We believe study abroad should be available to ALL students. Many students utilize their existing financial aid and scholarships on their study abroad programs, and many scholarships exist exclusively to fund study abroad.
The cost of studying abroad varies depending on multiple factors including program type, study abroad location, and length of program. We’ll help you identify which programs work best with your financial circumstances and which study abroad scholarships are available for your chosen program(s).
Partner University programs charge OU students the same tuition and fees that they would normally pay for a regular semester at OU. Therefore, the biggest difference is the cost of living difference between Norman and the program location.
Partner Provider programs are the only program type that does not charge OU tuition and fees. For Non-Resident students paying out-of-state tuition and fees, the cost of a Partner Provider program can be comparable to, if not more affordable than, a semester at OU. Partner Provider programs generally cost more because they offer additional student support services and group excursions, however some providers counter this cost increase by making their own scholarships and grants available to OU student participants.
Traditional study abroad destinations are typically more expensive locations, whereas some non-traditional study abroad destinations are more affordable. Some countries have lower costs of living than others, making them more budget-friendly for international students, and often OU students save money by studying abroad. Additionally, there more scholarship opportunities for students who choose a non-traditional study abroad location.
While longer study abroad programs may be more costly, they often provide more valuable experiences and benefits. Longer programs allow for deeper cultural immersion, better language acquisition, increased networking opportunities, and a chance to explore and understand the host country in greater depth. The extended duration also allows students to engage more extensively with their academic pursuits, potentially leading to a richer and more impactful learning experience.
Many of our study abroad programs charge OU tuition and fees and allow students to utilize their tuition waivers, scholarships and financial aid. Students should work with their study abroad advisor, the financial aid office and scholarship office, if applicable, to make sure they are taking all necessary steps to pick a program that corresponds to their financial aid resources. Additionally, OU and our partners around the world offer many scholarships specifically for studying abroad.
Budget breakdowns are available on each program's online brochure. Explore our programs to find specific details such as budget, courses, dates and more.
| Application/Registration Fee | Student Bursar Charges for All Programs | $50.00 |
| OU Tuition & Fees | OU Study Centers, Faculty-Led, and Partner University Programs are charged OU Tuition and Fees. OU-approved Partner Provider programs do not charge OU Tuition and Fees but do carry an Approved Programs Support fee charged to the Bursar. |
| Program Fee | OU Study Centers and Faculty-Led Programs charge a Program Fee that including your housing for the duration of the program, excursions and any in-country group travel, and some meals. Partner University Programs will only charge for housing accomodations. Partner Provider Programs will include housing and any in-country group travel in their overall Comprehensive Fee. |
| OU International Insurance Plan | All OU students traveling abroad are required to enroll in international travel and health insurance through Education Abroad. Students on a study abroad program through Education Abroad or an OU college will be automatically enrolled and charged. Other students should contact ea@ou.edu for enrollment and payment information. |
The Education Abroad office is committed to supporting global opportunities for all students through scholarships and financial aid. There are a ton of study abroad scholarships you can apply for nationally and through OU's Centralized Academic Scholarship Hub (CASH).
We also strongly encourage you to utilize OU’s Money Coaches. Money Coaches can help you plan for the financial side of study abroad by looking at the scholarships & financial aid you receive, comparing the study abroad cost sheet for your program to your Norman costs and advising on scholarships and other avenues to help pay for study abroad.
Please be aware that if you are considered a nonresident alien for US tax purposes, any financial aid or scholarship amounts you receive may be subject to taxation under specific conditions. These conditions depend on whether the awards exceed qualified tuition and fees (referred to as ‘excess awards’) during the calendar year, your residency status throughout that year, and the existence of tax treaties between the US and your home country. If you have any inquiries regarding the taxability of awards for nonresident aliens, feel free to contact fstax@ou.edu.
The Presidential International Travel Fellowship or "PITF" is a scholarship created to support international travel for study abroad for awards up to $2,000. Student awards will be given on a competitive basis to qualified students who demonstrate a high level of financial need.
Selection committee members review applications according to the following guidelines:
Suppose a student has not been approved or accepted to study abroad in time to meet the PITF application deadline. In that case, they should still apply by the application deadline as these applications will still be considered by the selection committee. If awarded, confirmation of program commitment will be required before receiving the actual funding.
A student must have a program selected when applying for the PITF and awarded funds apply only to the program listed in the application. Changing programs and locations later may result in a loss of scholarship funds.
Students are eligible to receive only one PITF award during the course of their academic career at OU.
Deadline: March 1 (Summer), April 1 (Fall Semester & Academic Year), October 1 (Spring Semester)
More information and application for the Presidential International Travel Fellowship can be found here.
