Study Abroad and Financial Aid
FAFSA/CADAA Priority Deadline:
2026-27: The March 2, 2026, California priority deadline has passed. You can still apply for financial aid, but some funding may be limited. We encourage you to apply.
Chico State offers numerous opportunities for study abroad through programs at universities throughout the world. For more information on the programs available, visit Study Abroad & Exchange.
Cost of Studying Abroad
Do not rule out studying abroad because of cost. Many programs charge the same tuition and fees as Chico State. There are additional costs, of course, associated with studying abroad with any of the programs. Carefully read through the program material and assess what personal resources you may be able to draw upon for a study abroad semester or year. We recommend that students see a Financial Aid Advisor before studying abroad and apply for financial aid by the priority deadline listed at the top of this page.
Financial Aid
Financial aid may be applied to the costs of your study abroad program depending on the type of program you enroll in and your financial eligibility determined by information submitted on your FAFSA or CADAA. After you are accepted into a Study Abroad program, your Cost of Attendance may increase and you could be eligible for additional loans.
| Type of Aid | IP-CSU System | USAC | AIFS | Direct Int'l Exchange | Chico State sponsored programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants | |||||
| Federal Pell Grant | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cal Grants | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| State University Grant | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Middle Class Scholarship | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Federal SEOG | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| EOP Grant | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Federal Work-Study | No | No | No | No | No |
| Loans | |||||
| Federal Direct Loans | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Federal PLUS Loans | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Summer Aid for Study Abroad
Financial aid is a resource that can be used to help with the costs of studying abroad during the summer. Once you are confirmed/accepted in your study abroad program and have registered for your study abroad summer classes, you will be enrolled in Chico State place-holder courses which correspond with the amount of units you will be taking abroad. Your financial aid eligibility for summer will then be determined based on your current FAFSA or CADAA eligibility and number of enrolled summer units. You can accept your aid through the Student Center.
Financial aid disbursement follows the Chico State summer aid disbursement schedule. This means (depending on your program start date) that you may not receive a financial aid refund until after your summer program begins. Any study abroad fees that are due before aid disbursement are your responsibility and may need to be paid out of pocket. For more details please schedule a financial aid appointment.
How Financial Aid is Disbursed
Enroll in e-Refund through your Student Center under Financials. This will allow your financial aid refund to be deposited directly to your bank account.
University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC), CSU Chancellor's Office International Program (IP) and American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) Payments:
If you are paying USAC, IP or AIFS fees with your financial aid, you will need to provide USAC, IP or AIFS with a copy of your Financial Aid Offer Letter. A link to this letter should have been emailed to your Wildcat email. If you need a new copy of the letter, please contact our office.
Each of these three programs will defer payment for the amount of accepted/pending aid for the term(s) you are studying abroad, as long as you are eligible for the first disbursement of the term, which is Thursday prior to the start of each term. If you have any holds or items on your To Do list, you may not be eligible for the first disbursement. See USAC’s fee page for more information. For fee payment information:
If you requested to have funds deferred for your financial aid, Student Financial Services (SFIN) will post a USAC, IP, or AIFS charge on your student account for the amount due at the program. Once your financial aid is processed SFIN will send the appropriate program and amount to pay your fees, as a courtesy. The remaining financial aid will refund to you. If you do not have enough financial aid to pay your program fees you will be responsible to pay the difference directly to your program. If your program fees are paid in full by you, your financial aid will refund to you as normal.
Direct International Exchange and Chico State Sponsored Programs
Financial aid recipients are required to pay the difference between all charges for the term and your pending aid by the fee payment deadline. View your pending financial aid in the Financials section of your Student Center.