Federal Financial Aid

Any student who is a U.S. citizen is eligible to apply for federal Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, and PLUS Loans. Funds from these sources can possibly be used for study abroad programs such as Semester at Sea.

Many home institutions will process federal financial aid on behalf of their students and forward the funds to our program based on an understanding called a "consortium agreement". Students must inquire with their home school about federal aid before applying through Semester at Sea.

If the home school is unable to process the federal aid, occassionally the aid is able to be processed by the University of Virginia (if your school and the University of Virginia have signed a consortium agreement).

Students applying for federal financial aid are required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA).