Education Abroad FAQs

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS?

There are Kent State programs, Kent State ISEP (International Student Exchange Program) or Direct Enrollment programs, and third party programs not affiliated with Kent State. You can stop by the OGE Office to talk to an advisor about what program is right for you.

I AM GOING TO STUDY ABROAD IN THE SUMMER, WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

If attending in the summer semester, complete the Enrollment Plan Q&A on your FlashLine account. If you have any questions or need to update your enrollment plans please refer to the Financial Aid Summer Information web page. Please note, students attending an intersession program will not have their summer financial until a week prior to the Summer I Session start date.

I AM GOING TO FLORENCE AS A PART OF MY MAJOR. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

Most colleges offer informational meetings where a representative from the Student Financial Aid Office will present. OGE provides financial aid with a roster of attendees and we will give you the opportunity to submit an Education Abroad Cost of Attendance Increase Form to update your cost of attendance for the semester you are going abroad. That information is used to calculate a new cost of attendance based on the higher or lower costs of the program. Your account will be updated to show your eligibility to cover additional expenses while abroad. You do not automatically qualify for additional aid, but you can search for scholarships or apply for additional loan money. Monitor your “Active Messages” from the Student Financial Aid Office by logging into the new Flashline:

• Log on to FlashLine and select the Student tab 
• Under Finances, click on Scholarships & Financial Aid
• Click on Financial Aid Status
• Select the current aid year from the drop down box and Submit
• Click on You Have Active Messages

CAN I RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID TO STUDY ABROAD?

In most cases you are eligible to receive financial aid to assist with the costs of your study abroad program. There may be additional requirements based on the type of aid you have and the program you choose. Oftentimes, you will need to complete a Transfer Course Planning Form (TCP). The Office of Global Education will notify you when you apply to the program of your choice if you will need to complete that form. If you do need the TCP, the Financial Aid Office requires a signed copy. 

WHAT IS THE TCP?

The Transfer Course Planning Form has information that is required by your college and OGE. It includes the listing of courses you would like to take, and permission for those courses to be applied to your Kent State transcript. This information is used by the Student Financial Aid Office to determine what type of financial aid you will be eligible for and the amount.

HOW MUCH FINANCIAL AID WILL I BE ABLE TO RECEIVE FOR MY STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM?

The amount of financial aid and the type of financial aid will be based on your FAFSA results and the cost of the study abroad program. In most cases you, will be able to use all of your financial aid, available to you during that term. If you need additional funds for your program, you should consider either a Federal Direct Parent PLUS loan or a private loan. 

I HAVE NOT APPLIED FOR FINANCIAL AID. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

The study abroad program type determines what steps you will need to take to receive financial aid. The first step would be to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as soon as possible at StudentAid.gov to begin the process. The FAFSA needs to be completed every year, and should be completed as soon as possible after October 1st. Once the Student Financial Aid Office receives your FAFSA results, we will determine your eligibility for federal, state and institutional aid. You will receive a financial aid email and may view your awards on your FlashLine account. 

HOW SOON SHOULD I CONTACT THE STUDENT FINANCIAL AID OFFICE TO DISCUSS PAYING FOR MY STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM?

The sooner the better! It is recommended that you make contact at least one full semester prior to your study abroad program start date. Financial aid advising appointments for study abroad can be scheduled through KSU advising and will be held remotely until further notice. It is never too early to start planning and saving for your study abroad program.

IN ALMOST ALL THE INFORMATION, IT SAYS "IN MOST CASES, FINANCIAL AID WILL BE AVAILABLE." WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

This means that there may be other regulations required for certain types of financial aid, such as following the Standards of Academic Progress, submitting documentation for FAFSA verification, or checking with your scholarship provider to determine if you would be able to receive your scholarship while studying abroad. The best thing to do is to review your account for active messages or contact the Student Financial Aid Office if you are unsure about your eligibility for aid.

I ATTEND ANOTHER SCHOOL AND WILL BE COMING TO KENT STATE TO PARTICIPATE IN ONE OF THEIR STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS, CAN I RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID FROM KENT STATE?

No, all of your financial aid processing must be completed by your home school (the school that will grant your degree). You will want to contact the financial aid office at your home school as soon as possible to determine the steps you must take to receive financial aid as a transient student to Kent State. Typically, this will require an Ad Hoc Consortium Agreement that must be filled out by both schools. Please send any required documents to:

Email: Finaidconsortium@kent.edu

or

Submit Documents Here

I AM A KENT STATE STUDENT AND WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN A STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM AT ANOTHER INSTITUTION. CAN I RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID TO HELP PAY FOR THAT PROGRAM?

It depends on the program you are participating in.  A third party provider, ISEP Exchange or Direct, KSU partnership, or other domestic universities, in most cases, will require the TCP. Check with an advisor in OGE, and work with that advisor and your academic advisor to complete the necessary documents, before turning them into the Student Financial Aid Office. Typically, the completed TCP form is required for you to receive any financial aid. 

CAN I USE MY SCHOLARSHIPS TO STUDY ABROAD?

