There are many good sites for help with finding financial aid to support your studies outside the USA, Canada or Mexico - FinAid is one of the best places to start . . .
According to the
FinAid website:
"Generally, for financial aid to be "portable" to a study abroad program, the student must carry at least a half-time load at the foreign institution and receive credit for the program toward his or her degree."
This means that you're going to have to go full-time at a university in the UK to qualify for US financial aid - the same is true for most scholarships and bank loans, as well.
"The study abroad program must advance the student toward a degree and not merely be providing an enrichment experience."
This means you can't fly to London to take a 5 credit cooking class or Tai Chi Workshop - it's got to be a full-fledged academic program that leads to a degree (in some cases a remedial one-year course to help you get ready to take the 3-year B.A., etc. qualifies, and these are called "Foundation" courses in the UK).
"There may also be other eligibility restrictions, depending on the financial aid program. But as a general rule, many students will be able to take their Title IV funding (Pell, Stafford and PLUS) overseas with them."
"If the study abroad program is approved for credit by the school, and the student meets the usual eligibility requirements for federal aid, the school is not allowed to deny federal aid to the student just because he or she is participating in a program of study abroad."
"Institutional aid, however, is subject to the school's own policies."
"Students who participate in study-abroad programs that cost more than the usual cost of attendance for their school may be able to get an increase in their Federal Pell Grant to help cover those costs."
Visit the UK Film Studies and World Cinema and Music Import Showcase
Study Abroad in Britain, Europe and the U.S.A. / Canada Website.
AIM: ATRiuM Intelligent Media
© 2011 Dr. Mark Leslie Woods