The Philip Farish Study Abroad Scholarship was created to assist OU students pursuing a study abroad program. Scholarships are awarded on a demonstrated basis of need to qualified undergraduate and graduate students participating in OU study abroad programs.
Eligibility Criteria:
Priority will be given to applicants who study abroad for a semester or academic year and are in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
Early Bird Deadline: December 1 Deadline: February 1
Apply for the Philip Farish Study Abroad Scholarship by completing the Study Abroad Scholarship Application found in OU's Centralized Academic Scholarship Hub (CASH).
IMPORTANT NOTE: Any student unable to complete the program will be required to return the full amount of the award to the College of International Studies.
This scholarship was created out of the initiative and generosity of Eliot Feiler to honor his uncle, Seymour Feiler, who was a devoted professor of French in the Department of Modern Languages for many years. He was also very involved in Education Abroad and helped many international students while on campus. This scholarship assists undergraduate students at the University of Oklahoma who wish to study abroad in Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Awards are given on a demonstrated need basis to qualified undergraduate students. Awards are based on various factors, such as: (1) student financial need; (2) GPA; and (3) whether student is studying in Clermont-Ferrand during the fall and/or spring semester.
Eligibility Criteria:
Early Bird Deadline: December 1 Deadline: February 1
Apply for the Seymour Feiler Scholarship by completing the Study Abroad Scholarship Application found in OU's Centralized Academic Scholarship Hub (CASH).
IMPORTANT NOTE: Any student unable to complete the program will be required to return the full amount of the award to the College of International Studies.
Shirley Routt Bomford, a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and a retired civic leader, is the proud mother and grandmother of a daughter and granddaughter who are both OU graduates. Shirley and her husband, Tom, also a graduate of OU, desire to assist students planning to expand their education by studying abroad.
Eligibility Criteria:
Early Bird Deadline: December 1 Deadline: February 1
Apply for the Shirley Routt Bomford Endowed Scholarship by completing the Study Abroad Scholarship Application found in OU's Centralized Academic Scholarship Hub (CASH).
IMPORTANT NOTE: Any student unable to complete the program will be required to return the full amount of the award to the College of International Studies.
The South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center International Studies Scholarship was created to assist OU students pursuing a summer study abroad program. Scholarships are awarded on a demonstrated basis of need to qualified undergraduate students.
Recipients of the award will be expected to complete a small project as selected by the scholarship committee following the completion of the study abroad program.
For more information about the South Central CASC and their mission, visit the South Central CASC website.
Eligibility Criteria:
Deadline: February 1
Apply for the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center International Studies Scholarship by completing the Study Abroad Scholarship Application found in OU's Centralized Academic Scholarship Hub (CASH).
IMPORTANT NOTE: Any student unable to complete the program will be required to return the full amount of the award to the College of International Studies.
Study abroad scholarship for undergraduate students majoring in East Asian history or graduate students who have engaged in significant study of East Asia, with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Early Bird Deadline: December 1 Deadline: February 1
Apply for the Sidney DeVere Brown Award by completing the Study Abroad Scholarship Application found in OU's Centralized Academic Scholarship Hub (CASH).
The Ambassador Edward J. Perkins Scholarship was created to assist University of Oklahoma students pursuing studies in Africa and other strategic areas. The scholarship may also assist students coming to study at the University of Oklahoma from overseas.
Awards are given on a competitive basis to qualified undergraduate and graduate students. Awards are based on factors, such as (1) the quality of the student’s educational objectives and preparation for overseas study; (2) student’s field of study, with preference going to International and Area Studies majors; (3) cost of overseas trip; and (4) the student’s financial need.
Scholarship applicants must meet the following specific criteria:
Preference is given to students planning to travel to Africa, though proposals for travel to other strategic areas of the world are eligible. Strategic areas include Africa, the Middle East, Asia, South and Central America.
Early Bird Deadline: December 1 Deadline: February 1
Apply for the Ambassador Edward J. Perkins Scholarship by completing the Study Abroad Scholarship Application found in OU's Centralized Academic Scholarship Hub (CASH).
This scholarship is to honor the memory of Millie Schäfer Sitzman, whose interest from early years focused on missionaries in Africa. The scholarship is for University of Oklahoma students in a program of international study.
The award is given on a competitive basis to qualified undergraduate and graduate students. The recipient should demonstrate (1) high academic achievement, (2) participation in campus activities, and (3) involvement in the community at large.
Scholarship applicants must meet the following specific criteria:
Early Bird Deadline: December 1 Deadline: February 1
Apply for the Millie Schäfer Sitzman Award by completing the Study Abroad Scholarship Application found in OU's Centralized Academic Scholarship Hub (CASH).
