Financial Aid

Scholarships

View our scholarships page to learn about the scholarships available for study abroad students.

Program Types and Financial Aid

The type of program you select will affect your financial aid package. It is very important to meet with a financial aid counselor before studying abroad so you are aware of the financial impact of your decision.

Each program’s brochure page has an information sheet (see example below) that lists whether it is eligible for Marquette scholarships and grants. Students who wish to participate in non-Marquette programs must submit additional paperwork. See the Petition Policy for Study Abroad through Non-Marquette Programs for more information.

Financial Aid Procedures

If you are a full-time Marquette student planning to study abroad through a Marquette-approved program, the financial aid application procedure is the same as if you were studying on campus.

However, it is particularly important that you apply for financial aid early so funds will be available to you before you go abroad. The amount and type of aid will vary depending on the program type and your individual aid package.

If you are a Marquette student participating in the dependent tuition remission program, please review the policy on tuition remission for study abroad to understand how it applies to study abroad.

Before You Leave

1. Apply for financial aid early in the process.
2. Discuss your plans with a financial aid counselor. Will your current financial aid apply to the study abroad program you have chosen? 
3. Share all financial aid information with your parent(s) or guardian(s).
4. Contact the Office of the Bursar.
   • If you are eligible for aid that requires a check to be signed, make arrangements to do so with the Office of the Bursar before you depart.
   • If your aid will exceed your charges, make arrangements with the bursar to receive your refund check or sign up for direct deposit before leaving.

While You’re Away

While studying abroad, make sure you have someone maintain your financial aid records. If you are away during spring semester and plan to return to school in the upcoming academic year, you must make arrangements to have someone file your financial aid application for the next academic year. The form should be filed in January for priority consideration. This person will also potentially need to provide additional paperwork in your absence (e.g., federal tax returns).

Dropping below full-time status or completely withdrawing from your program will have an adverse effect on your financial aid package. Therefore, if your enrollment status changes, notify the Office of Student Financial Aid and Office of International Education immediately.

Need More Help?

The Office of Student Financial Aid can help you understand the impact studying abroad will have on your aid package and verify that you have done everything you need to have your aid reinstated upon your return to Marquette. Any questions about financial aid can be referred to Marquette Central at (414) 288-4000.

Additionally, review the following financial aid handouts for study abroad during an academic year and for a summer term.

Each program page on MUGlobal Portal will have a budget sheet linked toward the top of the page for each available term.

The program budget sheet will outline the estimated total costs for each program. As you can see in the example budget sheet below, there are billable and non-billable costs.

All billable amounts will be charged to your CheckMarq account. This bill can be paid in the same manner as when you study on campus.

All non-billable expenses are out-of-pocket costs and will need to be paid directly to the appropriate entity (e.g., airfare would be paid to the airline from which you purchase your round-trip ticket; housing would be paid directly to your program or appropriate housing entity).

Note: Marquette tuition rates will apply to most Marquette programs abroad.

All Marquette students traveling abroad in 2025 and beyond will be registered for Marquette required health insurance for the duration of the program. Students traveling abroad in 2024 are registered in GeoBlue. See Insurance // Study Abroad // Marquette University website for additional policy details and cost. 

Remember to check out our affordable study abroad programs* list. We have compared costs across all Marquette study abroad programs to the cost of attending Marquette. View program-specific expenses of a study abroad program through the Finances tab on a program's brochure page.

*NOTE: Comparisons are based on the total anticipated cost of attending the study abroad program (including fees, required course materials and educational supplies, living expenses including housing and food, transportation, and personal expenses) and the estimated cost of attendance at MU for an undergraduate student living on-campus, (based on tuition classification; excluding any additional program tuition for specific majors). Program costs are subject to change, and your actual cost of participating in a specific study abroad program will depend on a variety of factors, so be sure to refer to your study abroad program cost sheet for complete and up-to-date program cost details.

Withdrawal and Refund Policy

Once accepted into a study abroad program, student must decide by the commitment deadline whether to commit or decline acceptance to the program.  

Students who complete the commitment steps and decide to withdraw after the commitment deadline must contact the Office of International Education (OIE) in writing by emailing studyabroad@marquette.edu. Programs have a tuition charge, program fee (for faculty-led programs), and insurance charges posted to CheckMarq following the commitment deadline. 

Students who withdraw will be subject to the following withdrawal and refund policy:

• What student owes for program fee and insurance (tuition withdrawal timeline will differ per MU policies)*
  • Withdrawal prior to Commitment Deadline: Nothing is owed - student receives full refund, including his or her $500 program deposit if previously paid
  • Withdrawal 30 days or more prior to program start date: Student forfeits the $500 non-refundable program deposit and remains responsible for paying the unrecoverable program costs.
  • Withdrawal 29 days or less prior to program start date: Student forfeits the $500 non-refundable program deposit, insurance, and remains responsible for paying the full cost of the program
• What student owes MU for tuition
  • Fees assessed for MU tuition will follow the Bursar's Office's policies and regulations which can be found on their website.

Consular issues: Students must acquire the proper immigration documents to enter the destination country and/or secure transit visas and are advised to do so well ahead of departure dates. If a student does not obtain his or her passport prior to departure and/or a student's visa application to travel to the program location is denied by the embassy or consulate in question, the student is responsible for program costs according to the refund schedule outlined above.

Compliance with deadlines and/or disciplinary issues: Students that are withdrawn from their program by OIE due to not completing requirements by deadlines and/or are placed on probation due to disciplinary issues will still be subject to the established deadlines above.

