Applying to Participate in a UC Merced Study Abroad Program
The UC Merced Office of International Affairs is the portal to hundreds of study abroad opportunities that are available. To apply for a study abroad program, visit the UC Merced Study Abroad website.
If you enroll in a University of California-sponsored study abroad program, you may be eligible for financial aid through the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. The Office of International Affairs will provide the OFAS with a list of participants once you are accepted to the program. The type and amount of financial aid you may be eligible to receive depends on the type of program (UCEAP vs. IOP), the cost of your study abroad program, and your financial aid eligibility.
UC Merced Education Abroad Program
Applying for Financial Aid
As an Education Abroad Program (EAP) student, you will apply for financial aid in the same way as any other undergraduate student , by completing the FAFSA/CADAA application and satisfying all requirements on your checklist.
Students participating in a summer EAP program must also complete a Summer Financial Aid Application. To be considered for s ummer financial aid you must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 units. Funding is available for summer based on remaining eligibility, so please contact the OFAS for questions regarding Summer Session.
To request Proof of Financial Support, click here.
Financial Aid Awards
The OFAS will use your program's budget to determine your Cost of Attendance for the term you are abroad and to determine your financial aid awards that you may be eligible for. You will be awarded up to the full cost of your program. Y our awards may include a combination of grants, scholarships, student loans, and parent loan.
Once your program budget is made available, the OFAS will replace the cost of UC Merced with the cost of your Study Abroad Program, whether it’s a semester or year. Your financial aid will then be reevaluated and adjusted according to your eligibility. You will be awarded the maximum amount of financial aid you are eligible for. A financial aid advisor will then schedule a mandatory workshop you must attend to review your awards and direct costs with you.
Financial Aid Disbursement
Our office will notify the University- wide Office of Education Abroad Program Office (UOEAP) of the f inancial a id awarded to you. Only accepted and approved aid will be transferred to UOEAP. All the grants, scholarships, and loans awarded to you can be used to pay for your EAP expenses. UOEAP will then apply your accepted aid to your UOEAP account and your UOEAP program fees will be deducted from your financial aid. If there are any excess funds remaining after fees are paid a refund will be issued to you from the UOEAP office. Which you would use towards your “Out of Pocket” expenses, such as food, books, airfare etc. Refund disbursements can be automatically deposited in a bank account that you designate to UOEAP or a check will be sent to the U.S. address indicated. For more information regarding disbursements, visit the UOEAP website.
**If you have previously declined your loans and you still have remaining loan eligibility, you can complete an Adjustment to Loan form to re-establish your loans, which can be found in the Forms section
Billing
All billing will be managed directly through UOEAP. To view your bill, you will need to visit your MyEAP Account. Any questions regarding your bill or refund while abroad you must contact the UOEAP office.
Grades and Future Disbursements
One of the challenges for financial aid students who study abroad is the delay in receiving academic records from their foreign institution. These academic records are needed to complete our annual SAP review before we can release aid for the upcoming fall semester. To mitigate this issue, we delay our SAP review for UCEAP students until early August to allow more time for records to arrive. If records arrive beyond early August, options to release your financial aid hold include:
- Provide unofficial academic transcripts (with grades, if available) to temporarily release your hold until official records arrive, or
- Complete a SAP Appeal (for missing transcripts)
UCEAP Students who have submitted all of their checklist items, but are awaiting the final submission of their UCEAP records, and who have enough “accepted aid” to cover all but $2,000 or less of their balance will be protected from being dropped from fall classes. Aid will not be disbursed until official records are received, or until one of the options above is completed, and SAP is determined.
International Opportunities Program
The International Opportunities Program (IOP) includes all study abroad providers external to the University of California, such as UCEAP or any programs based on another UC campus.
Applying for Financial Aid
IOP Students apply for financial aid the same way as any other undergraduate student applying for financial aid, by completing the FAFSA/CADAA application and satisfying all requirements on their checklist.
Financial Aid Awards
Once you have completed the application to participate in a program, the OFAS will research what type of written agreement is appropriate for the student’s program. The agreement includes information about the length of the program and the cost of attendance to determine the student’s awards.Your financial aid awards will be updated based on the cost of attendance of the program once the agreement is returned from the host institution. Students participating in IOP are not eligible to receive institutional financial aid, such as the Bobcat Grant or any source where the funds come from UC Merced. If receiving the Cal Grant, the grant will be reduced to match the cost of tuition for the program.
Billing and Financial Aid Disbursement
Any accepted and approved financial aid will be disbursed directly to your and it will be your responsibility to pay any fees directly to the host campus.
