Learning Abroad

Learning Abroad Agreement Form

Students planning to use financial aid or scholarships to supplement costs for a Learning Abroad Program, must visit with a financial aid counselor before departure to obtain the necessary paperwork. However, this paperwork is not required for students enrolled in a University of Utah Faculty-Led Group Program. 

Students will receive a Learning Abroad Agreement Form when they meet with a counselor.  The form requires the name, location, anticipated number of credits, and start and end dates of the Learning Abroad Program. You must also obtain signatures from your Learning Abroad Advisor and Academic Department Advisor, certifying approval to participate in an eligible Learning Abroad program. 

By completing the form, you are acknowledging that you are aware of the documents you must submit to the Financial Aid Office before disbursement. 

Learning Abroad Verification of Class Attendance Form

A complete Learning Abroad Verification of Class Attendance form must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office before disbursement. You will be given this form when you visit with a financial aid counselor. It can also be found on our website under the Forms tab. You must complete this form on a term-by-term basis.

On this form, you will list all courses enrolled in for the specific term abroad. You must obtain signatures from the professors or an authorized representative at the institution (who has access to information verifying your attendance), indicating that you are attending class and making good progress.

Once you have all the required signatures, fax or email the form to the Financial Aid Office who will then complete your file and disburse your aid for that semester. You may set up a direct deposit account through the student financials section in CIS, and the funds will be automatically deposited into a designated bank account. If a direct deposit account is not set up, a check will be mailed to the address listed in CIS.

Learning Abroad Verification of Class Completion Form

Once the semester has ended at the foreign university you are attending, you must complete the Learning Abroad Verification of Class Completion Form. You will be given this form when you visit with a financial aid counselor. It can also be found on our website under the Forms tab.  You must complete this form on a term-by-term basis.

This form looks very similar to the Verification of Class Attendance Form. However, on the class completion form requires signatures and grade documentation from professors. The professors must record the grade in a U.S. equivalent; if not, you must provide a grade translation.

In place of the Verification of Class Attendance Form, you may submit a copy of an unofficial transcript from the foreign university to our office. It must show the grades received in English, and if not you must provide a U.S. translation equivalency.

This form must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office within 60 days of the completion of the semester abroad. If not, it may affect your eligibility to receive Federal Financial Aid in future semesters.

Generally, scholarships issued by the University Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (UOSFA) cannot be used for Learning or Study Abroad programs. In some cases, if a Learning or Study Abroad program is billed at the U, then a UOSFA merit scholarship may apply but only up to the cost of eligible tuition and fees and only if the program is at least 12 credit hours of enrollment. This varies by program and all students should contact our office directly to discuss their program.

The WUE Tuition Discount can never be applied to a Learning or Study Abroad program.

• Tuition waiver-based scholarship cannot be applied to Learning/Study Abroad programs
• Cash scholarships may apply to**
• The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) Tuition Discount cannot be applied
• Students may request a leave of absence with our office to hold a scholarship while attending a Learning/Study abroad program

For questions about using a scholarship for Learning or Study Abroad please contact financialaid@utah.edu.

 **Some scholarships are issued by different offices at the U and not through UOSFA. You must contact each department to determine if your scholarship can be applied to a Learning/Study Abroad program.

Increase Cost of Attendance for Learning Abroad 

The University of Utah Cost of Attendance (COA) is based on the average educational costs.  However, educational costs can vary for students on Learning Abroad  (housing and meals, depending on country, location and accommodations).  A student may submit a request to be considered for an adjustment to their Cost of Attendance (COA) to cover these costs and additional fees.  This process is initiated by the student and is not guaranteed.  Supporting documentation is required, and each appeal will be reviewed on a case by case basis. Appeals take up to 30 days to complete.

Examples of extenuating expenses a student may request for COA increases are:

• Airfare
• Program cost higher than average
• Housing (i.e. higher rent)
• Additional mandatory fees 
• Visa cost
• High immunization charges
• Student who has a commuter budget, but will not be living with parents during Learning Abroad

Steps for Increase Cost of Attendance Appeal

1. Meet with a counselor to discuss circumstances and receive paperwork
2.  Submit the “Request to Increase Cost of Attendance for Learning Abroad” form, a letter explaining circumstances, and documentation of additional costs. (Include U.S. Equivalent amounts for receipts in other currency).
3. Check CIS and UMail frequently for requests of additional documentation of notification of the appeal decision.

