Finances and Funding FAQ

Program costs vary widely; studying abroad can be more, less or equivalent to the cost of studying at the Mercer University.

All students participating in education abroad programs through the Mercer University will be charged a $75 study abroad fee. This fee includes the OnCall International Insurnace.

Each study abroad program page includes an estimate of total costs, and you can usually find the most current cost information on your program website. To see more about each program, click the links below:

Affiliate Programs
Exchange Programs
Faculty Led Programs

If you file a FAFSA, all federal and state funding can be applied to the costs of participating in any Mercer approved program or exchange university dependent upon the semester. Most Mercer scholarships, grants, and private funding resources are accepted for faculty-led programs or exchanges, but not affiliate programs. Always meet with Mercer’s Financial Aid Office to verify your aid package and whether any restrictions apply.

Financial Aid/Scholarships are released after the Mercer deadline to drop classes according to what semester or session your programs fall into.  A lot of program provider payment deadlines will fall before the release date of financial aid at Mercer.  We recommend you speak with your program provider first to see if they offer delayed payments, payment plan options, or options to support students.

If you have concerns about meeting payment deadlines because aid disbursement does not coincide, reach out to the Office of Global Education and they will help you understand your aid, deadlines, and resources available.

Once financial aid is released, it will be posted to your student account. If you do not already have existing charges on your account, this money will be refunded to you so you can pay any necessary program fees. Having your refund direct deposited into a bank account is the fastest and easiest way to access your money! You can set this up online through MyMercer.

YES! All Mercer students (even Grad students!) are eligible to apply for the Global Leader Scholarship. Over 300 students have benefited from the scholarship since 2019! To apply for the Global Leader Scholarship, apply through. Please note, application will not appear unless there is an active application cycle open. Plan to apply for scholarships the semester before you go.

For a full list of education abroad scholarships, please view Study Abroad Scholarships.

Students are also encouraged to pursue outside scholarships for study abroad through your program sponsor and/or from outside providers or organizations. Many of these opportunities have very early deadlines, so be sure to apply as soon as possible!

For most study abroad scholarships, you DO NOT need to wait until you are accepted to your program to apply for funding. You may be able to apply with tentative plans and update your application if your plans change. Check each scholarship’s requirements for details.

No, you must meet the eligibility criteria and be selected by the Scholarship Committee.

If your affiliate program requires a confirmation deposit, it is your responsibility to pay it directly to the program (not to Mercer) by their deadline. Mercer cannot waive required study abroad deposits, which are generally non-refundable if you withdraw from the program after confirming.

Some pre-departure expenses related to study abroad – such as passports, student visas, health insurance, and airfare – may occur long before you leave for your program, so be sure to budget for these expenses.

If you receive financial aid, many of these costs will be included in your aid award for study abroad, but you may need to pay for some of them out of pocket before your aid is available.

Be sure to cancel your on-campus housing contract or sublet your off-campus apartment prior to your departure from Mercer and make arrangements to store any of your belongings that you will not bring with you or bring home.

Many visa applications require you to certify your finances as part of the application process. Common requirements include a notarized letter of financial support from your parents, accompanied by bank statements illustrating a minimum required balance over a period of time.

If you are a financial aid recipient, you may need to provide a copy of your Mercer financial aid award letter. You can request an official copy of this letter through the Mercer Financial Aid Office.

For Global Leader Scholarship recipients, you can request a letter from the Office of Global Education detailing the scholarship and amount.