The African Studies Institute (ASI), an interdisciplinary center composed of OU faculty dedicated to research and the study of Africa, is pleased to provide scholarships of $750 each for a limited number of students studying abroad with the Summer Faculty-Led programs in Tanzania.
Applicants should request a letter of support from a faculty member (in addition to the letter of support for the study abroad application) as well as a one-page statement describing their need for financial assistance, educational and personal goals, and how participating in a study abroad program in Tanzania would contribute to these goals.
A selection committee meets each cycle to review applications and award decisions are made based on the following selection criteria:
Deadline: March 1
Apply for the African Studies Institute (ASI) Scholarship here.
| Scholarship | Details | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship | Pell Grant recipients only | Spring: October Summer/Fall/Year: March |
| Boren Awards for International Study | World regions less frequently studied by US students | January |
| Fund for Education Abroad | U.S. undergraduate students only | Fall/Year: January Spring: September |
| Freeman-ASIA Scholarship | Students studying abroad in various Asian countries | Varies |
| Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grants | Open to any undergraduate student with a 3.75 GPA; you do not have to be a member of Phi Kappa Phi | Spring: September Summer/Fall/Year: February |
| South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center International Studies Scholarship | Study abroad scholarship for students with interest in (1) weather and climate impacts on society or (2) environmental problem solving | February 1 |
| Students studying abroad in Turkey | Varies |
For more accurate and up to date information, please review the deadlines and award amounts on each scholarship's website.
| Scholarship | Location/Area | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Boren Awards for International Study | World regions less frequently studied by US students | January |
| Fund for Education Abroad | Varies | Varies |
| Seymour Feiler Scholarship | Clermont-Ferrand, France | February |
| Freeman-ASIA Scholarship | Asia | Rolling |
| Blakemore Foundation | Asian Language | December |
| Bridging Scholarships for Study Abroad in Japan | Japan | Spring: October Fall/Year: April |
| JASSO (PDF) | Japan | Varies |
| African Studies Institute Study Abroad Scholarship | OU’s Faculty-Led programs to Tanzania | March |
| Sungkyunkwan University Summer Program | South Korea | Automatic Award |
| Turkey | Rolling Deadlines | |
| BUTEX Scholarships for North American Students | United Kingdom | June |
| American Women’s Club Stockholm | Sweden | April |
| DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) | Germany | January |
For more accurate and up to date information, please review the deadlines and award amounts on each scholarship's website.
| Partner Provider Scholarships | Deadlines |
|---|---|
| Arcadia Abroad | Varies |
| CEA CAPA Education Abroad | Varies |
| CET Academic Programs | Varies |
| CIEE Study Abroad | Varies |
| ISA Scholarships | Varies |
| Semester at Sea | Varies |
| The Education Abroad Network (TEAN) | Varies |
For more accurate and up to date information, please review the eligibility criteria, deadlines, and award amounts on each scholarship's website.
The OU Fellowship for Global Engagement is a program established by the University of Oklahoma to ensure its students have the tools to succeed in an increasingly global world. Global Engagement Fellows must commit to the program for the entirety of their undergraduate career. Fellows will receive a cash scholarship, which can be used during their undergraduate years for at least two international experiences, with their first experience ideally taking place during the summer after their freshman year. Fellows who successfully complete the requirements will receive a Certificate of Global Engagement, the only transcripted certificate at OU.
Incoming freshmen are eligible to apply the spring before they attend OU.
Financial aid includes any federal or state grant or loan as well as any other scholarships you already receive to pay for tuition, fees, room/board, etc. To apply for scholarships specifically for study abroad, please visit the scholarships page.
Most financial aid applies to approved study abroad programs (which includes any program found in our program search engine). Please contact Financial Aid Services for any questions related to using financial aid for study abroad.
Things to consider when using financial aid for study abroad:
Students on semester or academic year study abroad programs with OU Tuition & Fees will be charged at the normal Resident or Non-Resident flat-rate.
For example, OU Study Center and Partner University programs are charged OU Tuition & Fees, while Partner Provider programs are charged differently. Please see your Study Abroad Advisor for details. Students on a study abroad program may appeal to pay a per-credit-hour rate instead of a flat-rate.
Banked hours may be used for summer programs that charge OU Tuition & Fees. For example, most Faculty-Led programs can utilize banked hours. The Study Abroad Advisor for these programs can help you determine if banked hours apply, and the Bursar's Office can tell you how many hours you have banked for summer.
NOTE: Spring Session programs count as part of the Spring semester, and so do not use banked hours. Instead, tuition for these programs will be included in your Spring semester flat-rate.
For more information, visit OU Flat-Rate Tuition.
