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Scholarships and Financial Aid

Studying abroad may be less expensive than you think! It takes careful financial planning, so start early.

Please utilize our Budget Sheet while you estimate your program costs. Financing a study abroad experience requires careful consideration of the type, term, and location of the program.

Scholarships

There are many scholarships available to UCF students to cover the cost of study abroad programs. Some are available from UCF Abroad, individual colleges, national organizations, and international organizations. 

Please note: Typically, awards are not announced until close to program departure dates and are NOT disbursed until approximately 3 weeks after the drop/add deadline of the UCF semester. Students should be prepared to finance their program in the event they are not awarded and should not commit to a program if they are depending on receiving a scholarship.  
 

The Office of Prestigious Awards (OPA) 

The Office of Prestigious Awards ​works closely with students throughout all stages of the application process for national and international prestigious scholarships and awards such as Fulbright, Rhodes, or Goldwater. OPA assists students with determining the best awards to apply for given their background and future goals, aiding in edits or review of application essays, and it is the office responsible for endorsing applicants.
 
To view awards OPA can advise on, please visit: http://opa.ucf.edu and email opa@ucf.edu with any questions.

 

Application Tips

Before you submit your scholarship application, check out these tips, provided by UCF Abroad: Scholarship Application Tips
 

Financial Aid Process

The UCF Abroad Office and the Office of Student Financial Assistance work collaboratively to assist students to reach their international educational goals.
Visit UCF's Student Financial Assistance Website here for additional information.

How to Start the Study Abroad Financial Aid Process 

 

  1. Select a study abroad program that is the best fit for you by completing the Self Assessment on the Start Here tab.
  2. Make an appointment with the UCF Abroad advisor to obtain information regarding study abroad programs availability, program cost and scholarships especially designed to assist study abroad students. Students must see a study abroad advisor BEFORE reaching out to the Office of Student Financial Assistance.
  3. Make an appointment with the Office of Student Financial Assistance to discuss your anticipated award amount and how it can be applied to education abroad. For all study abroad financial aid inquiries please email SFAStudyAbroad@ucf.edu.
  4. Apply for financial aid. Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
  5. Check the Office of Student Financial Assistance website for a complete explanation of the financial aid process. 
  6. Set up a direct deposit authorization in myUCF so that your funds can be deposited electronically around the world.
  7. Make sure you know your payment deadlines and how you plan to pay for your program. You may need to pay some expenses, such as application fees, program deposits, airfare, passport, visa, etc., before your financial aid is disbursed. ​
  8. UCF programs such as short term and exchange programs (students who registered their courses in their UCF portal) are eligible for Bright Futures, Federal, and Florida financial aid. Partner Programs are only eligible for Federal and Private financial aid.
  9. Most types of financial aid eligibility require a minimum of 6 hours of enrollment, including the approved study abroad programs. Please review the Program Eligibility Charts for the minimum hours required by each type of aid to be eligible for financial aid disbursement.
  10. A student’s SAP status is evaluated every semester to include newly earned grades into their status. If a student is no longer meeting all SAP standards, they will receive notification to their Knights email account regarding the change in status and how the change will impact their aid eligibility for their next term of enrollment.

Requirements and Forms

Students who are approved for a Study Abroad Program at the University of Central Florida, a different Florida university or a private (non-State University System) program must fulfill the following requirements.
 

University of Central Florida Program

  • A committed study abroad program on file by the UCF Study Abroad Office
  • A program study abroad miscellaneous fee from the Office of Student Accounts Services

Florida Program

Private (Non-State University System) Program