ETSU Education Abroad Information

The costs associated with attending ETSU can include both direct and indirect costs. Please review ETSU's Cost of Attendance for more details.

When you decide to study abroad, you are embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. Here’s what you need to know to keep your financial aid on track while you’re away from the ETSU campus.

Study Abroad Financial Aid Information

If you plan to participate in a study abroad program, the financial aid process is the same for study abroad participants as for those students who remain on campus. However, to be eligible to receive financial aid for study abroad, you must be enrolled in coursework required for your degree. The credits earned in the program must transfer to ETSU and count as academic credits toward your degree. You will need to complete a Study Abroad Credit Approval (SACA) form and submit it to the Office of International Enrollment and Services before your financial aid can be applied to your student account.

Please note: All students receiving financial aid must be maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students with a Financial Aid status of Suspension cannot receive financial aid funds whether abroad or at ETSU. 

For more information about study abroad programs, email studyabroad@etsu.eduor visit the ETSU Education Abroad Office.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

• Are scholarships available for students studying abroad?

  Yes. A limited number of scholarships are available.
• Can I receive lottery, scholarship, and grant funds while studying abroad?

  Yes. You must first complete the FAFSA application to determine if you are eligible for federal and/or state aid. If you meet the eligibility requirements, you can receive lottery funds, scholarships and/or grant funds just like you were attending on-campus. Of course, we can't offer Federal Work Study if you are not on-campus and grants are based upon the number of credit hours for which you will be enrolled. Most ETSU academic scholarships require students to be enrolled full-time while studying abroad.

  We encourage you to enroll for direct deposit in the Bursar’s Office at least one month before you depart. For instructions to sign up for direct deposit via GoldLink. 

• If my fall study abroad program ends in December and I want to attend the upcoming spring semester, can I receive aid for the spring?

  Typically, you will be eligible for financial aid for the spring semester, but our office must receive your grades before your financial aid can be released to you. These grades can be unofficial for financial aid purposes.  However, ETSU will also need your official transcript from your study abroad.
• My study abroad program begins before the ETSU semester starts. Can I receive my federal funds in advance?

  No. Regulations do not allow for the early release of federal funds. Therefore, plan on having enough personal funds available or save money from the prior semesters to meet your needs until the ETSU financial aid can be credited to your bank account.
• I owe deposit/registration fees to a ETSU Education Abroad Program. Will ETSU send my financial aid to the study abroad school?

  No. Each student is responsible for paying his/her fees to the appropriate school. Financial aid will be disbursed to your bank account, provided you have signed up for direct deposit. You are responsible for paying the appropriate deposits and fees.
• I am required to pay "program costs" to participate in a ETSU Education Abroad Program. Am I also required to pay tuition/fees at ETSU?

  Typically, ETSU Education Abroad programs require you to pay "program costs". However, some programs also require you to register and pay tuition and fees at ETSU. Please make sure you understand all of the charges for your program. 
• What happens to my financial aid if I am unable to finish the study abroad program?

  Federal regulations require students to return a portion of their federal aid if they are unable to complete sixty percent of the term. Tennessee Lottery regulations require the suspension of lottery funds for future semesters. However, a student may appeal TELS eligibility based upon extenuating circumstances beyond the student's control (e.g., documented medical emergencies or the death of a family member).
• If a study abroad program begins in January and ends in December, will I need to complete a new FAFSA for my fall Federal and State financial aid?

  Yes. A FAFSA form is required annually for Federal Pell, TSAA, Lottery and other similar funds. FAFSA information can be completed beginning in October for aid to be disbursed in the fall semester. Sometimes students are selected for verification by the Federal Department of Education. If you are selected for verification, we cannot disburse any aid until the verification is complete.

Before You Go

• Complete and submit the Study Abroad Credit Approval (SACA) form to the Office of International Enrollment and Services. Once you're approved for a program, the form is available in the Bucs Abroad Portal.
• Make an appointment with the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.
  • Be sure to select ‘Study Abroad Appt’ and bring SACA form to the meeting. We will review your planned coursework and verify that those classes are Course Program of Study (CPoS) eligible.
• If you are receiving federal or state financial aid (Pell Grant, Student Loans, Lottery Scholarship, or other federal or state grants), the courses you take must be required for your degree program. Language pre-requisites do not always count toward CPoS.
• If you have not done so already, you should sign up for Direct Deposit in order to receive your balance of aid refund.
• It is a good idea to sign someone up as your First Mate so we can discuss your account with someone else (if necessary) while you are abroad.
• If you are awarded an International Education Scholarship and need money in order to pay for your airfare or program fees in advance, you can contact Office of International Enrollment and Services about obtaining a Study Abroad Scholarship Advance.
• After August 1 (fall) or December 1 (spring), you should be able to confirm your registration on your GoldLink account if you have enough financial aid to cover your tuition/fees.

While You Are There

• If we need to reach out to you, we will do so through your ETSU e-mail address. Please remember to check it.
• Once you are registered for coursework abroad, upload a copy to your schedule abroad to the SACA form on your Bucs Abroad Portal and email a copy to Lisa Baumer.
• If the classes you register for are not on your original SACA form, you will need to get them approved by adding them to another SACA form. 
• In September (fall) or February (spring), you  may receive an email from the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships about class attendance. Please ignore this email. Study Abroad students are excluded from this process. 

When You Return

• A financial aid hold will be placed on your student account until your study abroad grades are received. You will not be able to receive aid during this time.
• You must submit an official transcript from your study abroad in order to release the financial aid hold. When your official grades arrive and are posted to your transcript, the Office of International Enrollment & Services will notify the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships. Our office will then be able to clear your financial aid hold and have your money applied to your student account for the next semester.
• If you are a TELS or APS student, you may receive an e-mail that you have lost your scholarship. Once the transcript is received, your eligibility will be re-evaluated.