Marquette University program cancellation for health and safety reasons: A health and safety review of any program is ongoing to the date of departure and continues in country. Marquette University reserves the right to cancel a program at any time due to health and safety issues or concerns. If a program is canceled by Marquette University prior to program departure, any applicable $500 deposit, international health insurance charge, or program fee paid through Marquette will be refunded.* Students should refer to the tuition withdrawal timeline for information regarding tuition refunds.

*The Withdrawal & Refund Policies above relates only to expenses billed to students by MU for participation in the study abroad program. Refunds for fees paid or owed to Marquette University will be based on expenses the Office of International Education is able to recover on my behalf. MU does not in any instance reimburse for non-billable/out-of-pocket expenses. Refunds for non-billable costs paid to external entities are subject to the external entity's withdrawal policies.

If you are a full-time Marquette student planning to study abroad through a Marquette-sponsored, exchange or affiliated program, the financial aid application procedure is the same as if you were studying on campus.

However, it is particularly important that you complete your financial aid application early so funds will be available to you before you go abroad.

Financial Aid Awards

The amount and type of aid will vary depending on your program and your individual aid package. The following are the steps that must be taken to ensure that everything is in order before you leave:

• Discuss your plans with a financial aid counselor. Will your current financial aid apply to the study abroad program you have chosen?
• Share all financial aid information with your parent(s) or guardian(s).

When to Contact the Office of the Bursar

Contact the Office of the Bursar:

• If you are eligible for aid that requires a check to be signed, make arrangements to do so with the Office of the Bursar before your departure.
• If your aid will exceed your charges, make arrangements with the bursar to receive your refund check or sign up for direct deposit before leaving.

While You're Away

While studying abroad, make sure you have someone maintain your financial aid records. If you are away during spring semester and plan to return to school in the upcoming academic year, you must make arrangements to have someone file your financial aid application for the next academic year. The form should be filed in January for priority consideration. This person will also potentially need to provide additional paperwork in your absence (e.g., federal tax returns).

Dropping below full-time status or completely withdrawing from your program may have an adverse effect on your financial aid package. Therefore, if your enrollment status changes, notify the Office of Student Financial Aid immediately.

Need More Help?

The Office of Student Financial Aid can help you understand the impact studying abroad will have on your aid package and verify you have done everything you need to have your aid reinstated upon your return to Marquette. Any questions regarding financial aid may be referred to Marquette Central at (414) 288-4000.

In addition to the steps for Marquette programs, students in non-Marquette programs need to know the following:

Marquette aid, including grants and/or university scholarships, does not transfer to non-Marquette study abroad programs, but federal and state aid can be applied to all programs accredited in the United States or by the ministry of education in the country of study. A full consortium agreement and supporting documents are required for all students participating in non-Marquette study abroad programs who meet any of the following requirements:

• The student is seeking any financial aid (including alternative loans) for the term of study abroad (applies to the fall, spring and summer terms) and/or
• The student needs verification of at least half-time enrollment to defer loan repayments because of a prior history of receiving federal financial aid (applies to semester terms only) and/or
• The student needs full-time enrollment for health insurance purposes (applies to semester terms only).

Students requiring a consortium agreement for any of the circumstances above should submit the required documents for students studying in non-Marquette programs.

Need More Help?

The Office of Student Financial Aid can help you understand the impact studying abroad will have on your aid package and verify you have done everything you need to have your aid reinstated upon your return to Marquette. Any questions about financial aid may be referred to Marquette Central at (414) 288-4000.

Using the Study Abroad Finanical Aid Guide

Aid eligibility varies for each Marquette student, study abroad program and term. To assist with determining your aid eligibility, check out our financial aid study abroad guide below (links are active!).

• Hover over the guide below and click on the three-dots icon in the lower-right corner to Hide Controls so you can easily navigate and explore the links.
• This guide does not account for every Marquette student's financial aid/situation. It is strongly recommended that students reach out to Marquette Central in Zilber Hall to discuss specifics.

 

Budgeting for study abroad takes time and research. However, you can avoid unpleasant surprises if you plan carefully. To get started:

How much does a semester or year at Marquette cost?

This will be your baseline for comparison. Be as specific as possible about your expenses. Be sure to include the following:

• Tuition
• Travel
• Books and supplies
• Room/rent, meals (include snacks)
• Entertainment and social events
• Miscellaneous

2. How much would a semester or year abroad cost?

Be as specific as possible. If in doubt, use generous estimates. It is better to budget too much money than to find yourself in a foreign country short of funds. Be sure to include the following:

Pre-Trip Expenses (estimate $250):

• Application fees, pictures, passport and visa
• International Student Identification Card
• International Youth Hostel membership
• Travel books

Other Expenses

• Tuition
• Room and board
• Backpack, luggage
• Insurance
• Gifts and souvenirs
• Daily expenses
• Postage
• Entertainment and social events
• Food
• Books and supplies
• International travel
• Sightseeing (include admission fees)
• Miscellaneous expenses

Note: Use caution when comparing the bottom lines of different programs. Some programs include items such as living expenses including housing and food, insurance, etc., and others don't. Also, even if your financial aid is not fully transferable, your actual cost to study abroad will not necessarily be higher than the actual cost of studying at Marquette for that semester. Also keep in mind that your actual cost will depend on the exchange rate at the time you study abroad.

3. How much money do you have available?

When estimating the cost of your study abroad experience, be sure to include all available funding sources, including:

• Savings
• Outside grants, scholarships and aid
• Assistance from family members
• Loans
• Fundraising activities

Note: It is unadvisable to count on working abroad to earn money. Even internships tend to be unpaid. Many countries do not permit foreign students to work, and those that do require work permits. We recommend that you do not rely on overseas employment income when budgeting.

Other resources:

• You can also use this budget sample from NAFSA: Association of International Educators to help you estimate your budget for your international experience.
• Check out the slides from our 'Budgeting While Abroad' presentation!