Financing Study Away

Studying away is more affordable than you think! Don't let money be your obstacle from studying away!

Any hesitation students have about studying away is typically related to the cost. However, what most students don't know is that they can actually apply their current on-campus financial aid package to their study away program, as well as additional scholarships and grants! In fact, for some students, studying away can sometimes be cheaper than staying at SSU! Be sure to review the cost estimates, and pay attention to what is included in those cost estimates, on the program pages

Some tips for getting started:

  • Start early and apply to everything that may be eligible for you.

  • Start locally (Often many campus based scholarships have the fewest number of applicants.)

  • Visit the Writing Center (First floor Schultz Library) to work on your essay for many different scholarship applications.

  • Ask your teachers about any scholarships they may know about in your field of study.

  • Do not FORGET about your community: clubs, churches, volunteer organizations may be willing to sponsor you.

  • Order multiple copies of your transcripts so that you have them on hand when you find new scholarships opportunities.

  • Stop by the Scholarship Office in Stevenson Hall 1050. Apply to the SSU Scholarship Program.

Financial Aid

When discussing study away, there are generally two types of financial aid - Federal Financial Aid and CA State-Based Aid. Federal Financial Aid includes the Pell grant, federal loans, and any external scholarships the student may have received that do not depend on the student attending a university in a particular state. CA State-Based Aid is any financial aid that is dependent on attending school in California,at a CSU, or at SSU, which includes Cal Grants, State University Grants (SUG), Middle-class Scholarship, EOP Grants, CSU Waivers, and SSU Scholarships. To see which SSU programs can use the different kinds of financial aid, be sure to check out our Programs page! Veterans and dependents of Veterans should contact the VA representative in the Financial Aid Office to understand how government assistance can apply to study away programs.

Scholarships and Grants

General Websites:

​​Country specific:

External Study Abroad Programs:

Fundraising

Students can also make efforts to raise money on their own through fundraisers, only fundraising campaigns, summer jobs, or special events. Each semester GEO will host a "Financing Your Study Away Experience" workshop where guidance and tips are provided to help get students started! Contact us to find out more information.