'But it's so expensive..'

One of the major factors that usually turns students off from studying abroad is how expensive these trips usually tend to be. I know the main reason why I have been apprehensive about studying abroad is because most of the trips are well over what most college students can afford right now, especially in a struggling economy. There is some good news for students who are concerned with how much it costs to study abroad. If a student wishes to study abroad for an entire semester, the student can usually pay the exact same tuition that they pay to their home institution. Many students have various reasons for desiring to study abroad over the summer however, and this does not carry over for these students. I am planning on studying abroad for 5-8 weeks over the summer and the tuition does not work out as well under this circumstance. 

After searching, I found some helpful advice from Sallie Mae for students who need to figure out ways to fund their study abroad trip. Here are some of the highlights:

1.) Much of your financial aid can probably be applied towards your trip-- check with your university's financial aid office to see if this applies to you.

2.) Scholarships are a good way to finance a study abroad program. When you find a scholarship that you qualify for, see if it can be applied to international study. Some scholarships focus exclusively on those going overseas or to certain countries.

3.)If you school is in the listed in the Federal School Code Search, you can use federal student loans — like Stafford and PLUS — to pay for your non-U.S. school.

4.) Ask your academic adviser, financial aid counselor, and study abroad office for more information on paying for study abroad and your eligibility for financial aid.

5.) Take out a loan from your bank if you are eligible

6.) Get a job and save up as much money as you can or ask family and friends to donate money to your "study abroad fund."

Here is a chart credited to The NY Times which displays information on the cost of programs and the credit students receive towards their major: