For the purposes of study abroad, awarded aid, alternative loans and scholarships, including Chancellor’s Awards, are all considered “Financial Aid” and can be used for study abroad expenses. However, the transferring of aid is not automatic; you must follow the proper process to get your aid refunded to you so you have those funds to pay your Education Abroad Expenses.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Not all Awarded Financial Aid is eligible to be used toward Education Abroad Expenses. Tuition credits, federal work study, fee waivers, and Athletic Scholarships cannot be used. Grants, scholarships, and loans can be used.
- All financial aid eligibility requirements must be met before financial aid will disburse (Satisfactory Academic Progress, enrollment, resolution of registration holds, etc.)
Click through the tabs to learn more about using Financial Aid for the type of program you have selected.
UMass cannot transfer your Financial Aid to your Partner Program; students are responsible for making all payments to the Program Provider. Assuming all aid-eligibility requirements are met, UMass will refund your Financial Aid (minus any costs owed to the university) to you via Excess Express so that you can pay your Program Provider. Financial Aid is disbursed 1-2 weeks before on-campus classes start, and it will take another 1-2 weeks for your refund to process through Excess Express.
You have two options for paying your Program Fee:
- Pay the entire Program Fee before the payment deadline. When the UMass semester starts, your aid will be refunded to you. You can use these funds towards any Education Abroad Expenses.
- Request to defer payment. Your Program Provider may allow you to defer paying the portion of your Program Fee covered by financial aid until those funds are refunded to you. Read Using Financial Aid for a Partner Program for step-by-step instructions.
Each Program Provider has their own paperwork to request to defer payment. Read the Partner Program Deferral Forms Instructions and Samples for detailed instructions.
When completing a deferral form, you will need to provide proof of your Financial Aid award. Financial Aid will create a Financial Aid Exchange Award Letter (FAXL) for you in SPIRE once your UMass Abroad application has been reviewed and conditionally approved. Follow these instructions to obtain your FAXL.
Remember:
- Partner Programs may require application fees, enrollment deposits, and other fees that cannot be deferred.
- The remaining amount of your Program Fee not covered by Financial Aid is still due by the Program Provider payment deadline.
- Before your refund is issued, the Global Education Fee and any outstanding balances on your SPIRE account will be deducted from the refund amount.
- You are responsible for understanding this process. Education Abroad Advisors are available to help you.
The Exchange Tuition Fee is posted to your UMass bursar bill in SPIRE for the semester you are abroad, along with the Global Education Fee. Billing deadlines and payment options are the same as if you were on campus.
Financial Aid will credit toward your bursar bill as it always does, and excess will be refunded to you via Excess Express; it can be used towards any Education Abroad Expense.
UMass will bill you for only the Exchange Tuition Fee and Global Education Fee. Housing will be billed directly by the Exchange University or the accommodation provider with varying due dates, varying payment options and may be billed in a foreign currency. Since Financial Aid refunds aren’t processed until the start of classes at UMass, students who choose an exchange program must have personal or family funds available to pay for their housing. Speak with your Education Abroad Advisor if you need details about housing billing and costs on your Exchange Program.
Meals, airfare, and additional expenses will be paid directly by you. If you need additional funding, consider Alternative Loans. Note that these funds can not be refunded to you via Excess Express until UMass classes start, typically within the first week of the semester on campus.
There are limited opportunities for a UMass student to participate in a Direct Enroll university program (only Herriot Watt University, London School of Economics and Political Science, and Queen’s University Belfast). Payment arrangements, deadlines and amounts are unique to each University. It is likely that you will need to pay some or all costs prior to receiving your UMass Financial Aid, and that they will be billed in the local currency.
You can use Financial Aid, but note that these funds can not be refunded to you via Excess Express until UMass classes start, typically within the first week of the semester on campus. Therefore, students who choose these programs will need to have personal or family funds available to pay these costs well in advance of receiving their Financial Aid refund.
Meals, airfare, and additional expenses will also be paid directly by you. If you need additional funding, consider Alternative Loans. Note that these funds can not be refunded to you via Excess Express until UMass classes start, typically within the first week of the semester on campus.