To be able to use your Kent State scholarships, you will need to participate in a Kent State study abroad program, a Kent State Exchange program or one of the study abroad programs available through the  ISEP International Exchange program.  If you have external scholarships (not awarded by the university) you will want to contact the scholarship provider to determine your eligibility for their scholarship while studying abroad.

ARE THERE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDYING ABROAD?

Yes, but they can be very competitive. Begin a study abroad scholarship search by visiting Kent State’s scholarship page and complete the Scholarship Search Qualifier to see what is available through Kent State. It is important to check with your college or program to see what they have available to students going abroad. Other resources include registering with several of the external search engines that are listed on the financial aid webpage, and checking with local companies and organizations. Inform your family and friends that you are in college and studying abroad, as they may know of other resources or scholarship opportunities that are not found online.

A list of some external scholarships is also maintained on our Education Abroad Scholarships page.

I DO NOT USE MY LOANS DURING MY NORMAL SEMESTERS. CAN I USE ALL OF MY LOAN AVAILABILITY FOR MY STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM?

If you would like to reallocate your federal Direct Loans to the semester of your  study abroad program, you can complete the Uneven Disbursement Request Form. Please be aware that Direct Loan (Subsidized/Unsubsidized) money will be removed from other semester(s) and put into the requested semester based on your financial aid eligibility. This money cannot be replaced with more federal Direct Loans and the result will be less funding during the remaining semesters. This form is not a request for additional financial aid; it simply reallocates the Federal Direct Loan money that you have already been awarded for the year. To request this adjustment due to additional costs incurred in a study abroad program, you must already be committed to the program and indicate on the form that it is for study abroad costs. This form can be found under the Loans section of the Forms & Applications page.

MY STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM WILL START IN MARCH AND CONTINUE THROUGH AUGUST. WHEN WILL MY FINANCIAL AID BE PROCESSED?

Your financial aid will be applied to the semester in which the program starts. For this example, your spring financial aid would be applied to the cost of the program. Review the One Stop for Student Services website for payment due dates and disbursement dates. There are instances where you will be abroad before your financial aid has disbursed to your account. In that case, it might be best to take additional aid the semester before you go, to ensure 3-4 weeks of expenses while abroad. 

WHAT IF I WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN A SHORT-TERM STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM?

If you are participating in a Kent State faculty-led short term program you can check with the faculty member regarding the costs and deadlines of the class. Since there are so many short-term programs it is typical for the Student Financial Aid Office to not receive any cost information about the class abroad. In order for us to update your student account to show that you have additional costs that you may incur as a result of studying abroad you can submit the Study Abroad/Away Cost of Attendance Increase Form. In most cases, it will allow for additional Parent PLUS loan funds or a private loan.

I NEED TO DEPART BEFORE THE SEMESTER BEGINS, WOULD I BE ABLE TO OBTAIN MY REFUND EARLY?

No, your financial aid can be applied to your Student account no earlier than 10 days prior to the first day of class at Kent State. It may take several days after the funds transfer for you to receive any excess funds in the form of a refund. It is highly recommended that you select a refund preference before leaving the country. It is also suggested that you have 2-3 weeks of funds available so that you are able to cover the first few weeks of living expenses before you receive a refund. For further questions regarding refunds, please contact the One Stop for Student Services.

I DON'T DEPART UNTIL SIX WEEKS AFTER KENT'S SEMESTER BEGINS. DOES THIS AFFECT MY FINANCIAL AID?

Yes, regulations require that your financial aid does not disburse until ten days prior to your first day of class at the visiting institution. Since your study abroad program starts six weeks after Kent State’s semester, your aid will not disburse until the fifth week. Note that the Bursar’s Office is aware of the regulation and will be notified of the program’s start date so no late fees ensue. Each program is different; if your program has a later start date than Kent State please contact an Education Abroad counselor at finaideducationabroad@kent.edu to discuss your options. 

ARE THERE ANY FORMS I NEED TO COMPLETE WHILE I'M AWAY?

If you were on an exchange, ISEP, direct enrollment, or third party program, then the Student Financial Aid Office will need the Start of Semester Learning Agreement and End of Semester Learning Agreement from the semester(s) abroad. Within the first 15 days of your semester abroad the Financial Office requires that the Start of Semester Learning Agreement to be completed with the courses and credit hours you are enrolled in, and signed by the Host Coordinator.

*If the Start of Semester Learning Agreement is not completed and returned to the One Stop for Student Services within the first 15 days of your program, your financial aid could be removed.

In the last 30 days of your semester abroad, you are required to complete the End of Semester Learning Agreement. This document lets the Financial Aid Office know which courses were completed and credit hours earned. It needs to be signed by the professors of the listed courses and then signed by the Host Coordinator. We will require confirmation of the completed courses in order for your financial aid to disburse in the future. If you do not complete the End of Semester Learning Agreement, a transcript can be submitted in its place.

WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?

The SFA Office learns that you are going abroad when you turn in your TCP form or when OGE sends us a roster. Once we receive confirmation that you are going abroad, you can submit an Education Abroad Cost of Attendance Increase Form to the Student Financial Aid Office.   Your cost of attendance will be updated to reflect the costs of your program. Once we make these updates, we will notify you through FlashLine, where you will receive a message stating your remaining eligibility to take out additional loans to help cover the expenses of studying abroad.