Non-NAU Students

Non-NAU students must check with their financial aid office at their home institution to see if any financial aid or scholarships can be applied towards a study abroad program at NAU.

NAU Students

It is the student's responsibility to understand how their financial aid works when studying abroad. The Office of Student Financial Aid has provided the following helpful information regarding financial aid & scholarships when studying abroad:

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), even if you are not sure you will need Financial Aid. You will need a pin number and you can get that at www.pin.ed.gov. If you are overseas and find that you need the funding, you will be glad you have it available for your use.

• If you already have financial aid please contact the Financial Aid office to discuss how it will work with your study abroad program.

• If you have a tribal scholarship, please contact the Financial Aid office to see if you will be able to apply it to your study abroad program.
  
  
• If your study abroad program is fee based, waivers cannot be used and will not cover your expenses (this includes WUE). For exchange programs (typically those programs lister under the NAU in XXXXX), waivers will reduce your expenses as they would if you were at NAU. (Please note that waivers cannot be used towards the NAU in Cuernavaca and NAU in Siena programs)
  
  
• If you want to use tribal awards toward your study abroad expenses you must submit written approval from your tribal scholarship office confirming your eligibility.
  
  
• Any outside/private donor scholarships you receive must be reported to the financial aid office for eligibility/tracking purposes.
  
  
• It is ultimately your responsibility to have your school credits from the overseas university transferred one semester after the completion of your study abroad program. Therefore, please make sure you submit your transcripts from your program abroad to the Center for International Education. If passing grades have not been posted after two semesters, you will be placed on financial aid suspension.
  
  
• Please keep your address current on LOUIE!!! Our office cannot mail any documents overseas!

• Your NAU E-mail will be the main form of communication that NAU will use to stay in contact with you so please be sure to check it regularly while you are abroad!

• Sign a Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act or FERPA form before you leave so that someone who you trust will have the ability to discuss business on your behalf while you are overseas. This form must be turned in to the office of the Registrar.

• Make sure that you have Direct Deposit set up through LOUIE for any refunds of your financial aid.

• Be aware of the start date of the classes you will be taking overseas, versus the start date of classes at NAU. It is a Federal Guideline that your funds cannot be released until 10 days prior to the start date of classes, even if they start well after those at NAU start! If your classes start earlier than those at NAU, your funds cannot be released until 10 days prior to the start date of NAU classes! In most cases you will not be able to use your financial aid funds to pay for airline tickets, deposits, etc… PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE FINANCIAL AID OFFICE ASKING IF YOUR FUNDS CAN BE RELEASED EARLIER THAN 10 DAYS PRIOR TO THE DATE YOUR CLASSES START! THEY CAN'T!

• If you need to fill out a consortium agreement, please check out the consortium agreements page for more information.

NOTE: The term “financial aid” refers to grants, loans, scholarships and tuition waivers. Your funding eligibility as a study abroad participant will be the same as you’re funding as an NAU campus student. Our office does not offer additional funding specifically for study abroad programs. Students are encouraged to check with the Center for International Education and online for possible private donor study abroad scholarships.

For any additional information on financial aid please contact Julie Diehl at (928) 523-4951, or via e-mail, at julie.diehl@nau.edu.