We strongly encourage you to work with your Education Abroad Advisor to understand the financial requirements of your Direct Enroll University.
FAQs
Go to your SPIRE account to understand your current financial aid package. Log in to SPIRE with your UMass Amherst ID and password, click “Finances” and then “View Financial Aid.”
Most tuition credits (J&A Adams, Koplik, Valedictorian, Transfer), RA Room and Board Waivers, and Federal Work Study CANNOT be used while studying abroad. Confirm whether your aid can be used for Global Education by asking at the UMass Financial Aid Office at Whitmore 243 any time the service desk is open.
To use your UMass Awarded Financial Aid to pay your Program Provider, read Using Financial Aid for a Partner Program.
No. UMass cannot disburse your financial aid funds to anyone but you. Program Providers will invoice the student, and students must make the payments. Read Using Financial Aid for a Partner Program.
Financial Aid is refunded (aka disbursed) to the student usually within the first week of classes at UMass and is issued as a direct deposit through Excess Express(minus any unpaid charges posted in SPIRE).
No, file your FAFSA as if you are going to be on campus.
You’re responsible for the Fixed and Variable costs of your chosen Education Abroad Program. Consider payment plans, alternatives loans, scholarships, or a more affordable program. For guidance, meet with your Education Abroad Advisor before you choose a program.
There are very limited Financial Aid options for winter term study abroad; typically only private and Parent PLUS loans (both credit/application dependent) are available. However, some study abroad scholarship funding is available.
To receive Financial Aid for summer term study abroad, you must be taking at least 6 credits and enrolling in an OGA Approved Program. The amounts and types of aid are very specific to each student, so you’ll need to work closely with the Financial Aid Office. Summer term Financial Aid awarding typically begins in early April, but for planning purposes you can get an estimate from a Financial Aid Counselor at any time. Most students are only eligible for loans (federal and/or private) for summer study abroad. Students who receive a Federal Pell Grant in the fall/spring semesters may receive a summer Pell Grant.
Alternative loans are an option for funding your study abroad experience. See Alternative Loan Options on the UMass Financial Aid Office website. The process of using Alternative Loan Funds to pay your Education Abroad Expenses is the same as using Awarded Financial Aid. Be sure you understand how to use Financial Aid toward your Education Abroad Expenses. If you plan to apply for a private / alternative loan that is larger than you apply for in a typical fall or spring semester, contact the Financial Aid Office before applying.
Each Program Provider has their own paperwork and instructions to request to defer payment until your Financial Aid is disbursed. Read Using Financial Aid for a Partner Program. and Deferment instructions and samples for detailed instructions.
If paying your Program Fee upfront creates a financial barrier, you may request to use the UMass UPay payment plan to pay for your semester abroad by following instructions in the “How To Pay for Education Abroad” Form in your UMass Abroad portal. If approved, the Office of Global Affairs (OGA) will ask your Program Provider to invoice UMass for your Program Fee. UMass will then post the Program Fee to your SPIRE account for the term you are abroad.
Once the charge appears in SPIRE, you will be able to enroll in the UMass UPay payment plan and make payments to UMass rather than paying the Program Provider directly.
Reach out to your 529 Fund Administrator and let them know you are studying abroad. Ask them to send funds to your Program Provider.
If your 529 Fund will only send funds to UMass, the Bursar will refund those funds to you via Excess Express so that you can use that money to pay your Program Provider directly.
You need to work with the VA benefit coordinator at UMass. Some study abroad opportunities will allow you to use more of your VA benefits than others. Your Education Abroad Advisor can help you find those programs, once you understand regulations around the type of benefit you receive.
The UMass Employee Dependent Tuition Credit benefit is not available for education abroad, regardless of program type.
For Non-UM ass employee benefits, contact your Education Abroad Advisor for guidance.
If you attend a Partner Program or Direct Enroll University, UMass does not provide a 1098-T. Contact your Partner Program to get this information.