Financial & Academic Information
Financial Aid
If you receive any form of financial assistance through USI, it is your responsibility to check with your counselor in the Office of Student Financial Assistance to make sure your aid will be applied toward your program fees.
You will need to ensure your FAFSA form for the following year is filed between October 1st and April 15th to be considered for the maximum financial aid.
Grades from your study abroad program may take several weeks to process. Therefore, when the Office of Student Financial Assistance evaluates your continued eligibility for financial aid according to the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy, you are usually placed on Financial Aid probation at USI for up to one term or until the Study Abroad grades are posted, whichever comes first. During this probationary period, you will be eligible to receive financial assistance at USI. If at the end of the probationary semester SAP cannot be determined because the Study Abroad grades are still not available, eligibility for financial aid will be suspended until grades are posted and SAP can be determined.
NOTE: SAP status cannot be determined until the official grade transcript is received from the host institution(s). For students in a one-year Study Abroad program, aid eligibility will be allowed for the two semesters abroad. After two semesters of Study Abroad, financial aid eligibility will be suspended until SAP is determined.
Enrollment Verification Form
It is a requirement that students studying abroad through the University of Southern Indiana are registered for full-time credit for the duration of the study abroad program. Students must be registered for the equivalent of 12 U.S. credit hours each semester. The Enrollment Verification Form is to be completed by the study abroad participant upon arrival at the host institution and signed by the host coordinator when course registration is finalized. This form serves as proof of full-time enrollment for financial aid and other purposes. Financial aid cannot be finalized until this form is received. The completed form can be faxed to the Center for International Programs at 812-228-5097 or uploaded to your myUSI study abroad application Enrollment Verification Form Questionnaire.
Federal Direct Loans for Study Abroad Students
Students who are requesting an academic year loan continue to receive disbursements to their USI account after they begin course work at the host institution (and the Enrollment Verification form has been received by CIP). However, students who are requesting a Direct Loan for only one semester to cover study abroad expenses, instead of for the full academic year, must also receive their loan disbursements in two installments. Disbursements for a one semester loan will be made to your USI account when course work begins and again mid-way through the semester. If you have any questions, please see your assigned financial aid counselor.
Early Registration for the Semester Following Study Abroad
You will be able to register online through myUSI on your designated date and time (Evansville time). Prior to departure, please be sure to clear any holds that might have been placed on your account due to an overdue library book, an unpaid parking ticket, etc. Check your myUSI account to make sure you don’t have any holds pending.
Courses and Academic Credit
Participants in USI approved study abroad programs will receive USI credit and grades for all coursework completed during the program. During the term you are abroad, you will be registered at USI for full-time “Study Abroad” credit (credits for summer programs vary). You also will be enrolled in courses at the host institution.
For example, students participating in ISEP are enrolled in 15 credit hours of “Study Abroad” credit at USI, and they are concurrently enrolled in coursework through the host university overseas.
The actual number of credit hours earned can exceed 15 credit hours and will be posted on your USI transcript upon completion of the program.
IMPORTANT: You may be charged the additional USI tuition for credit hours exceeding 15, depending on your program for each credit hour exceeding 15 hours.
Obtaining Approval for Study Abroad Course Credit
Prior to your departure from campus, you should meet with your academic advisor or department chair to complete the Course Approval Record, indicating the courses you plan to take overseas and the USI equivalencies. All courses which do not have an exact USI equivalent can be transferred in as elective courses such as EX:PSY 250 or PSY 450 to reflect the title and level of the course. This form, signed by you and a faculty member in your department, is kept on file as an important record of how your study abroad credits will transfer. Dr. Mary Hallock Morris, Director of the University Core Curriculum, must approve any courses which will satisfy USI core requirements.
Please make an appointment to meet with Dr. Morris prior to your departure from campus. She can be reached at:
Email: mhmorris
812-461-5207
She will sign the Course Approval Record, as well, and indicate which core requirements are satisfied by the study abroad courses.
IMPORTANT: It is your responsibility to submit the Course Approval Record with appropriate department approval to the CIP office prior to your departure. If your course schedule changes once you are enrolled in the host institution, please make sure to communicate those changes to your academic advisor at USI and the Center for International Programs to determine how the new courses will transfer to your USI record.
Pass/No Pass
If you choose to take one course on a pass/no pass basis, you must notify the assistant director of the Center for International Programs within the first week of your semester overseas. The CIP office will assist in obtaining the required approval in your absence. This option is available as stated in the current USI Bulletin.
Transcripts and Course Transfer
CIP will receive an official transcript from your program (ISEP, CIEE, CEA) or sponsoring institution after completion of the program. Grades and credit hours are translated into USI equivalents and posted on your USI transcript, along with a notation that the coursework completed during that term was at X University in X country. Failure to provide your final official academic transcript from your study abroad institution during the semester following your study abroad semester will result in ‘F’ grades reflected on your USI transcript. A hold will be placed on your account at the end of your study abroad term which will prevent the release of your USI transcript until your final official study abroad transcript is received by USI. Please consult the Assistant Director of CIP for details on how credit hours and grades in your host country equate to the American system.
Study Abroad