Summer Aid for Learning Abroad or Consortium Programs

Summer eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Student Loans will depend on what percentage of the award the student has used.

Pell Grant:

If the student has full-time enrollment (12 credit hours or more) for two semesters, they will be considered to have received 100% of the Pell Grant aid for the year.  If the student does not attend full-time (12 credits or more) for two semesters they may have remaining eligibility for additional Pell Grant funding for the summer. 

Federal Loans:

Loans are based off on annual award limits offered initially for fall and spring. See chart below:

Year	Dependent	Independent
Freshman	$5,500 per year	$9,500 per year
Sophomore	$6,500 per year	$10,500 per year
Junior/Senior	$7,500 per year	$12,500 per year

If the student has not used the full eligibility of the loans, then they may be eligible for summer loans.  Please keep in mind that there may be other factors affecting eligibility, so you must meet with a financial aid counselor to determine eligibility. 

Private/Alternative Summer Loans:

Private or Alternative Summer Loans may be available for one of these programs.  A student can receive up to their total Cost of Attendance if approved by the bank or credit union of their choice.  The Agreement form for any program must previously be submitted for a loan to be certified.  Please see the Private/Alternative Student Loans section and the FASTChoice Loan Servicer option for more information.

Steps to receive Summer Aid:

1. Meet with a financial aid counselor to determine eligibility.
2. Complete the Summer Application (available beginning in February or March of each year under Forms section on website).
3. Submit loan request form with summer application (also available under Forms section).
4. Complete any Learning Abroad or Consortium paperwork (see program section to determine what paperwork needs to be submitted).
5. Check CIS and UMail often for any requests for additional information or changes to the award letter.

Learning Abroad Consortium Agreement

A consortium agreement allows the Financial Aid Office to process student aid, even if you are not a registered University of Utah student during your learning abroad term. If you meet the requirements, the agreement will allow the University of Utah to process and disburse financial aid as a “Home” school and will allow you to participate in a separate “Host” school program not offered by the University. To be considered, complete a FAFSA, complete your financial aid file, and accept your awards.

Determining Eligibility

To be considered for a Learning Abroad Consortium Agreement, a student must be at least a sophomore (have completed at least 30 credit hours) and is required to meet with a financial aid counselor to receive the needed forms. The counselor will also review your financial aid package and confirm which awards can be applied to your program.

Forms Needed Before Disbursement

Financial aid for Learning Abroad cannot be disbursed until all of the following documents have been received and processed by our office.  Please note that this means aid will not be received until after your program abroad has begun.

• Consortium Agreement Form: This completed form (with required signatures) must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office before you leave on your Learning Abroad program. It will have you list the name of the Host School you will be enrolling through, as well as contact information for a Financial Aid advisor at that school. You will then be asked to provide information on the foreign institution you will be attending, as well as the likely number of credits and enrollment dates. It also requires a signature from a University Departmental Advisor, certifying that your earned credits will be transferable to your degree as well as a signature from the University’s International Office confirming that the program you will attend is not offered through the University of Utah. 
  
  
• Invoice of Total Tuition Bill and Receipt: One of the conditions of receiving aid for a consortium agreement is agreeing to pay the Host School their full tuition balance. Before we can disburse financial aid for your program, we will need an invoice showing the total tuition bill owed the Host School for the program you are taking and a receipt showing that at least 10% of the program was paid.
  
  
• Verification of Class Attendance Form: This is signed by professors in your Learning Abroad program confirming that you have begun attendance. The professor will need to confirm the date classes began and indicate the number of credit hours you are participating in for their course (converted into US semester equivalency).

After receiving these documents from the student the Financial Aid Office will then communicate with the host school and send them an institutional consortium agreement form. After this is returned to our office and all other documents are completed we then authorize disbursement of your financial aid.

Documents Needed After Disbursement

• Receipt: Before the end of the term we will require a receipt from the host school showing that tuition there has been paid in full. Failure to pay the host school’s full tuition will result in a cancellation of aid.
  
  
• Verification of Class Completion: At the end of your term, you will be required to submit to our office confirmation that you earned credit in your Learning Abroad program’s courses. To do this, you can submit a translated copy of official or unofficial transcripts, a translated grade report, or a verification of class completion form signed by your professors and showing the grade you received in letter grade form. A hold will be placed on your file that will prevent you from receiving financial aid in the future until the verification of course completion is received.