Here, we will provide financial aid guidance, information on grants and scholarships, and a budgeting tool for BU and non-BU students, to help you see how affordable a BU Study Abroad program can be. You might be surprised to learn that tuition and housing on a BU Study Abroad program are generally comparable to your on-campus costs for many students, and you can also apply most of your financial aid to any fall or spring program. In addition, there are a number of grants and scholarships available specifically for study abroad. If you are looking for program costs, you can find them on the specific program pages.
BU Students
Federal & Institutional Financial Aid
Many students use federal student aid and BU financial aid to fund part of their educational expenses. Most of these funds may also be applied toward funding a study abroad program offered through BU during the fall and spring semesters (see Study Abroad Grants & Scholarships below for summer semester information). If you currently receive financial aid, you should seek information and apply as you normally do, through Boston University Financial Assistance.
Keep in mind that often, BU students can use most of their BU Financial Aid for a BU Study Abroad program. The most common exception is Work-Study.
Study Abroad Grants & Scholarships
Summer Programs
Boston University students are eligible to apply for grants or scholarships directly through Boston University Study Abroad for summer programs. Awards are made based on need and/or merit and typically range from $500 to $3,000. In order to be awarded a grant or scholarship, you must be admitted into a Boston University Study Abroad program. You may, however, begin the grant/scholarship application process while your Study Abroad application is under review. Grant and scholarship applications are accepted on a rolling basis and will continue to be reviewed while funds remain available.
More Scholarships
- Deadlines
- Spring Programs: December 1
- Fall and Academic Year Programs: April 15
For BU students participating in the Padua, Italy, semester or academic year programs (not summer).
Your Free Pass to a Passport Grant
- Deadline: January 15
For Boston University undergraduate and graduate students who plan on studying abroad in the future and demonstrate financial need.
The Biagio Conte, MD, (CAS’52) Italian Studies Fund
Deadlines:
- Fall: May 15
- Summer: April 15
- Spring: November 15
For BU students studying in Italy. BU students on external programs are eligible.
BU African Studies Center Financial Assistance & Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships
- Deadline: February 15, annually for academic year and summer programs
For undergraduate and graduate BU students.
Carrie O’Connor Memorial Travel Fund
- Summer 2025 Deadline: April 18, 2025
- Fall 2025 Deadline: April 18, 2025
- Spring 2025 Deadline: November 25, 2024
For BU undergraduate students studying in Francophone country. BU students on external programs are eligible.
General Study Abroad Scholarships
- Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
- Boren Scholarships and Fellowships
- Fund for Education Abroad
- Going Study Abroad Scholarship
- HI USA: Explore the World Scholarship
- Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship
Location-Specific Scholarships
Asia
Australia
Israel
Italy
Japan
UK
Search Engines
Additional Resources
Flight Assistance
Our office offers students the option to have the flight for their program charged to their BU Student Account. This assistance will allow students additional time to pay for the flight and for financial aid to potentially cover the cost of the flight if applicable, rather than pay right away out of pocket. It is not a scholarship. Please keep in mind, most students do not receive financial aid for the summer semester. For more information on eligibility for financial aid during the summer, please contact the Office of Financial Assistance. Students will work with BU Study Abroad’s Travel Agency, Advantage Travel, to book travel to and from the program. Students will be responsible for the cost of the full itinerary booked through Advantage Travel, including connecting flights. To receive flight assistance, students must book all flights through Advantage Travel. Once our office receives an invoice from Advantage Travel, we will apply the total cost of travel to the student’s BU Student Account and let them know when the charge has been posted.
If you would like to receive flight assistance for your semester abroad, please contact your Program Manager.
Visa Fee Assistance
Our office offers students the option to have the cost of a visa required for the program charged to their BU Student Account. This assistance will allow students additional time to pay for the visa and for financial aid to potentially cover the cost of the visa if applicable, rather than pay right away out of pocket. The assistance can include the costs of shipping and expediting the visa. Students will be responsible for the full cost of the visa, including the cost of shipping and expedition.
If you would like to receive visa fee assistance for your semester abroad, please contact your Program Manager.
Budgeting
It is smart to plan a budget in advance of program departure. You may find our budget worksheet to be a helpful planning tool. You should plan to bring money to cover personal expenses and any other costs not included in the Program Fee. Expenses will vary depending on currency exchange rate and how much traveling, shopping, and dining out you plan to do.
Student Accounts
Invoices for study abroad costs are issued by Boston University Student Accounting Services and reflect the Program Fee in the form of two charges, a “Program Tuition” charge and a “Housing/Student Services Fee.” The invoice may reflect other account adjustments, such as a medical insurance charge and/or waiver.
Student Accounting Services sends an e-bill invoice for applicable charges to the student directly. Billing occurs in July for fall programs, in late November for spring programs, and in May for summer programs.
