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Financial Aid for Global Exchange Students

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Your financial aid eligibility will cover the total costs of your program. Your program budget consists of tuition, fees, room and board, insurance, roundtrip airfare, incidentals, visa fees, and transportation. Personal entertainment expenses and leisure travel are not included.

Global Exchange students are awarded based on their program budget. If your Global Exchange budget is greater than the UC San Diego budget, you may be eligible for additional loan or grant eligibility. If your Global Exchange budget is less than the UC San Diego budget, your financial aid will be reduced.

Academic Year (Fall, Spring & Year Programs)

  • Various types of financial aid are available for eligible students during the academic year, including federal, state, and institutional grants, scholarships, Cal Vet Tuition Waiver, federal and private loans. The Post 9/11 GI Bill and other federal VA Education Benefits (besides Cal Vet Tuition Waiver) cannot be used for Global Exchange programs. Work-Study cannot be used abroad and will be converted into additional loan eligibility.
    Cal Vet Tuition Waver Recipients: For questions regarding veterans benefits please email the Student Veterans Resource Center (SVRC) at svrc@ucsd.edu.

Be sure to apply and/or accept your loans as early as possible to avoid delays and ensure the maximum financial aid eligibility.

Global Exchange students are eligible for a variety of scholarships for their program abroad. These include:

If awarded a scholarship, the UC San Diego Financial Aid & Scholarships Office will adjust your aid accordingly.

For more information on what scholarships are available, please visit the UC San Diego Study Abroad Scholarships Website.

Global Exchange students apply for Financial Aid in the same way as any other UC San Diego undergraduate student. Please ensure that you:

  • Submit your 2024-25 FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application (CADAA) by the May 2, 2024 state deadline.
  • Submit all documents requested by the Financial Aid & Scholarships Office in a timely manner.

The UC San Diego Study Abroad office will provide our office with a list of Global Exchange participants. Once the budget for your Global Exchange program has been determined, your award will be adjusted to your program cost, and you will receive a notification of your revised award letter approximately 2 weeks before the start of your program. Your award can be viewed via your TritonLink Account and will be applied to your UC San Diego billing account.

  • If your financial aid is less than the Global Exchange program fees, you are responsible for the difference.
  • If your financial aid exceeds the Global Exchange program fees, you will receive a refund. If you are due for a refund, Global exchange students will receive their disbursements according to the UC San Diego Quarterly Disbursement Schedule.

To view your balance, please visit your Tritonlink Account.

For information regarding refunds/disbursements, please refer to the UC San Diego Quarterly Disbursement Schedule and review your TritonLink Account.

If you have any questions regarding your refund/disbursement, please contact UC San Diego Student Financial Solutions.

UC San Diego provides Global Exchange students with refunds via direct deposit or mail. Refunds are issued directly to the student named on the student account in question.

  • Direct Deposit: To enroll in Direct Deposit, use the Direct Deposit tool via TritonLink. For more information on how to enroll in Direct Deposit, please visit the Student Financial Solutions Website. Once processed, direct deposit refunds are transferred and available for use within 2-3 business days.
  • Postal Mail: If you are not enrolled in Direct Deposit. UC San Diego Student Financial Solutions will mail paper checks to the corresponding current or permanent mailing address. Paper check mailing time averages 5-7 business days via standard mailing time.
    *NOTE: If receiving a paper check, please ensure your address is up to date.

*All financial aid will apply to your UC San Diego account and pay towards your Tuition and program fees. If your aid exceeds you bill, you will be entitled to a refund.

If you withdraw prior to the program start date, any financial aid that has been awarded will be retracted via your UC San Diego account. If you plan on attending UC San Diego, your financial aid will be reinstated for the term you are returning.

If you withdraw from your program after the program start date, you will be considered a post-departure withdrawal. Your award letter will be reassessed based on your withdrawal date and the withdrawal calculation. Once the revision is complete, you will receive a billing statement from UC San Diego.

*NOTE: You may be subject to housing or other host campus-based fees in the event of a withdrawal. Please consult with an advisor.

Award letters for Global Exchange students are based off financial aid eligibility and are subject to change. Any change with your award letter will affect your UC San Diego account balance. You are responsible for paying off any programs fees and retracted financial aid disbursements.

Common reasons for changes in financial aid include (but are not limited to) Global Exchange budget increase/decrease, scholarships, accepted loans, and withdrawals.

Ask UC San Diego Financial Aid about:

  • Study Abroad Financial Aid questions
  • Your financial aid award letter
  • Changes to your financial aid award
  • Confirmation and acceptance of awards

Contact: FAO-EAP@UCSD.EDU

Ask UC San Diego Student Financial Solutions about:

  • Billing
  • Disbursements
  • Account Statements

Contact: UC San Diego Student Financial Solutions

Ask your UC San Diego Study Abroad Advisor about:

  • Program Information
  • Program Budgets

Contact: UC San Diego Study Abroad Office