Rice Financial Aid

Financial aid and study abroad

If you qualify for financial aid (federal aid, grants, loans, scholarships, etc.) through Rice, your aid is transferrable to a Rice-approved study abroad program (semester or full academic year). For those currently receiving aid, the usual procedures for renewal of aid will be in effect. For students who wish to pursue aid, you must complete the financial aid process through the Office of Financial Aid. The Budget Worksheet described above serves as the basis for determining your financial need for the term abroad. Award amounts will be adjusted according to the cost of attendance (COA) at the host university, but only up to the cost of Rice's COA.

This means:

• If the program’s COA is more than Rice’s COA, you'll be responsible for covering the difference.
• If the program’s COA is less than Rice’s COA, the Office of Financial Aid will modify your need-based portion of your financial aid package to reflect your new financial needs.

Note that students are not able to participate in federal work study while abroad. Students who participate in federal work study should consult with the Office of Financial Aid to learn what effect this will have.

Disbursement of financial aid funds

All Rice financial aid will be disbursed through the Cashier’s Office. The Cashier’s Office will only disburse funds after Rice Study Abroad grants approval to participate in a Rice-approved study abroad program for credit. The funds will be directly deposited to an account through the bill payment suite on Esther. Please be aware you are responsible for paying program fees directly to your provider by the required due date.

Note that financial aid will not disburse funds until one week prior to the start of the Rice semester. Most programs are flexible if payment deadlines fall before the disbursement date, but you must inform your program provider of your situation and when the funds will be available. Please provide the Office of Financial Aid ample time to complete any forms requested by your study abroad program.

Summer study

If you've previously received financial aid at Rice, you can apply for loans to fund summer study abroad experiences through the Office of Financial Aid on their website here. Students must be registered for a minimum of 6 credit hours for the summer term. Please keep in mind that funds are extremely limited. Students should consult with the Office of Financial Aid to confirm remaining loan amounts/eligibility. Students may apply for limited summer financial aid by submitting a Summer Financial Aid Request Form to the Office of Financial Aid. The application deadline to be considered for summer financial aid is typically mid-May.