Financial Considerations for Global Education

Decisions for Tufts Programs Abroad are typically made by March 1. If you’re accepted or approved for nomination, you must commit and submit a nonrefundable deposit of $500 by March 15 to secure a place in the program. You will then be billed for your semester(s) abroad through eBill, on the usual Tufts billing cycle, for Tufts tuition and a Comprehensive Fee that covers full housing and food during your program abroad. You remain eligible to receive any Tufts aid that you usually receive here in Medford*. 

The total program cost each semester is equivalent to standard Tufts tuition, double room, Premium meal plan charges, and half student fees. If your aid happens to exceed your total charges and there is a credit on your student account, you can request a refund at the start of the semester. For more details on Tufts University's Cost of Attendance, please consult Financial Services' Direct and Indirect Costs for Undergraduate Students.

Tufts Programs Abroad participants are responsible for arranging and paying for their own international round-trip transportation costs (with the exception of the Chile, China, and Ghana programs) and the costs associated with obtaining a student visa.

If you withdraw from Tufts Programs Abroad after committing, the $500 deposit is forfeited (students approved for a deposit waiver based on their EFC will have the $500 added to their Bursar account). Withdrawals close to the start of the program may incur additional non-recoverable charges, which will be added to your Bursar account. If you withdraw after the program start date, no refunds are possible because commitments and contractual agreements are finalized before students arrive. 

*Non-Tufts Students: applicants from other institutions are not eligible for financial aid or deposit waivers from Tufts University and should apply for aid or loans through their own college or university. Additional outside funding may be available; please see Scholarships, Grants, and Other Funding Opportunities below. 

If you attend an approved External Program whose courses will apply towards the Tufts degree, you only retain eligibility for Federal Pell Grant, Federal Direct Loan, and state scholarship funding in your financial aid award. Any Tufts aid (including National Merit scholarships) will be canceled for the semester you are in the non-Tufts program. You will not pay Tufts tuition, room, or board to participate in an External Program; instead, you will pay your program directly for all costs.

In order for the Financial Aid Office to determine exact aid eligibility and disburse your funds, in addition to a completed aid application you must also submit a Consortium Agreement completed by you and the non-Tufts program. The Consortium Agreement will allow for the release of federal funds to your student account. All federal and state funds must be administered by Tufts. You may apply for private funding through your non-Tufts program, but must report the funding on the Consortium Agreement.

You should not assume that all funds will be available when your bill from the other institution is due. You may contact your aid counselor for guidance with billing issues.

Study Elsewhere Fee

To cover the administrative expenses associated with studying at institutions both in the United States and abroad, all students participating in an education abroad program will incur a fee of $2,400 per semester of leave of absence (beginning in the 2025-26 academic year). Please note that the fee is subject to change annually.

Students will not be charged this fee to attend Tufts Programs Abroad.

Note: To transfer earned course credit to their Tufts’ degree, students must be in good standing at the start of their education abroad program and for its duration.

Tufts Tuition Prepayment Option

Study abroad students who are participating in the Tufts Tuition Prepayment Option may request that the money paid to Tufts University be paid to the institution they will attend. Regulations governing how prepaid funds can be used are available from the Bursar’s Office.

Learn More about Finances for External Study Abroad Contact Your Financial Aid Counselor

There are various sources of outside funding available for study abroad; some are broadly applicable to a variety of students, while others have a very specific academic focus or a more narrowly-defined target population. Here are some of the more broadly-applicable funding opportunities:

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program	The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad. The program aims to encourage students to choose non-traditional study abroad destinations, especially those outside of Western Europe and Australia, and to support students who have been traditionally under-represented in study abroad, including but not limited to, students with high financial need, community college students, students in under-represented fields such as the sciences and engineering, students with diverse ethnic backgrounds, and students with disabilities. Eligibility: Students must be a U.S. citizen receiving a Federal Pell Grant at the time of application or during the time they are studying abroad and cannot be studying abroad in a country currently under a U.S. Department of State Travel Warning or in Cuba. Application Deadlines: early March for summer, fall, or full-year; early October for spring  If you plan to apply for the Gilman, reach out to Evan Lohmann for more information on how to apply.  Learn More about the Gilman Scholarship
Freeman-ASIA Scholarship Program	Freeman-ASIA (Freeman Awards for Study in Asia) is designed to support U.S.-based undergraduates with demonstrated financial need who are planning to study overseas in East or Southeast Asia. The program’s goal is to increase the number of U.S. citizens and permanent residents with first-hand exposure to and understanding of Asia and its peoples and cultures. Eligibility: Freeman-ASIA accepts applications from U.S. citizens or permanent residents studying at the undergraduate level at a two-year or four-year college or university who demonstrate financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. Application Deadlines: early March for summer; early April for fall or full-year; mid-October for spring Learn More about Freeman-ASIA
Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) Scholarships	The Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) offers both general and dedicated scholarships for study abroad to U.S. citizens, including the Rainbow Scholarship for LGBT students and the BASAA Scholarship for students attending New England colleges and universities.  Application Deadlines: mid-January for the upcoming academic year Learn More about Fund for Education Abroad Scholarships

Additional Funding Opportunities 

In addition to the funding opportunities highlighted above, many study abroad program providers have scholarships and grants available for students attending their programs (e.g., CIEE, IES, IFSA, SFS, SIT, etc.). If you will be attending an external program, check with your program provider to learn about any potential funding that may be available to you. 

You may also wish to browse the following scholarship and grant databases:

MoneyGeek Article: Funding Your Study Abroad 
Go Overseas GoAbroad.com StudyAbroad.com

Note: These types of independent non-Tufts websites and corresponding search engines are neither sponsored nor affiliated with Tufts University.