COST & FUNDING

**Program fees are subject to change. All cabin categories are subject to availability. 

**Also note that students attending direct bill institutions will likely pay a different amount than what is listed above

What's Included?

Around 60% of our voyagers receive some form of financial aid. Students can apply for SAS scholarships or transfer federal aid and loans, school aid, and other private scholarships to Semester at Sea if approved by their home school. International students are welcome to apply for any ISE scholarships as well. A full list of SAS scholarships can be found here. Also check out this Complete Guide to Financial Aid for  Study Abroad Programs.

Scholarships

Cost Calculator - Encourage students to complete this to get an estimate of what they'll receive from our need and merit grants, along with the Pell Grant match

Important Dates:

• Fall Scholarship Deadline - Late April -> Awarded Beginning May

• Spring Scholarship Deadline - Beginning September -> Awarded Mid September

• Need, Merit, and Pell Grant Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis

• CY Tung and UWC Davis Scholarships are awarded once per year - scholarship application opens in January and closes in March for the upcoming fall and spring semester

• Tutu Ubuntu Scholarship is only open July-September for spring voyages only

Helpful Notes Regarding Scholarships:

• There are tons of scholarships that live in the Alumni Support Scholarship pot, so if a student has over a 3.0, encourage them to apply for these. These include:

  • • Engineering, Business, English, Cinematography, Creative Writing, Performing Arts, Photography, Photojournalism majors

    • Gap Year

    • First Gen

    • Students with Disabilities

    • Female

    • Underrepresented and nontraditional populations

    • Need, merit, leadership

    • Students from Midwest, Central Plains, Colorado, Oregon, Wyoming, Montana, West Virginia, Texas, Northeastern Pennsylvania

• Student Assistant position descriptions can be found here. All are eligible to apply!

• When starting a scholarship application, students will complete an eligibility form which will then populate all of the scholarships they are eligible to apply for.

Additional Funding & Payment Opportunities

Monthly Payment Plan: Interest-free 5-10 month repayment plan through Higher One. If joined early, oftentimes students receive a shipboard $250-$500 shipboard credit.

 Federal Financial Aid: Many home institutions will process federal financial aid (FAFSA) on behalf of their students and forward the funds to our program based on an understanding called a “consortium agreement.” Students should inquire with their home school about federal aid before applying through Semester at Sea. 

529 Plan: Most 529 (college savings) plans can be used for study abroad with approval from the organization. Contact your college savings plan for details on how to utilize these funds.

VA Benefits: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs helps current and former service members and their dependents pay for education. Students can utilize these benefits toward SAS as long as they meet eligibility criteria and is based on the rate of a faculty-led Colorado State University program.

Outside Scholarship, Fundraising, & Other Creative Ideas: Many outside funding opportunities exist for students to research. This Guide to Outside Funding provides additional resources for students to consider including creative fundraising ideas.  See partner scholarships below.