Frequently Asked Questions

  1. FAQ & Resources
  2. Frequently Asked Questions

Generally, participating in a global experience does not affect your graduation date as long as you plan carefully and select a program that meets your academics needs. If you plan on participating in a global experience during your final term, you should know that your official graduation will most likely be delayed by one semester due to the time it takes for our office to receive your grades and transcripts.  Get in touch with a member of our staff for more information.

If you are participating in a global experience for a semester, you must be enrolled in and complete 12-15 credits.  Summer and spring break programs have a set number of credits that you can earn. Before deciding on a program, you need to speak with your academic advisor as departments may have policies regarding the number of credits that must be taken in-residence (on campus).

Yes!  Various departments on campus offer global experience programs for graduate students.  You may also be able to participate on a program designed for undergraduate students, with your Dean’s approval.

Here are two critical things to know: US passport applications can take anywhere from 6-8 weeks to process.  Getting your passport needs to be one of the first things you do.  The Global Experiences Office strongly recommends you already have a valid passport or have completed your passport application/renewal before the global experience application deadline. If you already have a passport, please check to be sure that it is valid for the time period you will be abroad.  The Global Experiences Office (and most foreign governments) requires that your passport be valid for at least six months after you plan on leaving your host country. If you are a US citizen without a valid passport, visit the Department of State’s website to get your application started before you begin your global experience application.  Part of the application process requires you to visit a passport processing center, so we’ve included a link to our preferred centers below. Non-US citizens are welcome to participate in a global experience and also need a valid passport from their country of citizenship.  Be sure to let your program manager or advisor know as soon as possible if you are not a US citizen, as this may impact your visa situation. Please see Real ID tab for domestic and US territory requirements.

A visa is a document that grants you legal approval to enter or travel through a country. Your global experience advisor or program provider will let you know if you need a visa and will provide you with the necessary instructions when the time comes.

Yes!  You should be aware that there may be additional visa requirements.  You should speak to your global experience advisor before choosing a program.

If you are a US citizen without a valid passport, visit the Department of State’s website to get your application started.  Part of the application process requires you to visit a passport processing center, so we’ve included a link to our preferred centers below. Here are two critical things to know: US passport applications can take anywhere from 6-8 weeks to process.  Getting your passport needs to be one of the first things you do. If you already have a passport, please check to be sure that it is valid for the time period you will be abroad.  The Global Experiences Office (and most foreign governments) requires that your passport be valid for at least six months after you plan on leaving your host country. Note: If your last passport was issued before the age of 16, please see this website for additional information https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/16-17.html .

Yes.  See our Scholarships page for a list of available scholarships and applications. Keep in mind that scholarships for global experiences are competitive and will not cover the entire cost of the program.  You should make alternate plans for paying for your program in case you are not awarded a scholarship. 

  • Financial Aid will be disbursed through PittPay just like a standard, on-campus semester. In order for financial aid to disburse, you must be enrolled in credits and meeting the requirements for each individual award you wish to use.
  • For Panther Programs, you will be billed for all charges on PittPay. Your financial aid will disburse and pay towards those charges. If your financial aid exceeds what you owe the University, the overpayment will be refunded to you via PittPay eRefunds.
  • For Pitt Recognized Programs, you will be billed for all charges by your third party program provider. Once you are enrolled for credits, you will be billed on PittPay for a Global Experience fee. Your financial aid will disburse and pay off this fee first. Any additional aid that exceeds what you owe Pitt will be refunded to you via PittPay eRefunds. You should use this refund to pay your program provider.
  • We encourage all students to enroll a bank account number through PittPay eRefunds so that your refund can be deposited directly into your bank account. If you do not register a bank account on PittPay, a check will be mailed to your address of record. Especially while traveling around the world, a mailed check will significantly delay your ability to access your refund.

 

Charges for Panther, Partner, Exchange or Study Away Programs are posted to your student account in PittPAY and are due according to the standard Due Date Schedule. If you expect to aid disbursements that will create a credit balance on your student account, BE SURE you sign up for eRefunds in PittPAY so you get your money in 2-3 business days. Without eRefunds, you will have to wait 10-14 days for a paper check mailed to your home address.

