Frequently asked study abroad questions

You can reach the International and Off-Campus Programs Office (IOP) at internationalprograms@augustana.edu. Students can also make a study away appointment on Handshake with either Sean Yerkey or Steven Duke. 

The best place to start is our study away portal, where you can see all of our study away offerings and information about application deadlines, academics, housing, and estimated costs. We also hold a study abroad fair every semester where you can meet faculty leaders and representatives from our study abroad partners. 

After you have chosen a program that you want to apply to, you can log in to our study away portal using your Augustana College login information. Then, find the program page that you want to apply to and click the apply button. You will be prompted to fill out the application and pay the indicated application fee/program deposit before being able to submit the application for review.

Some faculty leaders accept study away applications on a first-come, first-served basis. In these cases, students are encouraged to submit their study away application and application fee/program deposit early in order to secure their spot.

Other faculty leaders will first review study away applications for their program. During their review, they will make sure that a student meets any prerequisites necessary for the program. If a program receives more applications than there are roster spots, then a selection process is used. This process places students into pools based on a combination of academic year and GPA at the time of application. Some faculty leaders may look at additional criteria for their selection process, such as a student’s major or previous coursework. A program roster is created by selecting students from the highest ranking pool, then the second, etc. If an applicant is not accepted into their initial program of choice, they may transfer their application to an open program.

There are many scholarship opportunities available that are specific to studying away. All students are encouraged to review our funding study abroad page as a starting point when looking for scholarships. 

In terms of using your standard financial aid package towards a study away program, this depends on the type of program you are participating in. Please refer to the financial aid section of our Study Away Policies and Guidelines page for more information. 

Students who participate in any Augustana study away program should check with the Office of Financial Aid to determine any potential greater eligibility for student loans or other aid options.

You can find information about Augie Choice and the Augie Choice application here. If you want to utilize your Augie Choice for a study away program, you must submit your Augie Choice application before your program starts. 

Program fees for faculty-led programs will be charged to the student’s account and will be due in accordance with the term billing schedule. Please refer to the Student Accounts: tuition and payment policies for more information.

The program fee listed on the study away portal for faculty-led programs is an estimate. These estimated program fees are determined over one year in advance and are subject to change. The estimated fee includes costs that can change over time based on the fluctuation of goods and services, transportation, housing, how many students enroll in the program, etc. The final program fee will be determined at a later date, before being added to student accounts for payment.

For semester-long partner programs, students will be charged their usual Augustana semester tuition as if they were on-campus, instead of paying tuition directly to the program provider/host university. Some higher cost programs will incur a $1,000-$3,000 additional fee along with tuition. For programs where housing and/or meals are included, students will also be charged Augustana housing (double hall price) and/or meal plan (full meal plan price). If the program does not include housing and/or meals, students will not pay Augustana housing/meal plan for that semester and will be responsible for paying for housing directly to the program/host university or on-site. Students can check the program page on the study abroad portal to see what they will be charged by Augustana, what they will be charged directly by the program provider/host institution, and estimated additional expenses.

The applicable study abroad program costs will be charged to the student’s account and will be due in accordance with the term billing schedule. Please review the Student Accounts: tuition and payment policies for more information.

For stays longer than 90 days, most countries will require Proof of Sufficient Funds or Proof of Financial Support. This documentation demonstrates that you have the ability to support yourself financially while living in the host country. This documentation will be required when applying for a visa before entering the country, and/or when applying for a residence permit once you are in-country. If you are planning on participating in a semester-long program, you should be prepared to obtain this documentation. 

Each country has different requirements when it comes to acceptable documentation; some examples include bank statements, official bank letters, and financial aid award letters. Each country also determines the minimum amount that must be proven. It is common for countries to require proof of $700-$1,500 per month of stay in the country.