Financial Aid & Veteran's Benefits
Financial Aid & Study Abroad Programs
Depending on the study abroad program, and study abroad program type, some students may be able to use current or future financial aid to help pay for some of their study abroad program fees. All students who are currently receiving financial aid will need to make sure their financial information is up-to-date with the financial aid office and must be participating in a TAMU-CC approved, credit-bearing program.
Full-time Enrollment While Abroad
Students must be enrolled for a full-time course load during their term abroad, in order to be eligible for financial aid. To be considered full-time, students must be enrolled for a minimum of 12 U.S. credit hours for a semester-long study abroad program and a minimum of 6 U.S. credit hours over the course of the summer, for summer study abroad programs. Note for summer program participants, not all 6-credit hours need to be earned while abroad. For many summer study abroad programs, some students may only be able to take up to 3- credit hours, meaning they would have to make up the remaining 3 credit hours by enrolling in a different course (online, or on-campus) during a different summer term if necessary.
Financial Aid Disbursement Dates
Students who will be utilizing financial aid should note that financial aid disbursement will be done according to the TAMU-CC financial aid disbursement dates for the term that students will be abroad. Disbursement dates may affect a student's ability to pay their program fees on time, and/or affect when students can access their financial aid funds. Generally, financial aid is disbursed closer to the tuition payment deadlines.
Students will need to make sure that they are making appropriate financial arrangements in order to adhere to the program payment deadlines for their programs.
Contact the Financial Aid Office
All students who are considering utilizing financial aid towards to their program should work with the Financial Aid Office directly to learn more about their eligibility, financial aid award package, and how using financial aid for study abroad could effect their future financial aid.
Students can stop by the Financial Aid Office in the Student Services Center (Round building), or they can contact Ms.Cecilia De La Garza at Cecilia.delagarza@tamucc.edu to set up an appointment with the Financial Aid Office.
If you will be meeting with the Financial Aid Office, we would recommend bringing the following documents with you:
- An unofficial copy of your transcript
- A printed-out copy of your degree plan
- Study abroad program information:
- Program Name/Location
- Program Term
- Estimated Program Costs & What's included in the costs
- Estimated Out-of-Pocket expenses for costs that are not included in the overall program costs
Utilizing Veterans Benefits for Study Abroad
(GI Bill®, Hazelwood Act, Etc.)
Veteran Education Benefits may cover some of your study abroad program costs; however, the coverage depends on what kind of benefits you are eligible for, and what kind of restrictions may apply, based on those benefits.
In general, students utilizing veterans benefits will need to show that their study abroad program directly correlates with their degree plan. Students should also work with the Veterans Affairs Office to see what aspects of the study abroad program their benefits will cover: tuition, accommodations, travel, books/materials, etc.
Students should make sure they understand which benefits (state vs. federal) they are eligible for, as state benefits and federal benefits will differ. For example, most state benefits (i.e., Hazelwood) may only cover the cost of tuition; however, the tuition has been be assessed by, or payable to, TAMU-CC. This type of funding restriction may pose limitations on the types of programs students can participate in. In turn, this means that students utilizing the Hazelwood Act funding will be limited to exchange or faculty-led options.
To see whether your study abroad expenses can be covered by your Veteran Education Benefits, please contact the Veteran Affairs Office at 361-825-2331 or email veterans.affairs@tamucc.edu, located on the first floor of the Student Services Center (the Round Building), Monday through Friday 8 am - 5 pm.
Each Veteran Education Benefit package is very different, so you will need to contact the Veterans Affairs Office and set up an appointment. You may need the following for your first appointment:
- An unofficial copy of your transcript
- A printed-out copy of your degree plan
- All the information about the study abroad program that you would like to attend: which semester, the length of your studies, the start date of the program, and the courses that you would like to take
Veteran's Who May be Eligibility for Financial Aid?
On another note, many students who qualify for Veteran Education Benefits typically do not apply for, or might not know that they are eligible to apply for, Federal Student Aid as well. If you are currently utilizing Veteran Education Benefits, and typically do not apply for any Federal Financial Aid (via the Financial Aid Office), you should consider completing the FAFSA and exploring other financial aid options available through the Financial Aid Office.