Funding Your Program

LINKS & RESOURCES

Paying With Financial Aid

Wondering how you’ll fund your program? ISA’s got you covered! If you receive financial aid for your home university, you will likely be able to use those funds for study abroad too.  

What is considered financial aid?

Title IV funding (Pell, Stafford, and PLUS), grants, loans, university and private scholarships. Anything you typically use to fund your education is considered financial aid.  ISA is happy to accept any form of funding, but you’ll need to speak with your university or scholarship provider to determine if they can be used towards your study a program.

 

Inform Your University

Inform your university study abroad and financial aid offices you want to use financial aid to pay for an ISA study abroad program and ask about their requirements.

Complete & Submit Required Forms

  1. Log in to your ISA Student Portal, access the "Forms & Documents" section 
    Print and sign the ISA Verification of Award (VOA) form. You will complete the student section at the bottom of the VOA form. Please read the information carefully and then sign. If you do not see the VOA form in your portal, contact ISA.
  2. Go to your Financial Aid office 
    Submit the VOA form you signed. The completed form will indicate your award amount(s), release date(s) and to whom the funds will be sent. Ask if they require a Contractual (or Consortium) Agreement.
  3. Submit all financial aid related documents
    Submit all financial aid related documents to HigherEdFinAid@worldstrides.org as soon as possible. It is your responsibility to make sure all forms are submitted to ISA by your program’s Final Forms and Payment deadline.

Submit Payment

Failure to follow through with one of the options below by the payment due date could result in added fees to your ISA program cost and/or cancellation of your ISA application.

All required housing deposits and housing commitment fees are in addition to your program fee and must also be paid no later than the final forms and payment due date.

A Down Payment is a payment made to ISA to hold your space in the program while we wait for your aid to be disbursed. 

ISA MUST RECEIVE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BY YOUR ISA FINAL FORMS AND PAYMENT DEADLINE:

Full payment for the ISA program
Pay for the full program fee out-of-pocket and use your Financial Aid as reimbursement once it is released. Payments can be made through your ISA Student Portal via credit or debit card. A check or money order can also be mailed to ISA.

OR

VOA that guarantees full payment & your down payment

  • If your aid is released to you:
    Pay your Down Payment amount by your Final Forms and Payment deadline. When your financial aid is released, you will submit payment online via the ISA Student Portal using a credit or debit card. You will be responsible for payment of your full remaining balance at that time. Alternatively, you may also pay ISA using a personal check, cashier’s check, or a money order.

  • If your aid is released to ISA:
    Pay your Down Payment amount by your Final Forms and Payment deadline. No further action is necessary as your financial aid will be released directly to ISA, for an amount equal to or in excess of your balance due.

OR

VOA that guarantees partial payment and your payment for the remaining balance

  • If your aid is released to you:
    Pay the portion of your balance that will not be covered by financial aid via the ISA Student Portal using a credit or debit card. (This amount should be no less than your Down Payment amount) When your financial aid is released, you will submit payment online via the ISA Student Portal using a credit or debit card. You will be responsible for payment of your full remaining balance at that time. Alternatively, you may also pay ISA using a personal check, cashier’s check, or a money order.

  • If your aid is released to ISA:
    Pay the portion of your balance that will not be covered by financial aid. (This amount should be no less than your Down Payment amount)

Submit Verification of Course Enrollment

Once you are abroad and your course schedule has been finalized, you must submit the ISA Verification of Course Enrollment (VOCE) form in your ISA student portal.

This form allows us to confirm for your home university that you are enrolled full time and the approximate number of credits you will receive. Most U.S. universities require this information before they can release any financial aid.

Down Payments

  • $300 for each 4-week and 6-week ISA Service-Learning programs
  • $500 for each Remote Program, Summer Program, Intensive Month Program, or 8-week ISA Service-Learning programs (with the exception of the specific programs listed below)
  • $1,000 for each Semester Program, Trimester Program, or Back-to-Back Summer Program (with the exception of the specific programs listed below)
  • $1,500 for each Year Program, Back-to-Back Semester Program, or Back-to-Back Trimester Program (with the exception of the specific programs listed below)
  • $1,000 for the London (except Westminster) Summer, Stirling (single session) Summer, Berlin (except Summer 5 & 6) Summer, and Italy Summer Programs
  • $1,500 for Westminster Summer programs
  • $1,500 for the England, Scotland, Prague, and Florence Semester and Year Programs
  • $1,500 for the EuroScholars programs
  • $2,000 for Stirling back-to-back Summer Programs
  • $2,000 for the Berlin Semester, Year, and Summer 5 & 6 Programs
  • $2,000 for the Valencia FSU Semester and Year Programs

*All required housing deposits (in addition to the Down Payment) must be paid no later than the final forms and payment due date.

Down Payment Amounts can be made via debit/credit card on the ISA Student Portal or via check or money order (to be deposited immediately upon receipt).

 

Important Note

Failure to follow through with one of the options by the payment due date could result in added fees to your ISA program cost and/or cancellation of your ISA application. If the VOA is not available by the ISA program due date, you may either submit payment in full or contact ISA so that we can assist you in setting up a payment plan, which will require an initial payment no less that the Down Payment amount. 

Still Have Questions?

Please contact the ISA office if you have questions, need alternative options, or cannot meet a deadline.

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