Features Campus & Capital
page 6 • tuesday, march 12, 2013
Technician
Financing study abroad: How’s the exchange rate? 1. Universidad de Costa Rica: $6,900 2.Universidad San Francisco de Quito: $7,680
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3.University of Manchester University: $9,200 4. Semester in Spain: $10,750
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5. ESB Business School at Reutlingen University: $8,800 6. University of Cape Town: $15,250 7. Tsinghua University: $5,750
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8. Hong Kong Polytechnic University: $11,450
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9. University of Seoul: $5,400 10. Sophia University: $9,700 11. Monash University: $10,850
Commentary By Andrea Danchi | Graphic By Emily Prins & Russ Smith
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tudents are frequently encouraged by faculty and advisors to take advantage of study abroad opportunities available through the school. Deciding to go abroad is the easy part. The difficulties begin for many students when facing the question, “How am I going to pay for this?” Students going abroad often take out large loans to cover their expenses. In some cases those loans are equivalent to an entire year of in-
state tuition at N.C. State. Applying for financial aid to study abroad can be very confusing. If finances are tight, the most important thing is to apply for as much financial assistance through as many avenues as possible. There are four primary ways to apply for study abroad funding at N.C. State. The Study Abroad Office provides an average of $950 per student through their scholarship application process. Applying for multiple
scholarships on the application increases a student’s chances of receiving financial help. The Study Abroad Office doesn’t award applicants the scholarships until after down payments are due for study abroad programs, and those down payments are nonrefundable. Consequently, if a student needs more than approximately $1000 of assistance, it is vital to apply for additional financial aid. So what are some of the
Numbers are an estimate from ncsu study abroad
“Having someone here fullother avenues for financial time to work with students is help? Student fellowships are an something that I think was excellent source of additional very important,” Kershner financial aid. Applications said. “I want to meet with are handled through the students individually to Fellowship Advising Office. make sure that they’re really These prestigious national a good match for a particular fellowships award larger fellowship program ... and try sums of money, and stu- to figure out which opportudents can apply for them to nities would be the best fit for fund many things, including them.” She organizes mock-instudy abroad. For the past two years, Tif- terviews with distinguished fany Kershner, a personal N.C. State alumni and adadvisor for students at the ministrators to prepare stuFellowship Advising Office, dents for the national interhas worked to help as many view in the fellowship appliundergraduate and graduate cation process. “There’s a lot of support students as possible receive from the administration bethese national fellowships. In the past, N.C. State av- cause they see these opportueraged one or two Benjamin nities as important ones for Gilman Scholarship winners the students, but also for the University p e r c yc le . as a whole,” Last fall, said KershKershner asner. sisted in obThe most taining ten competitive of these felapplication lowships for time is the N.C . State summer. students. Summer “We’ve fellowships seen a lot can provide more diverTiffany Kershner, a personal up to $3000. sity in the advisor for students at the Fellowship Advising Office Kershner kinds of stumentioned dents applying for these,” Kershner said. that students who are more Fellowships like the Gil- financially pressed could apman have many individual ply for spring fellowships. requirements that students These provide up to $5000 have to meet. Kershner does and are less competitive bepersonal advising to help stu- cause fewer students apply dents know which fellowships for them. However, these fellowships they are eligible for. She also reviews students’ applications are also awarded after the due with them as much as neces- date for study abroad down payments. Kershner advises sary before the deadline.
“For a lot of these fellowships, it’s not easy, and sometimes impossible, to do it last minute”
students to start the fellowship application process very early so that she can work with them to produce the highest quality application possible. “For a lot of these fellowships, it’s not easy, and sometimes impossible, to do it at the last minute,” Kershner said. “You want to put together a strong application for the campus committee because you want to be endorsed.” Outside scholarships are another source of financial aid. These scholarships, as well as the student fellowships, are listed on the study abroad website. For personal advising about applications and deadlines concerning outside scholarships and questions regarding international experience, one should visit the Study Abroad Office. Advisors will work one-on-one with students to answer questions and guide them through the application processes for all outside scholarships. A final way for students to receive funding is through the Office of Financial Aid. After students have submitted their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in the spring, the loans that they receive may qualify to be used for study abroad. When students accept financial aid awards, they should not decline any that they don’t intend to use for tuition in the fall semester — they may be applicable for study abroad later in the year, Kershner said.
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