Study Abroad
Your financial aid can travel with you. It applies to approved study abroad programs when the courses count toward your CU Anschutz degree.
Which Programs Qualify
Approved programs usually fall into one of these four groups.
Faculty-Led Programs
Programs led by CU Denver or CU Anschutz faculty.
Approved Independent Programs
Approved programs run by other accredited U.S. schools or by study abroad agencies.
Exchange Programs
Approved international exchange programs.
Programs at Foreign Schools
Programs at schools abroad, approved through the Office of Global Education.
Steps to Take
1
File Your FAFSA
File the FAFSA for the aid year that covers your program. Without it, nothing else on this page applies.
2
Get Approved to Travel
Once you have chosen a program, contact the Office of Global Education for approval to travel there. You also need approval from your own program or school.
3
Complete the Study Abroad Request Form
After your travel is approved, the Global Education Office will give you the Study Abroad Financial Aid Request Form. Read the instructions carefully, obtain the required signatures, and return it to us. Your aid cannot be adjusted until we have it.
4
Watch Your Email and To Do List
We may need more from you before your aid is set. Check your university email and your To Do List in UCDAccess while we review your request. In addition, you must be registered for the study abroad course before additional financial aid can be awarded.
FINAL DEADLINE
Your completed Study Abroad Financial Aid Request Form is due no later than four weeks before the start of the semester in which you depart. Requests after that point cannot be guaranteed.
What Your Aid Covers
THERE IS STILL A CEILING
Your total aid cannot exceed your cost of attendance. That figure covers the program plus any regular CU Anschutz courses you take that term. Study abroad scholarships can help close a gap.
If Your Aid Does Not Cover the Program
Study abroad can cost more than a normal term. Say you have already borrowed your annual maximum in Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans. A private student loan may cover the difference. Parents of dependent undergraduates may also be able to borrow a Parent PLUS Loan.
BEFORE YOU COUNT ON A PLUS LOAN
Federal borrowing changed on July 1, 2026. Graduate PLUS Loans ended for new borrowers on June 30, 2026, and Parent PLUS Loans now have per-student caps. Your Cost of Attendance is no longer the only limit. Check what you can borrow before you commit to a program.
TALK TO US BEFORE YOU COMMIT
Costs, deadlines and aid work differently for every program. Contact us while you are still choosing, not after you have paid a deposit. Email [email protected] or call 303-724-8039.