Boston University students follow their normal schedule and procedures for billing and account settlement.
Program Withdrawal
It is important that you familiarize yourself with the Boston University Study Abroad Policy on Refunds.
Students who decide to withdraw from a program after confirming their acceptance must notify Boston University Study Abroad in writing immediately. (This includes students who decide to withdraw before the program start date.) Any adjustment of charges will be made in accordance with the Boston University Study Abroad Policy on Refunds. The program deposit is nonrefundable.
For personal or academic reasons, a student may decide to withdraw from the program after the term has started. If the student expresses a desire to return home, we urge him or her to get in touch with on-site staff. Difficulties in cultural adjustment often can be resolved without resorting to returning to the US. Although withdrawal may be, in rare cases, the best alternative for a student, the student should carefully consider all aspects of the situation (personal, academic, and financial) before deciding to return home.
Withdrawal from a program does not constitute withdrawal from Boston University. Boston University students who wish to withdraw from the University or take a Leave of Absence must make arrangements through the University Service Center in addition to withdrawing from the program.
Non-BU Students
Federal and Institutional Financial Aid
We encourage all students to continue working with their study abroad office and their own financial aid office when planning for their participation in a BU Study Abroad program.
Non-Boston University students wishing to use their federal aid toward a Boston University study abroad program should contact the financial aid office of their home institution. In the event that your institution chooses not to process your federal financial aid, Boston University can process a Federal Direct Stafford student loan, PLUS (parent) loan, and Pell Grant for eligible students, provided that your home institution completes a Boston University Consortium Agreement.
All financial aid inquiries and materials for study abroad participants should be submitted to Boston University Study Abroad. If you plan to apply for federal loans through Boston University, please contact us for instructions and forms at 617-353-9888, or by email at abroad@bu.edu.
BU Study Abroad Grants & Scholarships
Boston University offers grants and scholarships to non-BU students for any full-year, fall, spring, or summer program offered by Boston University Study Abroad.
Awards are made based on both need and merit, with an emphasis on need. The dollar amounts vary and typically range from $500 to $5,000 (and may occasionally exceed this level depending on the student’s eligibility and the cost of the program.) In order to be awarded a grant or scholarship, you must be admitted into a Boston University Study Abroad program. You may, however, begin the grant/scholarship application process while your Study Abroad application is under review.
Application deadlines for BU Study Abroad Grants & Scholarships
- Fall and academic year programs: May 1
- Spring programs: November 1
Application deadlines for summer financial aid
- Grant and scholarship applications for summer are reviewed on a rolling basis. Once you have been accepted into a program, you should receive an award decision within two weeks if your grant application materials are complete.
- Grant and scholarship applications will continue to be reviewed while funds remain available.
Additional Scholarships
General Study Abroad Scholarships
- Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
- Boren Scholarships and Fellowships
- Fund for Education Abroad
- Going Study Abroad Scholarship
- HI USA: Explore the World Scholarship
- Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship
Location-Specific Scholarships
Asia
Australia
Germany
Israel
Italy
Japan
UK
Search Engines
Additional Resources
Budgeting
It is smart to plan a budget in advance of program departure. You may find our budget worksheet to be a helpful planning tool. You should plan to bring money to cover personal expenses and any other costs not included in the Program Fee. Expenses will vary depending on currency exchange rate and how much traveling, shopping, and dining out you plan to do.
Student Accounts
Invoices are issued by Boston University Student Accounting Services, and reflect the Program Fee in the form of two charges, a “Program Tuition” charge and a “Housing/Student Services Fee.” The invoice may reflect other account adjustments, such as a medical insurance charge and/or waiver.
You are expected to settle your student account in full by early August for fall programs, mid-January for spring programs, and early May for summer programs. A specific settlement date is provided on the e-bill. Official documentation of pending loans, grants, etc., may be submitted toward account settlement.
Certain colleges request special billing arrangements in which their students make payments to the home institution, which in turn pays some or all of the Boston University Study Abroad fees directly. You should check with your home institution study abroad office or financial aid office to determine whether a special billing arrangement applies.
Program Withdrawal
It is important that you familiarize yourself with the Boston University Study Abroad Policy on Refunds.
Students who decide to withdraw from a program after confirming their acceptance must notify Boston University Study Abroad in writing immediately. (This includes students who decide to withdraw before the program start date.) Any adjustment of charges will be made in accordance with the Boston University Study Abroad Policy on Refunds. The program deposit is nonrefundable.
For personal or academic reasons, a student may decide to withdraw from the program after the term has started. If the student expresses a desire to return home, we urge him or her to get in touch with on-site staff. Difficulties in cultural adjustment often can be resolved without resorting to returning to the US. Although withdrawal may be, in rare cases, the best alternative for a student, the student should carefully consider all aspects of the situation (personal, academic, and financial) before deciding to return home.
