Studying Abroad on a Budget - 11/27

● Panelists: Leyla Abdella ‘19, Anthony Rodriguez-Ortiz ‘19, and Kelsey Berryman ‘20

● Resources: Dana Currier, Assistant Director of Study Abroad and Jaime Gonzalez, Senior

Assistant Director of Financial Aid

● Study Abroad

○ Nearly half of undergrads (thru all majors) in the College study abroad

○ Students take coursework in all areas of the sciences and humanities, including

the Core

● Types of Programs

○ Faculty-Led

■ Civilizations (20 programs in 13 locations)

■ Thematic (Pub Pol, Neuroscience, etc)

○ Intensive Language (one quarter or summer)

■ Q: Summer grant process?

○ Direct Enrollment (one semester, full year)

■ Can partner with other schools (usually done in the fall)

○ Plus opportunities for summer grant funding

■ FLAG, Third Year Research Grant, African Studies Research Grant

● Program Costs

○ UChicago tuition same on campus, including financial aid

○ Program fee: range from 4,400-4,800 for a quarter (includes housing, excursions,

support from staff- eligible for financial aid. This means that Odyssey Scholars

don't pay the program fee.)

 ○ Study abroad admin fee: $675

■ There can be a payment plan, contact the study abroad office.

○ Out of pocket expenses: examples are passports, flights, meals, etc.

■ More examples: Personal entertainment, airfare, course materials, health

insurance (USHIP for Odyssey Scholars travels with you), transportation,

cell phone plan, visa if your country requires it (check country's embassy

website for details).

● Example Budget: Civ in Paris

● Tuition…………………………………..$18,475

● Program fee……………………………..$4,800

● Board…………………………………….$2,100

● Books and Personal Expenses………….$1,200

○ Total Program Expenses……….$26,575

○ Additional Costs not covered by Financial Aid

● Roundtrip Airfare: $1,200 (this is NOT REASONABLE FOR EUROPE)

● Passport: $110

● Communications (cell phone use): $200

● Additional travel: $500

● Administrative fee: $675

○ Total Personal Expenses: $2,685

● Example Parameters: Civ in Paris

○ 2nd year

○ Off-Campus Odyssey student (COA- off-campus)

 ○ 1 quarter abroad

○ Annual family contribution: $1000 ($334 per quarter)

■ This only applies to Odyssey Scholars from class of 2021 onwards

● Standard financial aid in Chicago

○ From a $24,000 need, UChicago deducts Summer Work Expectation ($750) and

Work-Study expectations ($1083; QB doesn't include work-study)

○ UChicago gives a grant of $22,167.

● Study abroad financial aid

○ For this, the need is increased as the study abroad is more expensive.

○ This remaining need can be resolved with a Study Abroad grant, since work study

is not expected while abroad.

■ As Odyssey Students, there is additional aid available to us with these

Study Abroad grants to cover whatever gap is needed.

■ Odyssey students should receive around $2000 in a refund (this can vary).

○ Grants will be provided with each study abroad experience (you can use these

resources as many times as you go abroad)

● Additional Funding for Study Abroad

○ Study Abroad Scholarship for Odyssey Scholarships: 5,000 for programs during

the academic year (+Summer Civ program in Paris)

○ Summer International Travel Grants: Starting at $4,000 for summer language

study or research abroad

 ○ For the UChicago-based grant/scholarship, applications are due Feb. 8, 2019 for

funding to be used toward study abroad programs in the 2019-2020 academic year

(includes 2019 summer programs)

○ Gilman Scholarship

■ Up to 10,000 for Pell Grant recipients

■ Deadlines: March 5 2019 for Autumn 2019/ AY 2019/2020

■ Early October 2019 for Winter/Spring Programs

○ Fund for Education Abroad

■ 10,000 for general and dedicated (underrepresented populations)

scholarships

■ Deadline: January 7, 2019 for programs running from May 2019-April

2020

○ See CCRF for more info

● Timeline and Planning

○ One year or more ahead of time

○ Research programs and deadlines

○ Research scholarships and deadlines

○ Research scholarships and deadlines (many are a year in advance)

○ Talk w Study Abroad about costs (esp. Airfare and expenses)

○ Submit applications

○ Once admitted

■ Be prepared to pay the admin fee to secure the spot (can be split up into

installments)
 ■ Make sure housing is secured once you come back (esp. If you live off

campus)

● Q: What if you are staying on campus?

Panelist Discussion

● Leyla Abdella (Rabat Civ ‘18)

○ One of the more affordable destinations

○ Host families (covers food costs)

■ Talk to the program coordinator for specific questions regarding host

families

○ Stipend was provided for lunch

○ Could travel to other destinations throughout the country

○ Covers excursions

○ Under the Gilman Scholarship

■ There is a critical language scholarship one can apply for under the

scholarship

● Kelsey Berryman (London ‘17)

○ Application for the Odyssey Scholarship makes you break down a potential

budget

■ Very good for estimating and planning for indirect costs

○ London is v expensive, but through the scholarship and financial aid, I was able to

have the experience that everyone else have

■ Went solo to France

○ Lived in an apartment (cut back on expenses), potlucks, communal dinners

 ○ When sitting down with the scholarship application, it is important to discuss

budgets with parents, advisors, other students.

● Anthony Rodriguez-Ortiz (Barcelona ‘18)

○ Being strategic about the destination can affect what other places one can go to

○ Recipient of the Gilman Scholarship

○ Groceries are “what you make of it”

○ Apartment includes all the resources one needs to cut costs

○ Public transportation is helpful (buy passes)

Q: Gilman Scholarship process/eligibility

● Must be a US citizen (not available for undocumented students)

● Must be Pell Grant eligible

● Must be a student in good standing,

● Bit of a restriction based on travel warnings

● Must do a service project once you return

○ Promotes going abroad, and shows that low income people can go abroad

○ Essays once you get back, reviewed by a panel (budgets and essays)

○ Study Abroad advisor (confirms budget amounts), helps with the process

■ Dana Currier approves all budgets for the Gilman Scholarship

○ Financial Aid Advisor (they confirm amount we receive from the university)

● Financial Aid distributed through refunds

Amounts of the scholarships: Reasonable amount of money to cover indirect costs, donors felt

like this would be the optimal amount (basically no good reason)

In 2017-2018: there was a gradated amount that was given (not certain)

● The funding might be going back to definitely 5,000 but for fewer students