  • Yes. To use Federal Financial Aid such as Federal Pell Grants, Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, or a Parent Plus loan, you must be enrolled at least half time (6 or more credits for an undergraduate, 4.5 or more credits for a graduate)
  • The Study Abroad program must also include credits of enrollment leading towards your degree. This means that you cannot have graduated or completed the requirements for your major program.
  • Students must also meet the University’s standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress to remain financial aid eligible.
  • If you are enrolled less than half time, you may apply for a Private loan. Individual lenders may approve loans based on less than half time status. We recommend reviewing potential lenders on Fast Choice, an online service that allows students to compare and research private lenders. The University of Pittsburgh does not endorse or recommend any specific private lender.
  • Here are some helpful links from the Financial Aid Office:

 

  • To use your university awarded merit scholarship, you must be enrolled full time (12 or more credits for an undergraduate), meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress, and have term of usage remaining. You may receive a scholarship for a maximum of 8 terms and the Study Abroad usage will count towards the 8 terms.
  • Other scholarships may be usable on study abroad but could vary by the department that awarded you the scholarship. We recommend contacting the area that notified you of the award to verify your eligibility for specific scholarships.
  • Scholarships awarded by the Global Experience Office for the purpose of study abroad can be used during your program.

 

Beyond the Global Experience Fee, you will not pay anything to the University of Pittsburgh if you participate in a Pitt-Recognized Program with the global experiences office.  Your program provider will bill you directly.

Financial Aid consists of scholarships, grants, loans, and work study. Only work study cannot be used while studying abroad. Scholarships, grants, and loans can potentially be used provided that you meet the eligibility requirements for each particular award that you receive.

 

 

  • Financial Aid cannot disburse to a student’s PittPay account until we are within 10 days before the start of the semester. The federal government prohibits accessing financial aid earlier than 10 days prior to the start of each term. The start of a semester is determined by the Pitt academic calendar, not the start date of your Global Experience.
  • In order for your financial aid to disburse once we reach that 10 day window, you must be enrolled in your program credits and meet the requirements for each type of financial aid award.
  • Refunds will begin to process after financial aid has disbursed. Once a refund is generated, it can still take 3-5 business days for the refund to reach your bank account if you are enrolled in PittPay eRefunds.

 

If your program provider has a due date that is before your will receive your financial aid refund, contact your program provider and request their version of a due date deferral form. Most providers have a form that you can complete that states that you will be receiving financial aid, but you won’t receive it until a date later than the due date. There is typically a student section and a financial aid administrator section to be completed. The provider may provide a due date extension for some or all of the amount owed until you receive your refund.

 

  • The half and full-time requirements, as well as enrolling in credits leading toward a degree still apply, however, the types of available aid would vary. The financial aid year includes Fall, Spring, and Summer terms. You are eligible for 100% of your aid during that aid year. If you received 100% of your Federal loans (50% for Fall and 50% for Spring) you would not have any Federal loans available for the Summer term. If you have remaining federal loan eligibility and you would like to have it offered to you during the summer term, you should completed a Summer Aid Request form - Financial Aid Forms - Financial Aid | University of Pittsburgh. Remember that the federal student loan annual limits are $5500 for first year students, $6500 for second year, $7500 for third or fourth year. These amounts are combined total of your subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans.
  • You may qualify for a Summer Pell Grant and Pell Plus Grant. The amount would be determined after the Summer Aid request form is completed and you are enrolled in credits for the summer term. To receive Pell during summer, you must have been Pell eligible during the fall and spring terms. Students that were enrolled full-time during the fall and spring, must enroll at least half-time in the summer to receive summer Pell.
  • Based on the credits of enrollment, a parent may apply for a Parent Plus loan, or you could pursue a private loan. Parent Plus Loans are considered federal financial aid, so half time enrollment is required.
  • The full-time requirement would still pertain to the use of university awarded merit scholarships, as well as meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress. Using a merit scholarship in the summer does count towards a student’s 8 term maximum of scholarship usage. You may need to request your merit scholarship be added to your account in the summer term after you are enrolled full time by emailing the Financial Aid Office.

 

If you are eligible for the Fall and/or Spring terms you do not have to complete any forms. If you are eligible during the Summer term, you would complete a Summer Aid Request via docusign from the Financial Aid website - Financial Aid Forms - Financial Aid | University of Pittsburgh

 

We recommend using PittFund$Me to search and apply for all scholarship opportunities, including those for Global Experience programs.