Choose Your Program
Finances
The easiest first step is to complete your UCIAbroad Profile. The Study Abroad Center can use the profile information to share helpful funding resources including scholarship opportunities and financial aid information.
Yes, it is! If you can afford to study here at UCI, you can afford to study abroad.The cost of each study abroad program is different and is available on the program’s website. Study abroad programs may cost more, less or the same as studying for the same period of time at UCI. Play close attention to what the cost includes. Look for tuition, housing, meals, airfare, location transportation, books, supplies, personal incidentals, etc.
Below is a comparison of the cost of a half year spent at UCI versus a half year spent abroad on a few of the UCEAP programs. In some cases, studying abroad can even be cheaper than attending UCI.
Half a year at UCI: $21,863
UCI Quarter: $14,575
UCI Year: $43,727
Source: Rounded estimates from the UCI Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Includes all costs for CA residents living off campus (tuition, housing, books, etc). Non-residents must add non-resident tuition. Information correct as of fall 2023
Sample UCEAP semester costs:
Source: UCEAP
Includes all costs for CA residents (tuition, airfare, housing, meals, etc.)
| Chile | $17,000-$20,000 | Mexico | $16,000-$20,000 |
| China | $14,000-$19,000 | New Zealand | $18,000-$19,000 |
| France | $22,000-$25,000 | Singapore | $16,000-$18,000 |
| Ghana | $21,000 | Spain | $19,000-$21,000 |
| Hong Kong | $16,000-$17,000 | Sweden | $15,000-$16,000 |
| Italy | $18,000-$26,000 | Thailand | $16,000 |
| Korea | $16,000-$19,000 | United Kingdom | $19,000-$32,000 |
You do not double pay. For the terms you are abroad, you pay your study abroad program fees directly to your program provider instead of paying registration fees to UCI.
Prior to departure check your Zot Account online to make sure you do not owe any money to UCI (library fines, lab fees, housing fees, USHIP Fee, etc.).
Pay any outstanding fees to UCI, including USHIP and UCSA (or apply for the waiver prior to the waiver deadline), before the fee payment deadline.
Please note the UCSHIP and UCSA fees do not appear as separate line items. Unless you have been waiving these fees you have been paying them as part of your UCI tuition every quarter.
EAP students must maintain their domestic health insurance coverage in order to be compliant with the Minimum Essential Coverage (MEC) requirements mandated by the Affordable Care Act.
Financial Aid Students – If you are eligible to receive financial aid to cover your health insurance cost, it will be included in your financial aid award and be up to you to use that portion of your aid disbursement to pay for the insurance.
Yes for UC programs only (UCEAP, UCI, Other UC)! Financial Aid eligibility criteria are the same when studying abroad or studying at UCI. Note: in order to receive financial aid you must receive credit and be making progress towards your degree. A student cannot receive aid if they have already met their degree requirements for graduation.
Your financial aid award (scholarships, grants, and/or loans) will be adjusted to cover the total cost of participation in the study abroad program you choose. Sources of aid and procedures vary depending on the study abroad program option you choose. Review and carefully consider the information below when selecting a program abroad.
If you have questions about your individual financial aid eligibility, contact a Financial Aid Counselor in the Financial Aid Office at eapfa@uci.edu.
Study Abroad Program Option | Financial Aid Available | Scholarships Available | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| UCEAP Fall/Year/Winter/Spring In-Person & Virtual | All Financial Aid Grants, scholarships, and loans – except work-study. More details. | Yes | Complete the FAFSA as usual. Students will automatically be contacted by the Financial Aid Office and notified of their revised financial aid award approximately 1-3 months before departure on UCEAP. |
| UCEAP Summer In-Person & Virtual | Very Limited Financial Aid Almost all loans and possibly very small grants. Funding is the same as for UCI Summer Session. More details. | Yes but very limited | A student must maintain at least 6.0 units (between all three summer sessions) in order to be eligible for financial aid. We encourage all students to estimate their financial aid eligibility for Summer Session online. Log into My Aid and select “Summer Session Financial Aid.” Students may also accept unused loans from the current year by June 1st to use while abroad. Do NOT complete the summer financial aid application. Your award will be based off of your current academic year FAFSA. Students will automatically be contacted by the Financial Aid Office and notified of their revised financial aid award approximately 1-3 months before departure on UCEAP. |
| UCI Faculty-Led All Terms | Very Limited Financial Aid | Yes but very limited | Varies; check with your sponsoring UCI department for details. |
| UCI Bilateral Exchange Programs Fall/Academic Year/Winter+Spring | All Financial Aid | Yes | Complete the FAFSA as usual. Any financial aid awards (scholarships, grants, accepted loans) will be applied toward your UCI Tuition and Fees. However, airfare, room and board, transportation, and visa fees may apply depending on your host university. |
| Other UC Programs Summer In-Person & Virtual | Very Limited Financial Aid Almost all loans and possibly very small grants. Funding is the same as for UCI Summer Session. | Yes but very limited | A student must maintain at least 6.0 units (between all three summer sessions) in order to be eligible for financial aid. We encourage all students to estimate their financial aid eligibility for Summer Session online. Log into My Aid and select “Summer Session Financial Aid.” Students may also accept unused loans from the current year by June 1st to use while abroad. Complete a Summer Session Financial Aid Application. Follow the instructions given under “Summer Session at another UC Campus.” |
| Independent Programs Study and Non-Study All Terms In-Person & Virtual | No Financial Aid | Yes | None |
Yes! There are scholarships specifically for studying abroad and other general scholarships that can be applied to some study abroad programs. Check out our Scholarships page to learn more.
Please contact the UCI Financial Aid Office at eapfa@uci.edu and the Veterans Services Office to find out more. Be prepared to provide specific details about your study abroad program. Note that VA education benefits (federal) cannot be used for study abroad.
More information coming soon!