In the United States, it was stated under the Higher Education Act of 1965 that students can receive financial aid for study abroad programs if in case they are enrolled in a program which is approved by their home university or institution. Under the said law, financial aid can cover all the reasonable cost for a study abroad program including:
Round-trip transportation for the approved program
Tuition and all other fees for the program
Living cost and expenses incurred during the program period
Visa and passport fees
Health insurance
For a student to be able to qualify for a government financial aid students must secure and complete the Federal Application for Student Aid or the FAFSA and if qualified, the funds will be awarded by the United States Department of Education. The eligibility criteria for the financial aid include:
For a student to be qualified, he should be enrolled in a qualified home institution as an official student in quest of a bachelor’s degree or certificate.
Must be a US citizen with a legitimate Social Security number.
The student must have a General Education Development or GED certificate or a high school diploma.
For male students, they should be enlisted for Selective Service.
Students must present a partial or full eligibility on drug-related conviction of the free application for FAFSA.
Summer study abroad programs are noteworthy break for students to be able to discover a new environment with a new insight and perspective. This is a challenge for them to experience independence and being exposed to people from different cultures with contrasting points of view as well. Having the opportunity to study abroad provides a great advantage when applying for a job as this will show your potential employers that you do have motivation and independence.