refund may include these funds.

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Programs Not Sponsored by W&M

W&M students who wish to enroll full-time in a specific non-W&M program will remain enrolled at W&M, but they must receive permission to participate in another school’s program.

Complete the Domestic Study Away Request Form (PDF).
Contact the Registrar's Office for information and approval for a domestic study away program.
Once you receive approval, a domestic study away consortium agreement (PDF) needs to be completed by the student and the host institution, and then returned to the financial aid office. Be sure that the host institution fills out this agreement completely. The financial aid office will determine your award based on the budget provided by the host institution.
Be sure you have a current FAFSA on file with the financial aid office.
You will be sent an award notification email to let you know that you can view your revised aid award in Banner Self-Service via my.wm.edu. If the cost of your program exceeds the cost of a regular W&M semester, the difference will be made up with additional loan eligibility.
The student accounts office will issue a check for your total financial aid package (less any fees), which you will then use to pay the hosting institution or program.
Refunds may not be mailed until after your program's starting date. Please plan ahead for up-front costs (i.e., program deposit, airfare, initial living expenses, etc.).

Courses at Another Institution

Students may take courses during the summer at another institution if they receive approval from the Registrar’s Office.

Complete the Permission to Take Course Elsewhere form.
Contact the Registrar's Office for approval to take the course(s).
Once you receive approval, a domestic study away consortium agreement (PDF) needs to be completed by the student and the host institution and retuned to the financial aid office. Be sure that the host institution fills out this agreement completely. The financial aid office will determine your award based on the budget provided by the host institution.
Be sure you have a current FAFSA on file with the financial aid office. You will need to complete a Summer Aid Application.
You will be sent an award notification email letting you know that you can view your summer aid award in Banner Self-Service via my.wm.edu.
The student accounts office will issue a check for your total financial aid package (less any fees), which you will then use to pay the hosting institution or program.
Refunds may not be mailed until after your program's starting date. Please plan ahead for up-front costs (i.e., program deposit, airfare, initial living expenses, etc.).

Retroactive Request to Transfer Credit from Another Institution

If you have already completed a course at another institution, you can submit a Retroactive Permission to Take Courses Elsewhere (PDF) form to the University Registrar.