Many students have concerns about the costs of studying at another institution. While numerous factors contribute to the overall cost of study in a foreign country, Centenary is committed to making study abroad an option for all students. Centenary offers comprehensive financial aid to eligible students for study abroad costs during the academic year.

Financial Aid

The costs of study through one of Centenary’s Study Abroad or Study Away opportunities are similar to the cost of a semester at Centenary. One of the ways that Centenary makes this possible is by allowing our students to apply their financial aid to their semester(s) studying abroad or away.

Students may apply their federal (excluding federal work study), state, or institutional awards to their charges for semester(s) abroad provided that they are enrolled full-time (the equivalent of at least 12 Centenary undergraduate credits per semester).  Students should complete the Consortium Agreement in its entirety the semester prior to going abroad or away.

Centenary University grants associated with on-campus residency may be applied to a student’s charges for study abroad or study away only if the student’s housing charges are billed through Centenary University.

Students who are using the Centenary University Tuition Benefit Program will be eligible to use their benefits on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.

Students who receive Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) or Tuition Exchange Program (TEP) benefits will not be eligible to use these benefits for the cost of a Study Abroad or Study Away program through Centenary University. Beneficiaries who wish to participate should contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss their options for federal, state, and institutional awards.

In selected cases, a student’s Cost of Attendance (COA) may be adjusted to reflect additional expenses that the student will incur while studying abroad. The increase to the COA allows the student to apply for additional loan funds to cover his or her study-related expenses. Students should contact the Financial Aid Office for more information on this process.

Costs

Students will be billed Centenary University tuition and fees. Students will submit their payments to Centenary University.

Housing Charges

Students in the Washington Semester Program will be billed the Centenary University room and board charges for the traditional on-campus room and board component. If the student chooses other on-campus options, the student will be billed for the actual costs through Centenary University.

Students in any other study abroad program will work with the Study Abroad Coordinator to arrange room and board. In certain programs, the Host Institution will bill Centenary and Centenary will bill the student the actual cost of such room and board.  In all other cases, students will submit payment for room and board directly to the Host Institutions or other parties.

Paying Costs with Financial Aid

Students may be required to pay some costs (plane tickets, program/housing deposits or other expenses) prior to the date that their financial aid will be posted to their student accounts. Students should expect to pay for these costs out-of-pocket.

Financial aid will be disbursed to students’ accounts at Centenary University shortly after their attendance is confirmed at their study abroad or study away location. If a student’s financial aid exceeds the charges on his or her student account, the Student Billing Office will issue a refund check to the student for the excess funds.

Information for Non-Centenary Study Abroad and Study Away Programs

Centenary students studying through a non-Centenary study abroad program may still be able to use their federal financial aid. Students should complete the Consortium Agreement in order to determine if their financial aid can be used for a study abroad program sponsored by another institution.

Additional Sources of Aid

Some students will seek additional sources of funding beyond their normal financial aid package for their study abroad experience. Students can also research options on two helpful websites, www.studyabroadfunding.org and www.iefa.org. Students hoping to apply for non-Centenary scholarships should begin planning early as many of these awards have application deadlines far in advance of the semester of study abroad.